A man who has dedicated his time to providing a home to turtles surrendered or abandoned by their owners says owner education is key when it comes to having reptiles as pets.

Dennis Oliver runs the Turtle Rest and Retirement Villa which takes in pet shop turtles that have been surrendered for a variety of reasons.

He told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly the latest warnings issued by Public Health following a Canada-wide outbreak of Salmonella linked to the handling of snakes and feeder rodents, tells him that not all pet owners have a good understanding of the precautions necessary when handling reptiles.

Oliver says turtles and other reptiles require special care and maintenance, and if an owner can’t keep up with it, it can become “a horror show,” increasing the risk of salmonella.

Reptiles shed salmonella naturally and the bacteria can infect everything they come into contact with. Oliver worries that the warning could result in fear-mongering when it comes to reptile ownership. He recommends that anyone who wishes to own a reptile should become educated about proper handling, ownership and maintenance.

He says kissing a reptile is a big no-no.

“Not recommended for a turtle,” he says, or any other reptile including snakes, bearded dragons, and leopard geckos. Oliver says for most reptiles, being handled and kissed by a human represents a threat from a larger predator, and a person not only runs the risk of getting salmonella, but of getting bitten as well.