Can Turtle Pee Harm or Kill You?
fact checked & review by
Dr. Partho Kumar Shaha
Veterinarian (DVM)
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Excreta from turtles, like those of other animals, include metabolic byproducts. Although you want to let your pet run around the home, you’re concerned about the potential for human illness from its waste products. In addition, kids will always enjoy spending time with their turtles. Therefore, you should be aware of such dangers.
Urine from turtles often contains a lot of urea. Apparently, this is harmful to people, especially to those with compromised immunity, if absorbed or even comes into touch with the skin. Getting killed by turtle pee is unlikely unless it is somehow ingested in the body.
The chemical name for the waste product of turtles is urea. The breakdown of protein results in the formation of urea, which is a byproduct. Concentrated amounts of this chemical may be dangerous to human health.
A number of concerns have also been raised about the turtle’s urination habits. This blog article will focus on those topics and the questions they raise. In that case, get on board if you’re interested.
How Do Turtles Urinate?
Although their structure is unique to us, turtles nonetheless have to discharge themselves regularly. Additionally, they have a sophisticated excretory system. How, therefore, do turtles relieve themselves?
To eliminate urine or pee, turtles use their two kidneys, bladder, and cloaca. Blood is cleansed by the kidneys, which then create urine that is held in the urinary bladder. Urine exits the body via the cloaca whenever the turtle is prepared to urinate.
Without an anus, turtles would have to excrete their waste via their mouths, but instead, it all goes out their cloaca. Not just pee, but also stool and other waste products.
The cloaca is a small opening at the bottom of the tail through which urine is expelled by muscle activity. Although it has not been conclusively shown, it is believed that male turtles also utilize their cloaca to discharge sperm when mating.
Is Turtle Pee Harmful To Humans?
There is not a lot of information in the scientific community about how turtle urine affects people.
There might be some dangers, however. Nutrients like phosphate and nitrogen found in turtle pee are major causes of eutrophication. Both people and the ecosystem may be harmed by this.
Consuming turtle urine may result in severe gastrointestinal distress and even fatality. Turtle urine is toxic and should be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, a pregnant woman should avoid coming into contact with turtle urine.
So, if you happen to get turtle pee on you, clean it up thoroughly with disinfectant and water right away. If you accidentally consume turtle urine, it’s important to flush your system by drinking a lot of water and get clinical attention right away.
Why Is Turtle Urine Dangerous To Humans?
Urine from turtles contains a significant quantity of urea, which is generated by the body of the turtle when ammonia and proteins are broken down. As the ammonia accumulates as in urea, its volume makes it poisonous.
Urea must be processed by the kidneys before the turtle may sip water. Because of the high level of salts, turtle urine is toxic, causing renal damage. In addition, there is an abundance of salmonella in the turtle’s stools and pee.
Salmonella is a dangerous microorganism that may cause fatal food contamination and other illnesses in humans. It may induce serious poisoning from foods and other fatal conditions, and it is also present in turtle skin.
Multiple human health problems may result from coming into contact with turtle urine-
- Urinary tract bacteria may cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues in people who come in touch with turtle pee. Other health issues might emerge if a person already has a compromised immune system.
- Urine from turtles, when excessive, may be toxic to humans if consumed or assimilated via the skin. Diarrhea and cramping in the stomach are possible side effects.
- It’s possible to have an allergic response to turtle urine because of the compounds it contains, which may aggravate the eyes, epidermis, and respiratory organs.
- Turtle urine has been linked to pregnancy complications. It is thus recommended that you quickly wash any exposed skin with disinfectant and water after coming into touch with turtle pee.
- You should avoid getting urine in your eyes or mouth if you come into touch with it and wash your hands well afterward.
- Little ones have a bad habit of putting their hands straight into their mouths, resulting in a terrific method to spread germs. Salmonella and other bacteria may easily infect them since their immunological systems are still developing.
It is critical that parents monitor their children constantly and encourage them to wash their hands after coming into contact with turtles.
Certainly, you should take great care while holding the turtle. The greatest vulnerability to infection from turtles is in children under the age of five.
We can only imagine how lovely and cozy these tiny turtles are. However, because to the potential risk they pose, the selling of turtles under 4 inches in the United States has been outlawed.
Do not be swayed by their sweet, naive looks. There are millions of potentially lethal germs living on them. The same holds true for moms-to-be. The fetus’s life is at danger from any kind of infection.
Can Turtle Pee Damage Your Brain?
The notion that exposure to turtle urine may harm human brains is unproven. However, there may be dangers in drinking turtle urine.
Urine from turtles may have germs that might cause illness. Additionally, it may include neurotoxins that are harmful upon contact with the brain. However, none of this has been independently confirmed.
To be safe, it’s advisable to play it extra cautious and stay away from turtle pee if you can.
Can You Get Warts From Turtle Urine?
There are various beliefs and old wives’ stories that turtle pee causes warts, however, this has never been confirmed by investigation or science. And there were several hypotheses that supported it.
Scientists have speculated that the bacteria found in turtle pee may have a role in the development of warts.
The acidity in turtle pee could be one reason why some people get warts on their skin. The transfer of warts from one individual to another by contact with turtle pee is yet another urban superstition.
There is broad acceptance of this idea, although a lack of hard data to support it. A possible explanation is that warts are more common on feet and hands the portions of the person that are most likely to be brought into touch with turtles. Thus, caution is necessary.
Can You Smell Turtle Urine?
To most people’s surprise, turtle pee has a very faint odor. It lacks any discernible smell. The low levels of nitrogen in turtle pee explain why. The nitrogen in turtle pee is responsible for its characteristic odor.
Nonetheless, I’ve heard some individuals grumble that the odor of turtle pee is too much to bear.
This might be due to a number of factors, including the food they consume, an illness, or even simple dehydration.
What Is The Typical Color Of Turtle Urine?
- Colorless: It is ordinary and contains tiny urates. Meanwhile, the other half is entirely fluid.
- Yellowish: Colored urine is a telltale sign of liver trouble. It might be a light yellow or a greenish yellow. This occurs because of a lack of bilirubin.
- Dark Brown: Dehydration is represented by the darker hue. Urine becomes a rich brown color and thickens.
Why Do Turtles Urinate While Being Picked Up?
If you’re holding a turtle and you feel a warm, moist place, it’s because the reptile peed on you. When turtles are feeling anxious, nervous, or stressed, they may urinate a bit. Among the additional factors are:
- As a kind of territorial marking
- Symptoms of a health problem
- When under pressure or threat,
- Unfamiliar with human contact
- Method of self-protection
How To Get Turtle To Stop Peeing Whenever Handled?
Urinating because of the nervousness of being mistreated is a common occurrence. The following procedure will prevent your turtle from acting in this manner.
If you grab a domesticated turtle from someone’s residence, you should treat it with respect. It’s possible that he won’t urinate on you.
Care for your turtles gently and limit the amount of time you handle them to prevent stress. Treat them with care and treat them lightly. Win their trust.
A word of caution, however, since you are unknown to him, he may attack.
How To Toilet Train A Turtle?
Training a turtle to use the restroom is an unusual and unexpected occurrence. However, there are situations in which you may be successful in teaching your turtle to defecate on a chosen surface.
Carefully observing your turtle’s urination and defecation habits is a good first step. Then you should position the litter box in the area where your cat typically defecates and urinates.
Why Do Turtles Urinate In Water?
To a large extent, they urinate and drink to the capacity of their bodies in order to flush and replenish the body.
With their fresh water source, they can keep going for weeks, or even months if necessary. Therefore, to get the water required for hydration turtles pee in the water.
Does A Turtle Urinate Through Its Mouth?
It’s not true that they pee through their mouths. Just urea is being spat out of their mouths. Scientists have found a protein in turtles that can remove urea.
The kidneys do not contain this protein but the mouth does. Urea is absorbed into the blood of turtles and then expelled via their mouth.
Or, to put it another way, it’s not necessarily urinating. That’s a good thing since it’s beneficial. Effective urination may be achieved by using the mouth.
Urea is excreted via the mouth at a rate 50 times higher than that of the kidneys. They excrete urea from their systems to protect themselves from renal dysfunction and illness.
Is Turtle Poop Harmful?
True, that’s the case. Salmonella may be found both in the digestive tract and the feces of a turtle. Salmonella is a common bacterium.
Salmonella is present in their waste and may readily spread to the storage tank and any other habitats. Salmonella then readily infects your body.
Stomach cramps, loose stools, and nausea and vomiting may result. Consequently, you should take care to maintain good personal cleanliness while working with turtles.
Conclusion
If you look at the scientific evidence, you’ll realize that Turtle’s urine is quite dangerous for people.
Youngsters and those who are careless with their hygienic practices should not be let near the turtle. In addition, pregnant women should stay away from anything that belonged to a turtle.
But you shouldn’t be worried. If you take the necessary precautions like cleaning your hands and clothing after handling your turtle, there is no need to fear.
About Author
Muntaseer Rahman started keeping pet turtles back in 2013. He also owns the largest Turtle & Tortoise Facebook community in Bangladesh. These days he is mostly active on Facebook.