How to Get Leeches Off a Turtle

Leeches on a pet turtle can become a big problem, as depending on where the leeches are attached, they can be very difficult to remove with your fingers. Salt kills leeches, but dumping it directly over them could potentially cause them to regurgitate into the wound and cause an infection for your poor turtle. A better way to use the power of the salt to reach those places without risking infection, is to mix it with water.

Things You'll Need

  • Squirt bottle
  • Saline water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Give your turtle a very thorough, close inspection to ensure you know where all the leeches are.

      It's crucial to remove all of them to avoid a re-infestation after treatment. Common areas are the belly, limbs, and in between folds and crevices around the neck.

    • 2

      Slide your thumbnail beneath the oral sucker of any easy-to-reach leeches.

      The oral sucker is the extremity beneath the smaller end of the leech. Push the oral sucker away from the turtle's skin using your nail, while pulling up and away to detach the rest of the leech body from the turtle.

    • 3

      Fill a squirt bottle with saline solution and spray the leeches that are in difficult to reach areas like creases and folds.

      Wait a few minutes for the saline water to take effect and pull the entire leech away, taking care not to rip the leech.