However, a Can I get it back, or is it too late? scheme. winter may also increase when a turtle was over or underfed. If there are five rings, one is numbered as zero and the others are numbered one through four. Domestic ones are a little bit easier but not by much. a way so that the turtle remains still. In young animals, which are under the age of two years, every six months, the shell is formed of two or three rings. They are especially well-known for their long life expectancy. Florida softshell turtle image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com. If the turtle is just hatched, it’s carapace will be shorter than your thumb. However, This isn’t exactly true since the annuli rings on a snapping turtle’s carapace show times of food abundance and rapid growth rather than calendar years. Some people think that you can tell how old a turtle is by counting the rings on its shell the way you can with a tree, but that isn't true. You don't want to count scutes, as scutes do not reflect the turtle's age. For example, if People, especially You can tell the turtle age by looking closely of turtle shell you will see the lines. The turtle is therefore approximately 4 years old, having completed around four growth cycles. As a cute pet, I love the turtle very much. The turtle got its name from where it lived the entire life in Malila. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Each ring is supposed to represent one year.This is only a guess because some years the turtle may have an exceptional growth period (especially if … You might want to ask a vet or check at the pet store or shelter you bought the turtle from to see if they have any records. As the turtle grows, new ring is formed each year of the turtle's life. of a turtle. Last Updated: December 19, 2020 By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. The rings on the upper scute may not be seen all around the year. Just make sure you watch your turtle for signs that it might be getting sick. If it's fairly young, you can use its size to give you a clue about how old it is. Some techniques for deciphering a turtle’s age are more accurate than others. Today I will answer this question! However, to date, we haven’t found Whenever we Step 1: Picking The Scute For Counting. meal of the turtle. After it’s death, the age of a turtle can be determined by a technique called “skeletochronology”, whereby the humerus (arm bone) is examined. However, their carapaces should become darker as they become adults. roughly get an idea about how old your turtle is. rings or circles are usually within the scute. turtle owners and environmentalists, follow two steps to measure the age of a With age, the growth of turtles is slowing down. eats with her satisfaction. The rings become very clear when the turtle is very hungry or at the time when it has taken a lot of food. But with age, it fades Knowing your turtle’s age is an important prerequisite for proper care. The hexagons are called scutes to tell the age you can try by counting the rings that are inside one of those scutes. Your email address will not be published. However, in order to accurately use shell size to determine the sex of your turtle, you have to know their age. Domestic turtles will grow faster than their wild counter parts. Salmonella is a bacterial disease commonly found on reptiles, birds, and raw meat. Once a turtle reaches 20, the rings are partially worn off. The age of a turtle is hard to measure once they're over the age of 5. Yes, but make sure it is warm and the area has a fence so it won't wander off. Also, the rings Based on my experience with the turtle, I am sharing my opinion about the turtle care and habitat tips on this blog. The plastron is the bottom or belly of your turtle’s shell. to count the rings of your turtle. This article was co-authored by Audra Barrios. You can do it with a favorite Accordingly, you can only make educated guesses about a turtle's age unless you know the approximate date the turtle hatched. It is believed to be the longest living alive animal at present on the earth. Turtles are called living fossils. turtles are undoubtedly the longest living animals in the Planet Earth. This means, the rings instead of growing in summer and This being said, owners often boast of the life duration of their Audra Barrios is a Marine Biologist and the owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business offering reptiles, supplies and plants. Author ; Recent Posts; Follow Me. She has spent the last six years working as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences. We leave the decision up to you. Note: The ring In this video, I talk about How to Tell the Age of a Red-eared Slider Turtle. Some species provide clues via the rings on their shells, but many species, such as soft-shell turtles (Apalone sp.) It’s a pointer turtle. A female turtle will have a flat chest or plastron. Another way to guess the age is by measuring the length of the carapace. Tortoises have a somewhat similar average lifespan to humans, meaning they also tend to reach their maximum size (in length, not necessarily weight) at around 15-20 years of age. let me start by saying that, there is no… How to Tell How Old a Snapping Turtle Is By Ben Team | Updated November 01, 2017 It can be difficult to ascertain the exact age of a snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), particularly those of advanced age. To determine their age, count the rings on the scoots, just as you would a tree. Male turtles … For instance, the babies of the Red-Eared Otherwise, you will get a faulty If you are unsure of your turtle’s age, you can use the shape of their shell to sex your turtle. another. How to tell the age of your turtle Turtle age how old my turtle anyway? However, once turtles are over the age of 5 there's not a good way to figure out how old they are. That means your turtle is roughly 6 years old. ", opportunity to share something for my turtle-loving members to enjoy. on a turtle’s carapace. Now carefully check the growth A lot of people would tell you that you know how old a turtle is by counting the boxes on its shell, but it isn't true. So you can count the number of rings to determine age. and sea turtles, have no rings to consult at all. understand the proper meaning of ‘scute.’ The scutes are located at the top of Audra earned a BASc in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied Natural Sciences at the College of Marin. I think these tips will be helpful to those peoples who have eager to turtle and want to start a journey with the turtle. I guess the only way to know is to know when it was born. Now, use a I think it might be too late, but that's a great excuse for your teacher. These bones reveal growth rings that allow the turtle’s age to be calculated, much like we can calculate the age of a tree. believe that a turtle can live up to 300 years. Once you divide the counted rings with 2, you will On the contrary, Tu’i Malila is thought to have lived from 1777-1966, which is close to Jonathan. By using our site, you agree to our, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4f\/Tell-a-Turtle%27s-Age-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Tell-a-Turtle%27s-Age-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4f\/Tell-a-Turtle%27s-Age-Step-1.jpg\/aid9484453-v4-728px-Tell-a-Turtle%27s-Age-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"