WARNING: Do Not Touch These Turtles in New York State

New York State is seeing all types of turtles right now this time of the year and there is a warning out there right now because of something that turtles may have that could seriously affect you.

There was a report of a local turtle that had salmonella. The person who touched it actually saw it when it was trying to cross a road that was kind of close to a creek nearby. They did not want the turtle to get hit so they decided to pull over the car get out and move the turtle themselves. While most turtles in New York state do not have salmonella it is important that you wash your hands immediately afterwards just in case.

What are the effects of salmonella if you were to get it as a human? You might get a fever diarrhea or abdominal pain.

According to SUNY ESF:

In New York State, turtles are known to be potential carriers of Salmonella bacteria, which can cause illness in humans. While turtles themselves don't typically show symptoms of Salmonellosis, they can transmit the bacteria to people through contact with their bodies or environments. The New York State Department of Health advises against keeping turtles under five inches long as pets due to the increased risk of Salmonella transmission 

Does anyone remember the wild and crazy story that happened in Buffalo New York with the turtles? A man was at the Taste of Buffalo event in downtown Buffalo and was selling baby red ear slider turtles out of a shopping cart. He was caught and arrested but a lot of people were concerned about the diseases that the turtles may have.