Can you handle tortoises

Mind you, this is not only a risk to the kids but also to the tortoises. Young children do not have the capacity, patience, or compassion required to understand that reptiles are not like mammals. Tortoises are not people; they are not puppies or kittens. That means the tortoises are at great risk for injury, malnutrition, and poor sanitation if left in the care of young handlers.

This also exposes young kids to a much higher risk of salmonella. Kids under five are notorious for poor hygiene. They put everything in their mouths. Young kids often handle tortoises too roughly. This can hurt the tortoise or even kill him. It also sets up a scenario where a scared or injured tortoise might bite or scratch a child in an attempt to get away, though this is very rare.

Tortoises are sweet-natured, but they can stress out easily. When a child is mature enough to understand basic hygiene, pet sanitation, and that reptiles are not like mammals, they may be ready to have a tortoise as a pet.

Once again, the main risk is salmonella. When a child is mature enough to understand what bacterial infections are and that hand-washing and good sanitation can prevent them, they may be ready for a pet tortoise. Be sure to go over proper sanitation with your child. As long as your child can learn to respect animals and handle them with care and compassion, they may be ready for a tortoise.

Be sure to go over the dangers of mishandling, both for the child and the tort. Broken shells can kill a tortoise and can expose the child to bacteria and parasites other than salmonella. That brings us to the subject of mites. Yes, reptiles can get mites. They are itchy and annoying, but they can also cause a lot of health issues if left untreated. In the hands of an untrained child, a mite infestation can cover an entire household. Be sure you and your kids know what to look for and how to treat mites before they get out of control.

And, of course, there is the worry or scratches or bites. They are sweet little friends who just like to chill out and watch you go about your day. But a scared, stressed, or injured tortoise may bite out of instinct. Make sure your older and mature kids understand the body language of tortoises to avoid this problem.

Scratches happen, and usually not on purpose. Tortoises have long, strong nails made for digging. This can cause minor scratches. To avoid this, instruct your kids to never pick up a tortoise. Tortoises are a calm, sweet-natured, and simple pet for elderly handlers. In fact, many seniors who have tortoises have owned their tiny tanks their entire lives.

But tortoises do pose some small risks to elderly people. Like pregnant women, seniors can be susceptible to salmonella infections. Following the same care, cleaning, and sanitation guidelines as you would for a pregnant woman will reduce the chances of your elderly loved one becoming sick. Another hazard for older people is the heavy lifting that may be involved with some larger tortoise species.

While large tortoises should never be picked up, their tank decorations and their supplies can get quite heavy. Older people may not be able to keep up with the cleaning and sanitation needs, which then leads to an increased risk of salmonella infections. Offer to help older tortoise owners with maintenance so they can keep their old tortoise pals around! However, those pets may injure your tortoise. Cats, dogs, and birds are all natural predators to tortoises. Never leave a tortoise alone with another pet.

Not even a very docile, friendly pet. They are still animals and they will always follow their instincts. Remember that the diseases of one animal can often be passed to another, too. All it takes is good supervision and reliable ways to keep the pets apart. Allergies are a weird thing. Just as every human is different, so too are the things that they can be allergic to. While it is incredibly rare, clinically speaking, to see humans allergic to tortoises, it can happen.

The best way to avoid developing a tortoise allergy is to practice safe and sanitary handling procedures. These include washing your hands after handling a tortoise, cleaning the enclosure, or touching anything a tortoise has touched. The tortoises most commonly seen in the pet trade are generally those that are the easiest to breed and care for. What follows are very general guidelines. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek more detailed information on the particular type of tortoise they own.

The gender of a mature tortoise can usually be determined by external characteristics. Male tortoises generally have a concavity on the plastron lower shell. Animal protein may be fed in small amounts.

Sulcata and Leopard tortoises are fed a high-fiber diet of grass hay, leafy greens, vegetables, and tortoise chow. Fruits are fed sparingly or not at all, and no animal protein is provided. Greek and Russian tortoises should be fed a high-fiber, low-protein diet of leafy greens, grass hay and vegetables.

Fruits are fed sparingly or not at all. Tortoise chow may be added to the diet of the Russian tortoise, but should limited in the diet of the Greek tortoise or not offered at all. All tortoises seem to enjoy brightly colored fruits and vegetables and diversity in their diet. Dark, leafy greens are best: kale, collards, dandelion, mustard greens, and romaine Some experts recommend dusting the diet with a veterinary powdered calcium supplement several times a week. Never flip a tortoise over!

A tortoise is helpless in this position and will become extremely stressed. Lift it straight up off the ground only as high as needed. An agitated tortoise may be able to smack your hand or leg with one of its surprisingly powerful limbs. Some tortoises can even crane their necks far enough back to bite your hand in this position. Move it only as far as necessary, then put it down gently. The more you carry a tortoise, the more likely it is to fall. In this case, carry it no more than 50 ft 15 m in the direction it was already pointed and put it back down.

Method 2. Remain calm and gentle as you handle the baby tortoise. Even so, resist the urge to pick one up just because you want to cuddle it. Grasp the shell with a clean hand, fingers spread wide and even. Press your fingertips very lightly against the edge of the shell. For added protection, put on a pair of disposable gloves. Baby tortoise shells are not as strong as adult shells. Be as gentle as possible while maintaining control. Slide your other clean hand underneath the tortoise before lifting it.

Slowly lift the tortoise straight up, lifting it only as high and moving it only as far as is necessary. Just wash up well afterward! Keep the tortoise upright—shell side up—at all times. Flip the tortoise over to look at its underside only in an emergency. Keep the baby tortoise supported and safe without squeezing it.

A baby tortoise can get a bit squirmy, so make sure you keep hold of it. Also, like with adult tortoises, only hold a baby as high as necessary to reduce the danger of injury from a fall. Put the baby down with the same gentleness you used to pick it up. Let go of the shell with your other hand and let the baby tortoise climb off of your flattened hand.

Let go with your other hand and allow the baby to go on its way. Method 3. Touch a wild tortoise only when its life is at risk. Many species of wild tortoise are critically endangered, and lifting or even touching one that you encounter will nearly always do more harm than good.

Even then, handle it as little as possible. Watch for signs of stress in your pet tortoise whenever you handle it. While some tortoises may tolerate handling, most experience fear and anxiety when handled.

Check for signs like the following that indicate your tortoise is experiencing major stress: [11] X Research source Emptying its bladder or bowels.