They may even beg for treats, similar to a dog! Why do turtles urinate when you pick them up for short periods - Quora tortoise won't poop - EMERGENCY CARE - Turtle Forum Young turtles may not be strong enough to break your skin, but those with a sharp beak would probably cause harm. Its best for your turtle to have something to rest their feet on, whether thats your hand, arm, or another solid surface you can hold. Thats because turtles excrete very little nitrogen in their urine. In fact, its almost odorless. Full thickness shedding of skin, leaving raw or bleeding areas, is clearly abnormal and may be a sign of a bacterial or fungal infection, hypovitaminosis A (vitamin A deficiency), burn, or trauma. Like all reptiles, turtles excrete uric acid as waste. Yes thats right, sometimes a turtle pees on youif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'reptileshere_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-medrectangle-3-0'); So the question you may be wondering Why did my turtle pee on me? If your turtles habitat is too small, they may not have enough room to urinate away from their habitats. Happy turtles will eat their meals enthusiastically and appear excited when presented with food. You see, Turtles urinate when they're stressed; this is a normal response to feeling threatened. While it may be unpleasant to deal with, theres no need to be concerned if your turtle urinates when picked up. ReptileJam.com also participates in other affiliate programs and may be compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Turtles tend to be more receptive and energetic when theyre warm. If your turtle doesnt show any interest, try using live food like crickets to engage with it. If you notice that your turtle's shell is growing irregularly, it may be a sign of malnutrition or even metabolic bone disease. This includes not only urine but also solid waste like feces. -If your immune system is weak, other health problems may arise. Unless it's a protected species, it's not illegal to own a turtle under a 4 inch shell. He peed all over me. Will I get sick? Moreover, you can consider bathing your turtle. The pee they released on you isnt actually urine. After awhile, you can try to feed your turtle by hand. Blisters or . Urine will contain lots of things that plants like such as water and nitrates, which can act like fertilizers. If youre buying a turtle as a baby or hatchling, its imperative that you consider the approximate size your turtle will be when its fully grown. Are mississippi map turtles aggressive? - Vote For Bell If your turtle isnt interested, then try offering live food like cricket nymphs to get him/her excited. Your email address will not be published. Can turtle pee hurt you? Hence, it hurts when it is released. It's likely that the way you treated him made it seem like he felt threatened. Put a heat light also. Urinating can also be a deliberate defensive response if a turtle feels like its in danger. This will cause a lot more damage than a simple snap. The most popular one is that its a natural defense mechanism. They often follow their owners around the house with their heads down, looking at them intently.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'reptileshere_com-banner-1','ezslot_9',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'reptileshere_com-banner-1','ezslot_10',110,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-banner-1-0_1'); .banner-1-multi-110{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. Turtles will also beg for food when you pass by their enclosure or venture near that coveted food shelf. Yes, turtles pee through their cloaca, which is an orifice that is a combination of an anus, urethra, and gills. Read my articles and share them with your beloved ones. True or False: It's Safe to Drink Your Urine. Frank Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. Depending on their natural habitat different turtle species are able to get more air through their cloaca than other species, and this is to be expected. While drinking a little bit of your own urine probably won't hurt you, it's definitely not as safe as a glass of water. Aquatic turtles on the other hand still spend a fair amount of time on land as well. If they find themselves far from the ground, they would just pee on you. You can slowly introduce this behavior over several days. 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. This can cause by several reasons like the food theyre eating (fish), your turtles may suffering from dehydration or infection. Instead, they will only do so if they are ill or trying to conserve water. With a safe zone, your turtle can easily escape any unwanted interaction. One of the most pronounced ones is its potential to cause human brain damage when it comes into your contact. The scutes(plates) of the shell normally flake off as the turtle grows. When a turtle urinates, the urine is stored in a sac near the cloaca. Do your research so that you can be sure that you are prepared to care for any animal companion you choose to call your own. You have diabetes. If you hold them less, they will be less likely to feel the need to urinate. But if you're urinating more than nine times a day, there could be an underlying problem, such as an overactive bladder, UTI . Here are the links to our most recent posts that may interest you: As we mentioned before, there are a number of theories regarding why turtles pee when picked up. Common UTI Symptoms. Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? - 8 Reasons for Painful Urination - Prevention as a hatschling they might pee too, but the bladder is so tiny that you wouldn't realize they are peeing. While growing, juvenile turtles need to be fed fairly often, adult turtles can be fed a few times per week, depending on the species. Its a white, crystalline substance that is relatively insoluble in water. Taking good care of your pet is the first step to relieving any stress it may feel. So, now you know why do turtles pee when picked up. The answer is yes; turtles can pee. Known by the cloudy, red or brownish-red color of urine. During hibernation, they will stop eating and slow their movements; their metabolism also slows, and their immune system function becomes suppressed. Other contributing factors include the age and physical condition of the animal, injury to or physical obstruction of the reproductive tract from deformed or oversized eggs, physical abnormalities within the reproductive tract or pelvis, infections, constipation, abscesses, or other masses. Do make sure to read its body language. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. If you enjoy the content that we create, please consider saying a "Thank You!" Salmonellosis is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Usually this is a result of being handled or picked up suddenly, especially if theyre not used to being held. Nothing bad will happen if you touch turtle pee, just make sure that you wash or disinfect your hands before you touch anything else. So, lets continue. Theres never any harm in asking for advice and getting a quick checkup! 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. Some owners feed their turtlesin a separate area to avoid this from happening. 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. If your turtle is energetic and active, thats a great sign that its comfortable in its environment. We dont know many things about them yet or arent sure. Generally, a temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit is good. Is it OK to touch a sea turtle? - Global FAQ Turtle urine can cause brain damage in humans. Infection, swelling, or injury damages the urethra, a tube that carries pee out of the body. There are a few reasons why your turtle might be peeing on you. Can earthworm pee hurt you. Therefore, when youre planning on handling a turtle, its best to be prepared for a potential wetting. Forming a bond with your pet over time and gaining its trust will also help to prevent it feeling stressed when you pick it up. Turtles Urinate Via Their MouthsA First - Animals Putting all the disgust aside, you also might overthink if something internally could be wrong with your turtle. A gravid turtle with dystocia typically does not eat and rapidly becomes sick, lethargic, or unresponsive. Pet turtles may accidentally be dropped or may fall off tables if they escape from their aquariums or are left unattended. Can turtle pee hurt you? Turtles pee out of fear, pressure, and feeling threatened. This may sound like a silly question, but it gets asked a lot! Find out yours. You might just adore your turtles so much that you tend to pet them so frequently that it stresses them out. Wait! Don't Touch That Turtle - The Alternative Daily The more water you drink, the less concentrated your urine is. We have lots more on the site to show you. Perhaps most importantly, just because a UV bulb is lit doesnt necessarily mean that its outputting sufficient UV rays. How Can I Make My Turtle Feel Comfortable Being Handled? Do tortoises diaphragm? - Daily Justnow So, its important that your turtles environment be kept clean. You will need to supplement ambient light with a quality UV light source placed over the tank. According to Coates, many species of turtles that come from warmer latitudes will also need their water to be heated. Over time, they can learn their owners voice, pick up their scent and even recognize them by sight. Therefore, its worth noting that box turtles arent the only turtles that pee. Any animal lover would recoil at the prospect of leaving a cat or dog to its own devices in the wild. Your turtle certainly wont grow to adulthood overnight, but its bound to occur faster than you would think. Make sure your turtle feels secureimagine how scary it must feel to be held high in the air with its feet scrambling around! Therefore, that can cause the turtles muscles to relax, including those that control its bladder. Prevention, through proper hygiene, is the best way to prevent salmonellosis. Any turtle whose shell is abnormal should be checked by a veterinarian so that appropriate treatment, as well as correction of environmental factors, can be initiated. So, its best to replace your bulbs every 9 to 12 months, even if theyre still operational. In fact, they have to pee to get rid of the waste products they produce. In fact, all turtles pee. While this is mostly considered a horror movie trope, its actually based on reality, since humans possess the same defense mechanism as turtles. Between feedings, you can sneak some tasty morsels into your pets bowl. Does urinating on plants help or hurt them? - Naked Scientists By the time you notice this, the underlying problem likely has been going on for quite a while and may have serious long-term effects on the turtle's health. Hello, I am Victor, and I have a turtle pond that is the home of 6 turtles and 2 tortoises. Turtles are more active and playful than most people realize, but they are also naturally nervous and shy animals. The same goes for adult turtles, peeing on you is a defensive move. It might disgust you to experience your little snapper peeing on you. The urea travels through the reptiles ' bloodstreams to their mouths, so it's not technically urination. It is not illegal to own or to buy a turtle under a shell length of 4 inches, again, unless it is a protected species. The cloaca is located at the base of the tail, and urine is passed through it using muscular contractions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Family pets, such as dogs and cats, may chew on a helpless turtle, causing severe damage to the shell (or legs and head). Younger turtles feel much more secure if they have a solid surface to place their feet on. Coates says that UV-B light is especially important for turtles because it plays a major role in the production of Vitamin D3, which is needed for the absorption and metabolism of calcium. A lack of Vitamin D can cause stunted shell growth, bone disorders, and generally shorten the life of your turtle. And the most renowned assumption is that its a type of defense mechanism for turtles. 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. Is this harmful to me? Also, its a good idea to invest in a vacuum, or even just a simple siphon device made for tanks, which offers a simple way to make a partial water change each time you use itwhich should be at least once a week. Just like any other animal with a urinary system, box turtles expel waste in the form of urine. Just as important, any vet can test an animal for Salmonella. These include rubbing their heads and necks against their owner, licking faces, and even biting. (Are They Dangerous? Changes to your usual vaginal discharge. Its thought that male turtles might also use their cloaca to expel sperm during mating, but this has not been proven. Dont keep them too long in your hands, being gripped is unnatural for them, so it is quicker for them to be in a defensive mode. They can also bite, so its best to avoid putting your fingers near their mouths.