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My turtles have sand on their backs from their horrible lagoon... don't worry, I just joined the site and now they are living in a turtle mansion tank! They are very shy and swim away from me. I don't want to traumatize them and only have them associate me with a miserable brush down. What does everyone suggest? Do you guys brush your turtles with toothbrushes?

What exactly do you mean there is sand on their backs? Are their shells damaged and can you post a pic?

I'm traveling right now throught the end of the week so it will be a while before I can post a picture. Their shells are not damaged. I just recently moved them out of a lagoon after fiding this site. I had sand rocks in the lagoon and the residue is on their shells. I thought that it would come off after soaking and swimming in the aquarium, but it hasn't. My concern is mainly that I will traumatize them by scrubbing it off since they are so shy right now. What do you think?

It's good to do regular cleaning of the shell. Many owners use a soft toothbrush for this while others use a soft towel to rub down the shell. I clean my turtle's shell with every tank cleaning using a soft toothbrush. Just be gentle, especially around the seams of the scutes since they are a tender spot and everything will be fine. Don't be surprised if they try to snap or eat the toothbrush though.

I would rinse off as much of the residue possible (use water that's a comfortable temp--not too hot or too cold) and then gently use a soft cloth/towel to wipe off the rest. Since they're small (I'm assuming from the fact they were in a lagoon), I wouldn't bother with a brush.

Thanks for the advice. They are super tiny. When I get home, I will clean them off with a soft towel. I wasn't aware that their shells were sensitive... thanks for the heads up!