How to find out the age of a turtle: methods of determining by shell, size and appearance

It’s impossible to keep up with modern fashion - people never cease to amaze by getting more and more unusual and exotic pets, including reptiles. Against the background of such diversity, red-eared turtles look rather modest, but among their fellows they stand out for their bright appearance, individuality and charisma. In addition, they do not require complex care and large financial costs, such as crocodiles or pythons. Red-eared turtles live for quite a long time, and often have more than one owner throughout their lives. Both new owners and buyers of an adult reptile are faced with the question of how to determine the age of a red-eared slider if there is no reliable data?

Methods for determining age

The land species is small in size. When turtles are born, their body length does not exceed 30 mm, and they weigh only 10 g. Over the course of 2 years of life, babies gain 2 cm in length. Shell growth continues only up to 18 cm, and then stops.

Determining the age of a red-eared slider is not easy

According to the number of rings on the shell

To determine how old a red-eared turtle is, you need to count the growth rings located on the carapace scutes (the upper part of the shell).

In the first 2 years of life, reptiles are characterized by rapid growth and frequency of molting. During this time period, a peculiar pattern of rings is formed on the shell.

In a reptile at the age of 1 year, 2-3 annular grooves are formed on the scutum, and at the age of 2 there are already 6 of them. Further, a rapid increase in rings is not observed, and 1-2 of them can form per year.

The counting procedure is carried out as follows:

1. You need to take several scales and count how many rings are located on them.
2. Next you will need to calculate the arithmetic mean.
3. Then from the resulting number you need to subtract 6 rings that were formed in the first 2 years of the pet’s life.
4. Now you need to divide the result by 1.5 - this figure means the number of rings formed on the shell after 2 years of life.

For example, if as a result of calculations an arithmetic mean value of 35 is obtained, then the reptile lived for 19 years and 3 months. The calculation is carried out using the formula: (35-6)/1.5=19.3.

This method of calculation has a significant disadvantage - the number of ring-shaped grooves is difficult to calculate, since in old age the lines on the carapace lose their clarity.

What is the difficulty in determining the age of a turtle?

The size of the turtle and its weight are only conditional parameters for determining the approximate age of the pet. It is impossible to determine age by secondary sexual characteristics, since by providing proper care at home in accordance with the given nutrition and maintenance parameters, the growth of a domestic turtle at 4 years old can be the same as the growth of an adult animal taken from the wild.

The reproductive period continues until old age. With age, along with increased size, the color of the reptile changes. In animals living in extreme natural conditions, when the carapace is exposed to unfavorable factors (sharp stones and thorns of plants, bushes, fires, predators), the shell ages faster than in reptiles living at home.

Turtle growth rate

The change in color of the shell depends on the content of melanophore - special pigments. With age and development, cells grow together to create an individual pattern.

At home, the growth of a pet depends on many factors:

1. Keeping the aquarium clean. Reservoir inhabitants floating in the water, feeding and defecating there quickly lead to water pollution. If cleanliness is not maintained, the reptile begins to get sick, growth stops, and developmental deviations are observed.
2. Balanced diet. Turtles are predators, so the diet should contain protein and other elements than to feed a red-eared turtle. Babies' menus require food containing calcium.
3. Tank volume. The aquarium must not only be clean, but also have enough capacity so that the pets can develop normally. Babies first grow in an aquarium with a volume of 50 liters; as they grow, you need to buy a capacity of 100 liters. If several turtles are bred in an aquarium, then the displacement is calculated based on the number of individuals multiplied by 1.5.

Active growth of red-eared turtles continues for up to 10 years. In the first 2 years, turtles grow rapidly, during which time animals molt.

If you follow certain rules, the growth of turtles at home is greater than in the wild. In addition, red-eared turtles live longer in captivity, since there are no barriers for them.

Features of maintenance and care

You can keep several turtles in the house separately or together. When housing in a group, it is important that the animals have enough space to move freely. Turtles often get dirty in the soil that is poured on the bottom of the aquarium, and food debris sticks to their faces. You need to keep your turtles clean by regularly bathing them in warm water with baking soda added. Algae that periodically grows on the shell should be carefully cleaned off with a soft sponge.

When caring for a turtle, you need to be careful because it can bite painfully. Individuals of the same size living in the same territory usually coexist peacefully with each other. When an aquarium contains one decorative red-eared turtle, its size does not matter. But when there are several reptiles in a group, you need to remember that large ones can bite and even cripple those who are smaller than them.

Age of turtles by human standards

Central Asian turtles in the wild live for about 50 years; in captivity, life expectancy is reduced to 15 years. Only with proper care in compliance with all parameters, turtles can live up to 30 years.

To calculate the age of turtles by human standards, you need to take into account some indicators:

• the average life expectancy of a human is 70 years, a turtle’s is 15 years;
• humans reach sexual maturity at the age of 15 years, reptiles become sexually mature by the age of 5.

Considering these indicators, the ratio of human age and turtle age looks like this:

If in the wild turtles reach sexual maturity at 10 years, then when kept at home, reproductive age begins much earlier.

Due to the fact that there are many factors that affect life expectancy, the indicators presented in the tables are approximate.

A pet turtle has an average lifespan of 15 years.

Other types

Russian turtles are officially limited to four species - but sometimes you can find representatives of marine reptiles that have swam beyond the territory of their native range. On the Black Sea coast you can also see a relative of the Central Asian turtle - the Mediterranean, a land species that is also on the verge of extinction.

The Caspian turtle is found in areas close to the Caucasus; this unpretentious animal has gained popularity as an interesting pet.

https://givotniymir.ru/bolotnaya-cherepaxa-obraz-zhizni-i-sreda-obitaniya-bolotnoj-cherepaxi/https://www.krasnouhie.ru/bolotnaya-cherepaxa.htmlhttps://homkin.ru/cherepahi/ cherepahi-v-prirode/v-rossii.html

How long do turtles live?

The lifespan of turtles and their numbers depend on many factors:

• due to the destruction of nests, 40 to 95% of eggs are lost;
• the survival rate of young individuals is 10-50;
• 10% of turtles aged 10-15 years die per year;
• after 20 years, a generation completely changes;
• It is rare to find older reptiles over 30 years old.

When kept at home, turtles die from infection. However, there are certain age limits. The average lifespan of small turtles is 50 years, large individuals - 80 years, very large ones - from 150 to 200 years.

Read more about how long red-eared turtles live, as well as other species, in a separate article.

In the wild, turtles have plenty of enemies

Domestic decorative rats

Russians happily keep and breed these rodents in their homes. These smartest creatures are today regarded as human companion animals.

Recently, the selection of rats has reached a new level: many different varieties have been bred. Rat breeders have developed standards for animals, based on which exhibitions are held and the best representatives are selected.

The goal of breeders is to improve the animals’ appearance, immunity, and increase life expectancy. No one is breeding a particularly large variety of rodents.

However, adult domestic rats are still larger than their wild relatives: some males reach 650 g. They also exceed them in size, reaching 30 cm.

Rodents kept in captivity and with free access to food often become obese.

Representatives of different varieties and species differ from each other only in appearance. The size of the animals practically does not depend on the species.

The most popular varieties of decorative rats in Russia:

https://vk.com/topic-75188911_31313445https://zverek.club/razmer-i-ves-kris/https://homkin.ru/krysy/osobennosti-krys/ves-i-razmer.html

At what age do they reproduce?

Male turtles living in captivity become mature at the age of 4 years, the reproductive age of female turtles is 6 years. At home, males mate with females in February and March. After this, the female comes to land to lay eggs. In the terrarium you need to create conditions for reproduction.

After 105-150 days, small turtles with a body length of 3 cm are born. The optimal temperature is +21°C.

In one clutch the female leaves from 6 to 10 eggs

The oldest turtle in the world

The oldest turtle was Alagba, who lived 344 years and died of illness. It existed in Nigeria in the royal palace of Obgomosho. According to scientists, if the turtle was able to live to this age, the reptile must already be more than a hundred years old at the time of its discovery. If Alagba really lived such a long life, then she “observed” the reign of 18 kings of the kingdom of Obgomosho.

However, experts do not agree on the established age. According to Tim Skelton, the maximum age of giant reptiles is 200 years.

Jonathan is considered the oldest turtle in the world today. He is 187 years old. The giant reptile lives on the island of St. Helena and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Jonathan the tortoise is considered the oldest land animal in the world

The best way to determine the age of a turtle is from the breeder. In other cases, it is only possible to approximately determine the age of the reptile, since even the appearance of the pet depends on the conditions of detention. The growth of carapace in a favorable environment occurs much faster and more actively than in an unfavorable one.

Was this information useful to you? Share in the comments!

How to choose correctly

The most suitable season to buy a red-eared slider is spring. It will be easier for the animal to settle into a new place and adapt to living conditions. If you buy a turtle in the fall, you risk its health. This is due to the fact that the adaptation period in the cold season may take too long. In winter, reptiles eat very little, so their fragile bodies can be susceptible to various diseases.

When choosing a turtle, pay attention to its appearance. Examine the animal's skin for the presence of ticks - they are often hidden in numerous folds of the neck, near the tail, and around the eyes. Sometimes you can even spot a leech. A healthy turtle's skin should be smooth, without cracks or dark spots.

Pay attention to the integrity and hardness of the shell. It should not have any deformations, scratches or soft areas. A healthy turtle's eyes do not have swelling or discharge. If the eyes are sunken and dark circles form around them, this indicates severe dehydration of the reptile’s body. The mouth and area around it should be clean, free of discharge and sores.

In addition to physical integrity, pay attention to the turtle's behavior. A healthy individual is distinguished by calm regularity and normal coordination of movements. If you pick up a turtle, it will actively resist, moving its limbs and turning its head. At the moment of excitement, the animal defecates, so in order not to get dirty, it is better to hold it with its head towards you.

When there are already turtles in the house, the newcomer should be kept for about two months in a separate terrarium. All this time, you should regularly examine the reptile, monitor its behavior and condition. You can place a new resident with relatives only after the successful completion of quarantine.