Like red-eared sliders, painted turtles are also very common and popular in the USA. Here are the steps to guess how old a painted turtle is:. Guessing the age of a snapping turtle is very difficult, especially when the turtle is matured.
Sometimes, the shell condition and the size also gives a good estimation of the age of the snapping turtle. So, this is my detailed guide on how to tell the age of a turtle.
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He gains experience on a full-time journey of exploration. For Dean, few passions lie closer to his heart than learning. An apt researcher and reader, he loves to investigate interesting topics such as history, economics, relationships, pets, politics, and more. Skip to content. Aug 30 Dean Eby. Dean Eby An avid outdoorsman, Dean spends much of his time adventuring through the diverse terrain of the southwest United States with his closest companion, his dog, Gohan.
Unless you know when a turtle is born, it's nearly impossible to tell its age. While you can count rings on the turtle's belly, that method is often a better representation of when the turtle had food and when it didn't. If your turtle is young, you can compare it to the size of other turtles in the species to get an idea of how old it is. To tell a turtle's age, start by counting the number of rings inside one of the scales on the turtle's shell. Then, divide that number in half to get a general estimate of the turtle's age.
You can also estimate a turtle's age using its size. First, measure the turtle from tip to tail. Then, look up a size chart for that species of turtle online and compare the turtle to it to get an idea of how old it is.
To learn how to find a size chart for different turtle species, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Pick one "scute" to count. You want to count rings on the turtle's scutes to help determine age. The scutes are the scales that cover the turtle's shell. Keep in mind, this method only gives you a very rough estimate, as rings often develop in periods of feast and famine for turtles.
In other words, they may develop when the turtle was very hungry or had a lot of food, rather than just in winter and summer. Count the rings. The rings within the scutes will usually alternate between wider rings of one color and narrower rings of another color. In theory, the wider ring represents a period of good eating, typically the warm season. On the other hand, the narrower ring represents a period of scarcity, often in the winter.
Therefore, if you count the rings and divide by 2, you have a general estimate of the turtle's age. You don't want to count scutes, as scutes do not reflect the turtle's age. She explains that the rings on a turtle denote periods of growth rather than lengths of time.
In some years, a turtle may grow a great deal, and in others it may grow very little, if at all. A ring could indicate a growth spurt, even if this took very little time over the life of a turtle. As a turtle lives, the time and elements do take their toll on a its shell and skin, even if it has spent its life in captivity.
Dents, chips, or discoloration on the shell might be symptomatic of a long life, but it could also be the result of a single tumble out of a tank, or even from the basking place of a young turtle. According to Denish, a visit to your veterinarian can help you to estimate the age of your pet turtle or tortoise. The conformation of the shell, the quality of the scutes, the color of the shell, and the texture of the skin and shell are all signs that allow me to guess the age of the animal.
Denish says no. First, if breeding is going to be considered, it will allow you to know when the pet can be bred. Second, it helps you to know what size that turtle will be when an adult.
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