How to tell turtle age?

 Turtles are among the world's longest living animals. 

 Your decision as a pet may involve a longstanding commitment, perhaps as far as your desire to make allowances for the care of your reptile friend.

  Whether or not you need the help of your attorney, the turtle  is a pet you will enjoy for years to come.

  Paytm's Veterinary Consultant Drs.  Jennifer Coats states that Jonathan, a Seychelles giant turtle living on the island of St. Helena, holds the current longevity record for a living turtle.


  "It seems that she was hatched around 1832," she says, adding that different species of turtles have different ages, but "with good care, many types of domesticated turtles age from 30 to 40 years  Can be expected to live between.


 "  Box turtles and turtles typically have a life expectancy of 50 to 100 years.  "

  Dr. of Ravenhurst Animal Hospital, Pennsylvania.

  Adam Danish has seen how long some turtles can live.


 “In my practice there is actually a turtle customer who keeps a wonderful history with their family pets.


  He says that a tortoise lived in the gardens of Queen Victoria in the 1880s in London.


  “They have direct provenance for the age of the turtle.  If you saw this amazing animal of 52 pounds, you would assume that it is older than its shell, but you would never think that it would be more than 130 years old.  "

  Many turtle owners are undoubtedly eager to age their pets.


 Unfortunately, despite being present when they exist, there is no sure way to know how old they are. 

 However, there are several ways to estimate the age of a turtle and make some educated guesses, which may satisfy a pet's curiosity.

 This is not difficult to do, and it simply involves taking a good long look at your reptile companion, as well as the living environment.

  Comparing the size of your turtle to the same species as an adult is a good start.

 Smaller individuals are smaller, but many outside influences may impact the growth rate of turtles, so this simple investigation is by no means certain.

 Coats states that "women are larger than men," so this also has to be taken into consideration.

  If your turtle was kept in captivity, you could probably be a few years younger than your age because turtles grow fast when their diet is rich and they are well taken care of. 


 Turtles will only be able to breed once they reach maturity, so knowing if your turtle has ever bred can also help to estimate its age. 

 Turtles typically reach maturity between the ages of 5 and 8 years, and it can be up to 20 years for turtles to reach maturity.

  Like rings on the trunk of a tree, as the turtle ages it develops plates in its scutes, which form their shell.

  However, simply counting them and each person representing a year would be a mistake, Coates says.


 She points out that turtle rings represent a period of development rather than a length of time.


  In some years, a turtle can be a great deal, and in others it can be very little, if at all.

 A ring can indicate the speed of development, even if it takes a very short time on the life of a turtle.

  As a tortoise lives, time and elements carry their toll on its shell and skin, even though it has spent its life in captivity.

 Dents, chips, or discoloration on the shell can be a sign of a long life, but it can also occur from a single out of a tank or from a young turtle's base location.


 According to Danish, visiting your veterinarian can help you estimate the age of your pet turtle or turtle.


  “I see at least a few turtles a month who are so badly deformed by previous illness that they look old.


  The composition of the shell, the quality of the scutes, the color of the shell and the skin and the texture of the shell are all indications that allow me to estimate the age of the animal.  "

  But even then, from a veterinary point of view, it is still just a guess.

 So, is it important to know the age of your turtle?  Denish says no.

  "In truth, it only matters in certain circumstances.

Conclusion

=>  First, if breeding is being considered, it will allow you to know when a pet can be bred.


=> Second, it helps you know what the size of a turtle will be when you are an adult.  This helps to ensure that you have a properly sized enclosure for that pet.


=> Finally, it helps in some species when you need a proper diet for a newborn, adolescent, adult or geriatrician.


=> For me, it is most important to research the species you are thinking of to make sure that it is appropriate about your temperament, size, care needs, and costs.  "