How to know or determine the age of a turtle?

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

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

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Another method is to 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 lines. Each line determines a year in the turtle (see above).

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

Are these lines all years?

Some studies explain that thin lines represent periods when the food was of poorer quality. A thick line is synonymous with good health for the turtle.

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

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

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

A bit of 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 La Fontaine's fables, its shell protects its internal organs. Initially only terrestrial, turtles have adapted to marine life.

Determining the age of a turtle is a controversial issue. With some species living for over a hundred years, these animals are the subject of much discussion.

Determining 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 based on the species. This is especially the case for determining the age of an aquatic turtle.

For Galapagos tortoises, the longevity of the species is estimated at 150 years. Huge, right? They will see us grow old. Most land tortoises have a life expectancy of 60 years.

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