Salmonella Scare from Baby Turtles
By: Kristen Kennedy
Updated: January 17, 2009
We've warned you about the peanut butter cracker recall, but you also need to watch out for salmonella on pet reptiles. The Health Department linked three salmonella cases here in Lubbock back to baby turtles. Pets like turtles, lizards and snakes carry salmonella on their skin and shells. It's perfectly normal for that bacteria to be there, you just need to use precautions to make sure you don't transfer the salmonella into your body. Experts say children under two are most at risk and most likely to put their hands in their mouth before they can get to a sink to wash up after handling reptiles.
"If you have those animals at home please be very diligent that you supervise your children when they're handling them and have them wash their hands or use hand sanitizer immediately after they handle the animals," says Judy Davis with the Lubbock Health Department.
The best way to avoid a salmonella scare is to wash up after you've handled an animal, its cage or its food.
"If you have those animals at home please be very diligent that you supervise your children when they're handling them and have them wash their hands or use hand sanitizer immediately after they handle the animals," says Judy Davis with the Lubbock Health Department.
The best way to avoid a salmonella scare is to wash up after you've handled an animal, its cage or its food.
