Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

Despite a recent salmonella outbreak, can pet turtles be made safe?

Early this year the Centers for Disease Control reported an outbreak of salmonella poisoning stemming from contact with pet turtles. The outbreak affected over 100 people in 33 states, many of them children under the age of 10. Wildlife veterinarian Mark A. Mitchell believes the current outbreak has more to do with poor management than dirty – or dangerous – turtles. He was interviewed by News Bureau Life Sciences Editor Diana Yates.

What do you think is the cause of the current outbreak?

I believe that the current outbreak represents what happens when a regulation is in place and there is no active method to enforce it. The turtles being sold represent those animals that are not treated using the methods outlined in my research and enacted in Louisiana. There are a number of individuals selling animals from places (Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) that do not have any state oversight. What is likely happening in these cases is that Salmonella-positive (untreated) hatchlings are being mixed with other animals and housed under inappropriate conditions, which sets up a situation where the bacteria can be rapidly disseminated between animals. Similar problems can be found with Salmonella in both the meat and produce industries, when appropriate methods to minimize contamination are not followed.

Do you support the current ban on turtles under four inches in size?

No. I believe that recent research from my laboratory shows that the prevalence of Salmonella can be consistently reduced to levels less than one percent. These are levels that are lower than those reported for some domestic pets. I believe that pet ownership is an important responsibility and that individuals should not make based on impulse. I believe that placing these animals in an appropriate environment and offering them a commercial turtle chow (Salmonella-free) will reduce the public health risk associated with these animals. Will it be perfect in all cases? No, but the same can be said for health risks associated with domestic pets or for the foods that we eat.

What would you change in the way reptiles are managed and sold as pets?

I would like to see that reptile pet ownership requires some form of registration, as we have for domestic pets. I believe that pet ownership is an important responsibility and that the purchase of a pet should not be made on impulse. Many of these animals are long-lived. In addition, I believe that the pet manufacturers need to take a long look at what they offer for sale regarding the husbandry of these animals. The old methods of holding (bowls) and feeding (freeze-dried flies) turtles should not be allowed. These animals need to be provided an appropriate vivarium.

How can the risks of Salmonella from pet turtles be minimized?

The risk associated with these animals can be reduced by starting with treated animals. The prevalence is actually quite low. The next step is to reduce the likelihood of re-exposing the animal to Salmonella by providing an appropriate environment and diet. Because reptiles are ectotherms, it is important that they are provided an appropriate environmental temperature range to maximize their metabolism and immune function. Offering a commercial diet that is Salmonella-free will also go a long way to minimizing the risk of re-exposure. All pet owners, regardless of whether we are talking about a dog or a turtle, should practice appropriate hygiene practices, such as hand washing.

Read Next

Announcements Marcelo Garcia, professor of civil and environmental engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering.

Illinois faculty member elected to National Academy of Engineering

Champaign, Ill. — Marcelo Garcia, a professor of civil and environmental engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

Social sciences Male and female student embracing on the quad with flowering redbud tree and the ACES library in the background. Photo by Michelle Hassel

Dating is not broken, but the trajectories of relationships have changed

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — According to some popular culture writers and online posts by discouraged singles lamenting their inability to find romantic partners, dating is “broken,” fractured by the social isolation created by technology, pandemic lockdowns and potential partners’ unrealistic expectations. Yet two studies of college students conducted a decade apart found that their ideas about […]

Engineering Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Nishant Garg, center, is joined by fellow researchers, from left: Yujia Min, Hossein Kabir, Nishant Garg, center, Chirayu Kothari and M. Farjad Iqbal, front right. In front are examples of clay samples dissolved at different concentrations in a NaOH solution. The team invented a new test that can predict the performance of cementitious materials in mere 5 minutes. This is in contrast to the standard ASTM tests, which take up to 28 days. This new advance enables real-time quality control at production plants of emerging, sustainable materials. Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

Researchers develop a five-minute quality test for sustainable cement industry materials

A new test developed at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can predict the performance of a new type of cementitious construction material in five minutes — a significant improvement over the current industry standard method, which takes seven or more days to complete. This development is poised to advance the use of next-generation resources called supplementary cementitious materials — or SCMs — by speeding up the quality-check process before leaving the production floor.

Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

507 E. Green St
MC-426
Champaign, IL 61820

Email: stratcom@illinois.edu

Phone (217) 333-5010