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I have concerns about salmonella and my yound boys. On more than one occasion, a pacifier or toy has ended up in one of the turtles tanks. I have read in the past about baquacil being used in RES environments but I am leary of trying this for myself. Is it safe to use in small amounts??? The last thing I want is to harm my Sliders.

I'm not familiar with Baquacil, but from what I've read in a brief research it's a chlorine product used in swimming pools. Most tap water has chlorine in small amounts already and most turtle keepers use additives to remove it from their water because of the irritation it can cause the turtles skin and eyes.

As to the salmonella risks... there is no more risk with salmonella from turtles than there is from raw chicken. Anything that has ended up in turtle water, for my part, I'd throw away and definitely not let the children have them back. I am a bit curious as to how a pacifier/toy can end up in the turtle tank. What kind of set up do you have?

I'd disinfect the toys by soaking them in a bleach solution, rinsing them really well and letting them air dry for a day or two (or just buy new ones).

If it's something that your boys specifically use for putting in their mouths, I'd throw it away rather than try to disinfect it.

...oh, and keeping your turtle tank clean with a good filter and water changes will help keep the risk down. The more water the turtles are in, the cleaner and safer they will be.