Evidence cluster — Pet turtle (chelonian) husbandry, health & nutrition (peer-reviewed, Europe PMC)

Evidence: Pet turtle (chelonian) husbandry, health & nutrition

Source: Europe PMC (Europe PubMed Central) REST search — first-hand peer-reviewed abstract records, pulled 2026-08-01. Queries covered husbandry, health/disease/parasitology, and nutrition/feeding for chelonian. The cluster returns 9 representative studies with abstracts below. Abstract text is verbatim from source; each study is traceable by PMID.

Studies

• PMID 42328054 (2026, Frontiers in veterinary science) — Animal-human interfaces and emerging zoonoses: &lt;i&gt;Salmonella&lt;/i&gt; in pet turtles in Concepción, Chile.. Abstract (opening): <i>Salmonella</i>, a globally distributed genus of <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i>, poses a public health risk due to its role in gastrointestinal and systemic infections. Red-eared slider turtles (<i>Trachemys scripta elegans</i>) are asymptomatic carriers of various <i>Salmonella</i> serovars. The objective of this study was to study the prevalence of <i>Salmonella</i> in different parts of pet turtles and their environment. In total, 179 samples (cloacal, shell swabs, and water) were collected from 72 pet turtles in Concepción, Chile. Using selective media and biochemical tests, 50 presumptive <i>Salmonella</i> isolates were found in 42 turtles, indicating a 58.3% prevalence. Shell swabs had the highest positive prevalence (30.6%), followed by water (28.6%) and cloacal samples (25.0%). The high contamination on shell surfaces suggests a direct fomite route for zoonotic transmission. These findings confirm pet turtles as significant <i>Salmonella</i> reservoirs and highlight the need for One Health strategies integrating veterinary care, public health education, and environmental hygiene to reduce salmonellosis risk. *[CC BY — Open Access, verbatim with attribution.]*

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42328054/

• PMID 42228186 (2026, Parasitology research) — Global patterns of parasite sharing among freshwater turtles.. Abstract (opening): Freshwater turtles represent a highly diverse and ecologically important group, yet they are among the most threatened vertebrates worldwide due to habitat loss, overexploitation, and the introduction of non-native species. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review, following PRISMA guidelines, to assess parasite sharing among native and non-native freshwater turtles globally, compiling data from 294 publications spanning 1939 to 2025. Our analyses, including multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and clustering analysis, revealed that parasite communities are strongly structured by host phylogeny, biogeography, and the presence of non-native species. In North America, Asia, and South America, both native and introduced turtles share extensive parasite networks, whereas Oceania and Africa show mostly endemic, intra-native associations. Non-native species such as Trachemys scripta may act as epidemiological bridges in Europe, facilitating parasite spillover to native hosts. These findings underscore the influence of evolutionary history, species introductions, and geographic isolation on host-parasite dynamics and highlight the need for targeted monitoring and management strategies to mitigate ecological and health risks. *[CC BY — Open Access, verbatim with attribution.]*

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42228186/

• PMID 42311391 (2026, Frontiers in veterinary science) — Exploratory values for venous blood gas analysis of clinically healthy Hermann's tortoises (&lt;i&gt;Testudo hermanni&lt;/i&gt;).. Abstract (opening): <h4>Background</h4>Hermann's tortoise (<i>Testudo hermanni</i>) is included in the red list of endangered species by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is classified as near-threatened (NT); medical information and knowledge of this species is critically important for preserving the population. Blood gas analysis is being increasingly studied in veterinary medicine, but its main application in chelonian medicine is to assess the health status of marine chelonians; it is not often used for tortoises in field conservational studies or client-owned pet care.<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to obtain exploratory values for pH, pCO₂, pO₂, ctHb, sO₂, Hct, cK⁺, cNa⁺, cCa⁺⁺, cCl^-, cGlu, cLac, cBase, mOsm, cHCO₃^-, ctCO₂ and anion gap for venous blood from clinically healthy <i>Testudo hermanni</i> using a Radiometer™ ABL735GLAXP® blood gas analyzer to serve as a starting point for further studies.<h4>Methods</h4>Samples were collected from 38 healthy individuals at both the end of July and the end of September; blood gas tests were performed immediately after sample collection. The data were analyzed to verify the distribution and obtain the exploratory values.<h4>Results</h4>The values obtained were similar to those reported in the literature for analytes such as pH, cK⁺, cNa⁺, cCl^-, and mOsm; the cGlu value differed from those reported in the literature. For the remaining analytes, reference intervals for <i>Testudo hermanni</i> were unknown and were compared to values obtained for other chelonian species.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Exploratory values for venous blood gas analysis were obtained; those values can be used to further investigate this type of diagnostic test and expand the knowledge and methods at the disposal of tortoise clinicians. *[CC BY — Open Access, verbatim with attribution.]*

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42311391/

• PMID 41983579 (2026, Zoo biology) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* A North Carolina wildlife clinic retrospectively reviewed 2,453 chelonian eggs (2010–2023) across eight wild species, with 954 (38.9%) hatching. Most eggs came from common snapping turtles, were collected in May, from euthanized mothers, or mothers with vehicular trauma (77.1%); trauma did not broadly reduce hatch rates except snapping turtles with vehicle injuries. Eastern box turtles had significantly lower hatch ratios, while aquatic musk and yellow-bellied sliders fared better under current incubation.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41983579/

• PMID 42405721 (2026, Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* A pathology review (2011–2023) of 13 tortoises (Testudinidae), mostly sulcata (Centrochelys sulcata, 10/13), with calcinosis circumscripta—firm, radio-opaque, multinodular neck/submandibular masses. Mineral analysis confirmed calcium-phosphate deposition; Gram-positive cocci appeared in 3 lesions. Treatment was debulking plus antibiotics, with recurrence in 4/10. The authors suggest an association with bacterial granulomas and recommend considering calcinosis circumscripta for nodular chelonian connective-tissue lesions.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42405721/

• PMID 41061730 (2026, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* A retrospective review of 250 chelonian sedation/anesthesia events (2000–2023) found 220 with detailed records; common premedications were alfaxalone, hydromorphone, dexmedetomidine/medetomidine, midazolam, and ketamine, with propofol/alfaxalone for induction and mostly isoflurane for maintenance. Of 250 cases, 237 recovered, 8 were euthanized, and 5 failed to recover (all with preexisting pathology at necropsy). Since 2020, alfaxalone constant-rate infusions trended upward; the authors endorse safe anesthesia in healthy chelonians and recommend standardized records and preanesthetic bloodwork.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41061730/

• PMID 41540932 (2026, Anatomical record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* A descriptive anatomic study of 13 red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) mapped hepatic lobation and vasculature, identifying right/left lateral and ventral/dorsal lobes supplied by the hepatic portal vein, paired lateral abdominal veins, and hepatic/hepato-duodenal/gastro-hepatic arteries (all from the celiac artery), with outflow via right/left hepatic veins and direct right-dorsal-lobe drainage to the caudal vena cava. The authors suggest this redundant inflow/outflow helps maintain hemodynamics under shell-imposed coelomic pressure.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41540932/

• PMID 42442288 (2026, Marine pollution bulletin) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Following a 2017–2019 Florida red tide (Karenia brevis), this study measured brevetoxin in nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and their offspring. Maternal plasma brevetoxin was low-to-moderate (up to 24.6 ng/mL) and higher in Gulf-foraging turtles; egg and hatchling-liver brevetoxin exceeded prior reports, indicating maternal transfer during vitellogenesis. Brevetoxin correlated with some blood analytes (possible immune/subclinical effects) and emergence success was negatively correlated with hatchling-liver brevetoxin. The authors flag red tides as environmental stressors with potential long-term impacts on sea-turtle health and reproduction.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42442288/

• PMID 41791234 (2026, American journal of veterinary research) — *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Analyzing 967 unhealthy client-owned chelonians, this study found blood glucose varied by disease type: after multivariable adjustment, infectious, inflammatory, metabolic, neoplastic, and vascular diseases showed 33–48% lower glucose than trauma cases, and most other organ systems 16–62% lower than urinary-tract cases; hyperuricemic chelonians had 47.8% higher glucose. No association was seen with gout, dystocia, or urolithiasis. The authors advise interpreting chelonian glucose by species and disease context.

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41791234/

Source text: pdf-raw/evidence/europepmc_turtle_husbandry_health_2026-08-01.txt (Europe PMC first-hand abstracts, pulled 2026-08-01).

License & attribution

Mixed licensing per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3: Open Access (CC BY / CC BY-NC / CC BY-NC-ND) studies are reproduced verbatim with attribution under their specific CC license; non-Open-Access studies are paraphrased as derived fact summaries (numbers and proper nouns preserved, sentences rewritten). Original records:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42328054/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42228186/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42311391/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41983579/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42405721/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41061730/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41540932/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42442288/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41791234/

Cleaning removal log (2026-08-05, codebuddy)

PMID 41568116 — human pediatric Salmonella case; pet turtle was the confirmed source, not the subject PMID 41953693 — myocarditis after invasive Group A Streptococcus in a 21-year-old man; human PMID 42054317 — parent-child conversations about fear of snakes/lizards/turtles; human psychology, not turtle care