Care & Safe Handling of Matilda – Our Bumbles Pet Tortoise

Bumbles Day Care > My Dashboard > Risk Benefit Assessments > Care & Safe Handling of Matilda – Our Bumbles Pet Tortoise
Setting Group / Location Created by Date created
Amber Gregg
26/05/2026

This risk assessment gives clear and careful guidance on how to care for Matilda properly while at Bumbles, and how we work as a staff team to reduce risk of illness or injury related to her care for all children, families and staff.

Matilda is a Horsfield Tortoise

  • A child or adult not washing hands thoroughly after handling Matilda, providing her with food or cleaning her vivarium – this can result in sickness to the individuals & wider group. 
  • Exposure to Matilda’s excrement leading to illness in children and staff.
  • Items / areas used to clean Matilda’s enclosure not stored or disinfected properly, leading to harmful bacteria buildup.
  • Trapped fingers on Vivarium lids.
  • Burning hands of the neat lamps of the vivarium.
  • Matilda not being cared for properly leading to her  becoming unwell – inadequate food/water/habitat/sun exposure.
  • Children being improperly supervised around Matilda, leading to:  potentially lifting / dropping of Matilda, nips/bites on fingers, standing on Matilda. 

  • Direct Risk to Vulnerable Groups – Under 5’s, Elderly, Immunocompromised & Pregnant Women :

  • The general risk to these groups is under-developed or decreased resistance to bacteria that can cause vomiting / gastro issues.
  • Salmonellosis: Reptiles, including tortoises, naturally harbor Salmonella in their intestinal tracts .
  • Campylobacteriosis: These tortoises can shed bacteria that cause acute gastrointestinal illness in humans.
  • Matilda should be allowed to freely roam preferably outdoors – OR on a designated tray,  or on a waterproof sheet in the room – any roaming indoors will result in the area needing to be disinfected with antibac.
  • Cleaning equipment  used for Matilda should be stored out of children’s reach, in the activity cupboard. Staff should use a sponge scourer to scrub trays, and dispose of afterwards – scrubbing brushes should be avoided as they harbour bacteria and are hard to disinfect.
  • Close supervision – adults must be aware of where Matilda is at all times and ensure thorough hand washing takes place.
  • Only adults are permitted to put Matilda back in her vivarium and children should not remove and replace the lids
  • Lights must be turned off prior to removing or placing Matilda in the civarium or when cleaning
  • Proper care – all adults must be aware of how to care for Matilda properly 
  • Adults advised how to lift  Matilda and children know that they must never lift her
  • Books / Fact Care Sheet in place

 

  • Children are experiencing how to care for an animal and this will benefit early social and emotional development
  • Building self confidence around animals
  • Children will have the opportunity to learn about caring for a pet and specifically a tortoise and how to care for its environment too