Buying a pet turtle is no way to come out of your shell

Buying one of those cute little turtles is no way to come out of your shell and decide to buy a pet, the Food and Drug Administration warns.

While you don't have take a turtle out for a daily walk and they rarely cause any noise at all, the FDA warns "turtles commonly carry bacteria called Salmonella on their outer skin and shell surfaces."

Salmonella can cause a serious or even life-threatening infection in people, especially the very young or old, people with compromised immune systems or the just plan unlucky.

Salmonella infections are not pretty, but they are memorable. Infected people can suffer from diarrhea, fever, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Symptoms usually appear 6 to 72 hours after contact with the bacteria and last about 2 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment, but some get so sick that they need to be treated in a hospital, especially young children.

Actually turtles or other reptiles such as lizards and snakes or amphibians such as frogs, salamanders, or newts can carry salmonella.

"All reptiles and amphibians are commonly contaminated with Salmonella," says Joseph C. Paige, Consumer Safety Officer at the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "But it is the small turtles that most often are put in contact with young children, where consequences of infection are likely to be severe."

"Young children are ingenious in constructing ways to infect themselves," says Paige. "They put the small turtles in their mouths or, more often, they touch the turtles or dangle their fingers in the turtle tank water and then put their hands in their mouths. Also, sometimes the tanks and reptile paraphernalia are cleaned in the kitchen sink, and food and eating utensils get cross-contaminated."

This made me think, when invited to a backyard barbecue, should one look around to see if any pet turtles are housed in a tank at the abode. If so, you may wonder, if that fork from which you are eating was moments earlier in a sink that had runoff from a freshly cleansed turtle. If you didn't think about it before, I'm sure the thought will pop in your head now. If not sure go for the paper or plastic plates, cups and utencils.

Surfaces such as countertops, tabletops, bare floors, and carpeting can also become contaminated with the bacteria if the turtle is allowed to roam on them, the FDA warns. Don't bother looking for wet spills, the bacteria may survive for a long period of time on these surfaces.

In addition, the FDA noted, some young people became ill after swimming in an unchlorinated, in-ground, pool where turtles had also been allowed to swim.

FDA officials said, more recently, frogs have also been a source of an outbreak of Salmonella infection. Water frogs, including African dwarf frogs, that commonly live in aquariums or fish tanks, have been the culprit.

The FDA suggests don't buy small turtles, reptiles or amphibians for pets or as gifts. If your family is expecting a child, remove any reptile or amphibian from the home before the infant arrives. Do not allow reptiles or amphibians to roam freely through the house, especially in food preparation areas.

Among other good suggestions, if you have a turtle do not clean aquariums or other supplies in the kitchen sink. Use bleach to disinfect a tub or other place where reptile or amphibian habitats are cleaned. Remember, Salmonella infection can be caused by contact with reptiles or amphibians in petting zoos, parks, child day care facilities, or other locations, so warn your youngsters about the dangers lurking under that cute shell.

By the way, turtle soup is fine if cooked or warmed properly, which was not an FDA suggestion, but it is probably good advice.

Hopefully, I saved some stomach distress for a few readers.