Is it safe to have a pet turtle while pregnant?

Answer 1

Salmonella is the concern.

Salmonella is annoying- it is basically the stomach flu or 24 hour bug- short burst of diarrhea and vomiting in most cases. Most of us have had at least one case in out lives.

It is easy to prevent your turtle from having it- good tank cleanliness, good filtration, good diet, etc. reduce the number of organisms in the water.

It is easy to prevent yourself from getting it- good handwashing after handling the turtles or their water. You might consider using cheap latex or plastic gloves to cut your risks even further.

Salmonella is not a big deal in most cases, but it can come in a especially nasty strain (rare, very rare in turtles!), and even the normal versions can really bother people with reduced immune systems- young, old, ill, etc.

Your chances of picking up ANYTHING from routine handling of a well-kept turtle is pretty small. The chance the bug will bother you or the baby is almost impossible... but there is a small chance, so practice good hygiene, just like you would when handling raw chicken, etc.

(FYI- you are at MUCH greater risk when handling raw, or cooked cold chicken than you are with turtles!)

Answer 2

As long as you are careful, this shouldn't be a problem at all. Is there someone else who can assist in tank cleaning, etc? Really, as long as you make sure to always always wash your hands with a good soap and warm water after handling the turtle or messing with the water at all, you will be fine. Just no sticking your fingers in your mouth after handling him ;) haha. Good luck and congratulations :)

Answer 3

Turltes can carry all kinds of bacteria. I would have someone else clean the tank often while you are pregnant and wash your hands thouroughly if you handle it.

Answer 4

You are going to need to have someone else clean the cage for you. If you have a cat, someone else is going to need to clean the litter box for you as well. There is just too much bacteria for you to be exposed to.