In male turtles, the penis (which is a surprisingly large, black organ with a spade-shaped end) may periodically prolapse out of the vent and become visible outside the body when the turtle is stressed or acting sexual, but then it should revert back into the shell easily. Set up your myVCA account today. As with any other pet, caring for turtles requires no small amount of research. Its possible that your turtle may also defecate if it feels truly threatened. Make sure not to shake your turtle, and dont hold it too far from the ground. And Coates adds, depending on your turtles species, its diet, and your set-up, you may also need to provide a calcium and vitamin D supplement. Continue with Recommended Cookies. link to Can Hermann Tortoises Eat Watermelons? I love turtles, and I write turtle-related blogs and product reviews. If you provide this regularly, then they will learn to expect it at any given moment. This reflex is often triggered when theyre picked up, leading to an accidental release of urine. It goes without saying that pets of different types might need to be kept apartor watched closely when theyre in the same proximity. Most of the turtles for sale as pets require both aquatic and terrestrial environments within their tank, and special attention needs to be paid to water quality. Turtles and other reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria, which can be easily transmitted to people. But if you wee in the same place too much, you will build up a concentration of salts in the soil, and this can affect osmosis of water into the plant's roots. Cloudy white. As we mentioned earlier, Salmonella is a serious disease. Can turtle pee hurt you? Luckily, its possible to make your pet turtle feel more comfortable around you. Urgent need to pee. Bites from a young turtle will have no major effect on your skin and will certainly not hurt like bites from an adult turtle. If your turtle snaps, bites, or hisses, thats a pretty clear indication that you should take a step back and work on bonding with your pet another time. Also, their bladder is located near their tail, and picking them up can put pressure on their bladder and cause them to release urine. This is a natural reflex that helps them to escape from predators or other threats. This may be because warts are often found on the hands and feet, the same body parts that come into contact with turtles. Turtles pee can carry high levels of urea. Approach the turtle slowly, and make sure it can see you. This behavior helps turtles bond with each other and shows how much they care for others. Empty conch shells and ping-pong balls can make for fun toys for your pet turtle, and theyll also help to stimulate your pet mentally. Do You Need A Tetanus Shot After A Cat Bite. And, suppose you do decide to pick up a turtle, make sure you support its body from underneath. Its likely that the way you handled your pet made it feel like it was in danger. The answer to this question depends on the type of turtle. While uric acid doesnt have the same composition as urine, it does have a similar appearance and smell. It should be a calm hiding place where your pet doesnt have to worry about being bothered. While at first, this doesnt seem like a very efficient defense, it actually is. It is transmitted in an animal's feces (pronounced FEE-seez), which is a scientific word for poop. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And that can be detrimental for humans if ingested or made contact with the skin. Both require the experience of a knowledgeable reptile veterinarian. If you enjoy the content that we create, please consider saying a "Thank You!" This odd ability may have helped them invade salty environments, researchers explained.. Turtles arent likely to escape a well-managed enclosure, so if you can rig things up properly, you might not need a lid at all. It can be done by placing their food in the area where you want them to urinate. A good idea for reducing stress related to handling is to create a safe zone in your turtles aquarium where it can hide and find comfort. The cheapest part of turtle ownership is the start up cost of buying a turtle and its habitat. Turtles love being outside, especially during springtime. It could be a defense mechanism, or the turtle could be scared or feeling stressed, or they may be unable to control their muscles. Make sure not to shake your turtle, and dont hold it too far from the ground. Dysuria means you feel pain or a burning sensation when you pee (urinate). Regardless of the tissue or organ prolapsed, all can become traumatized, become dried out, or suffer from compromised blood flow. The cloaca is the opening that turtles use for defecation and reproduction. Keep working on hand-feeding, and with time and patience, you can try petting your turtle again. Therefore, when youre planning on handling a turtle, its best to be prepared for a potential wetting. To get your turtle to feel more at ease when you pet it, set it on the ground first. By carefully taking note of your pets behaviors and body language, youll be able to make sure your turtle feels safe, comfortable, and happy! When a turtle urinates, the urine is stored in a sac near the cloaca. However most turtles enjoy being petted on their shells, but some dont like it when you touch their heads or legs. Pain, pressure, or aching in your lower abdomen (pelvic area) Cloudy or dark pee. Instead, they will only do so if they are ill or trying to conserve water. Remember that its not in the typical turtles nature to be extremely social. As your turtle gets more accustomed to you it will stop peeing on your hand, but until then this is one of the few occasions when you can see your turtle pee. Turtle pee contains a substance called urea. After awhile, you can try to feed your turtle by hand. Are turtles expensive to keep? Check out this post which is one of the most popular of all time. But some people argue that even in such situations we have plenty to drink, as long as we don't turn up our noses at it. Give them the proper space and time to naturalize themselves so they wont feel threatened by you. Stress and pressure could cause your turtle to pee on you, or defecate. There are a few main aspects of survival that are essential to turtles, and if you can take care of these needs, youll be well on your way to creating a close relationship with your turtle. Have a dedicated area for cleaning reptiles items, separate from the area humans items are cleaned. So, its important that your turtles environment be kept clean. Turtles can carry diseases that can be passed on to humans, so its necessary to wash your hands after handling one. Digging and moving around in the aquarium are also positive behaviors that mean your turtle is happy. They pee like most of the remaining reptiles. This will help to remove any bacteria that may be causing your turtle to urinate more frequently. Turtles tend to be more receptive and energetic when theyre warm. Holding your breath while urinating or pushing with your abdominal muscles to speed up the process won't hurt you if you do it once in a while, but if this is an everyday habit, it may weaken your bladder, says Jenny Archer, PT, DPT, a pelvic floor therapist based in Nashville, Tennessee. The urea travels through the reptiles ' bloodstreams to their mouths, so it's not technically urination. 10. Contrary to popular belief, turtles can become attached to their owners. Turtles express their love through eye contact rather than physical touch. However, it is important to note that not all turtles will react this way. Due to the way things are arranged on the inside of the turtle this process is less exhausting than normal breathing. Its best to wait until your turtle chooses to enter an open space where it can eat and socialize. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Just like the excrement of other animals, it contains the body's metabolic waste products which can be harmful for humans especially children and pregnant women. You can find more details on traction wrapping in this article. Aquatic turtles on the other hand still spend a fair amount of time on land as well. Never pick them up by the tail, or try to have a grip on them, theyll quickly feel threatened and end up peeing on you. Some owners feed their turtlesin a separate area to avoid this from happening. As with any pet, its best to opt for a larger enclosure than to find yourself stuck with one thats too small. If you have any questions left, please feel free to leave them in the comment section and I will answer them as soon as possible. As they feel frightened, they proceed to pee on you as one of their defensive measures as it allows more space for them to withdraw into their shells and shut it tighter as they do. Yes, turtles can urinate on us but not because they want to get rid of their waste products. So, lets continue. Bacteria Your body is home to many different colonies of healthy. Not only is it illegal to keep most native turtle species as pets, but it's almost impossible to provide habitat where the turtle can thrive. This includes not only urine but also solid waste like feces. Yes, affectively from research from scientists, according to men only, earthworm urine can immensely be affective and sting to . Treatment depends on the cause and ranges from antibiotics, to avoiding irritants to treating the underlying medical problem. Do make sure to read its body language. Some turtles may simply curl up into a ball and remain still when frightened. If your turtle is energetic and active, thats a great sign that its comfortable in its environment. Not only will you be able to avoid getting peed on in the future, but your turtle will be much happier and can even grow to form a bond with you. You might not realize it, but turtling can be a result of problems with your enlargement routine. Given that you have a turtle that youre not sure about picking up, its best to err on the side of caution and avoid it. Before purchasing a turtle, check the laws in your municipality regarding legal ownership of pet turtles. The process is just a little different for each species. But if you must, make sure to handle them gently and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. With proper handling and caution, you can reduce the frequency or even totally stop this incident. While the natural instincts of turtles would probably kick in, a turtle that has been captive most or all of its life will not have the keen hunting skills of a wild one. Yes that's right, sometimes a turtle pees on you So the question you may be wondering - Why did my turtle pee on me? Young and newly adopted turtles, especially, can be very sensitive and tend to pee more often. One of the most pronounced ones is its potential to cause human brain damage when it comes into your contact. While turtles may not relieve themselves when picked up by humans, they are capable of doing so when they feel threatened or stressed. Disclosure: Nursingpets.com is reader-supported. Required fields are marked *. We have lots more on the site to show you. However, these tests only show infection if they are shedding the bacteria in their stool at that time.. Changes to your usual vaginal discharge. A dog or cat may view your new turtle with curiosity at first, but a simple exploratory scratch or bite can easily cause serious, andpotentially lethal, harm. Luckily, the turtle's cloaca -- the rear end hole (not an anus) that allows the reptile to excrete, urinate, and lay its eggs -- features two sacs, or bursa, which more efficiently absorb oxygen.