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ÉCONOMISEZ 10% SUR VOTRE PROCHAINE COMMANDE AVEC LE CODE CLEARWATER2024 - VALABLE JUSQU'AU 7 MAI ✨
ÉCONOMISEZ 10% SUR VOTRE PROCHAINE COMMANDE AVEC LE CODE CLEARWATER2024 - VALABLE JUSQU'AU 7 MAI ✨
Comment connaître ou déterminer l'âge d'une tortue?

How to know or determine the age of a turtle?

How do you know the age of a turtle? It's intriguing to observe a turtle, we often wonder how long it has been there... You want to become an apprentice biologist by browsing through our micro-guide. How do you know or know the age of a turtle? It is also possible that you have an aquatic or terrestrial turtle and that you are wondering about its age and life expectancy.

Determining the age of a tortoise is possible. There are several methods to find out an approximate age of your pet. Start by touching the turtle's shell. If the shell is soft, the turtle should be less than 5 years old.

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Another method, count the lines that are located on the scales of the carapace. You start from the scale located in the center of the shell, and count the streaks. Each streak determines a year in the turtle (see above).

turtle age

Above in the image, you can easily count the turtle's lines or circles that surround the main scale, called the shield. This method has its flaws and lines can appear if the turtle has a poor diet.

Are these lines all years?

Some studies explain that the thin lines represent periods when the diet was of poorer quality. A thick line means good health for the turtle.

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It is not uncommon for the streaks to be distorted by periods of stress from your turtle. This is also the case if the turtle lives a period of non-hibernation or a period with poor quality food.

This is a calculation method used for tortoises, and it is recommended that you divide the total lines by two to avoid errors on the age of the turtle. This method has its flaws for aquatic turtles are the shell is thinner. To calculate the age of an aquatic turtle, other methods must be used.

=> 💡 You might also like our turtle food guide here.

A little history

Did you know that the turtle is one of the oldest reptiles in the world? Known for its very slow movements, and not only through the fables of the fountain, its shell protects its internal organs. Initially only terrestrial, turtles have adapted to marine life.

Determining the age of a turtle is a source of controversy. Being able to live more than a hundred years for certain species, these animals are the subject of much discussion.

Determine the age of an aquatic turtle.

A simple trick is to measure from the tip of the turtle's tail to the tip of the head and then analyze the species of your turtle. Many websites tell you the size of the turtle according to the species. This is particularly the case for determining the age of an aquatic turtle.

For galapagos tortoises, the longevity of the species is estimated at 150 years. Huge no? They will see us grow old. Most tortoises have a life expectancy of 60 years.

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