How to determine the age of a red-eared turtle at home
It is quite difficult to reliably find out the age of the red-eared aquatic turtle. Only the born cubs have, roughly speaking, microscopic dimensions, then they begin to rapidly gain weight and increase in size. By the end of the first year of life, a healthy representative of the species reaches approximately 4 cm in carapace length, then approximately another 2 cm is added each year.
What does a red-eared turtle look like?
If the person from whom the pet was purchased did not write down the exact date of birth of the turtle, then it is impossible to determine it independently with high accuracy. The approximate age of a pet can be calculated using several methods:
- according to average statistical indicators;
- by the number of rings on the body.
It is worth familiarizing yourself with the implementation features of each method in more detail.
Determining age based on average statistics
Before you start calculating the age, you need to know the gender of your pet, since in comparison with males, females are much larger.
Average statistical indicators for calculating the approximate age of a red-eared water turtle based on shell size:
- two years: in males the length of the shell is 8 cm, in females – 10 cm;
- three years: males – 10 cm carapace length, females – 14 cm;
- four years: for boys, the length of the shell is 12 cm, for girls - 17 cm.
Calculating age from rings
There is another way to determine the age of a turtle - look at the patterns in the form of rings on the shell. Depending on age, the number of rings varies. For example, the first ring is formed when the animal reaches 1 year of age, then 2-3 rings are added every year.
Rings on the shell of a red-eared turtle
Unfortunately, this method has a high error rate, since rings and patterns on the shell can form not only over the years. Their appearance depends on a large number of different factors: health status, living conditions, nutrition. This method will only allow you to approximately calculate the age of the animal, the error on average is 7-10 years.
Features of gender determination
If a land turtle is purchased for breeding, then it is important to be able to determine not only its age, but also its sex. After all, for normal fruiting, one male and 2-3 females are usually required.
So how to determine the sex of a reptile? The following methods will help with this:
- by claws. Males have thick and long claws;
- along the plastron. In males this part is concave, and in females it is flat;
- females have brighter eye color, this is necessary to attract the attention of a partner;
- females have a short tail with a thin base. But in males it’s the other way around – a long and wide tail with a thick base.
If you are planning to get a land turtle in the future, then you should definitely know how to determine the sex and age of this reptile. This will help you purchase the most suitable young animal that can be used for breeding.
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How long do red-eared turtles live?
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Every caring turtle owner asks questions about how long such pets live and what factors influence this period.
In its natural habitat, the lifespan of a turtle can reach one century, but this seems more like an exception than a pattern. As a rule, turtles manage to live 40-50 years in the wild. It is noted that in the wild their health and immune system are much stronger, but there are many enemies who dream of feasting on animals (jaguars, foxes, birds of prey).
Newborn twin red-eared turtles
How long do red-eared turtles live at home? Having decided to have a long-lived pet as a pet, a person must be aware that for decades he will be forced to provide the pet with food and water, regularly clean the aquarium and, as equipment breaks down, purchase new ones. So, with adequate conditions and good care, the life expectancy of reptiles in captivity ranges from 30-40 years.
Note! Animals are in good health, but due to neglect of maintenance rules, the pet may not live even 1 year.
Determining the age of a land turtle by shell size
Turtles grow almost throughout their lives, which leads to changes in the shell - its size and shape. Other parts of the body also change - the claws and tail become longer. Newborn pets are 3-3.5 cm long. Babies weigh only 10-12 grams. After a year, the size increases by about 1 cm, and the weight doubles. Turtles that are 24 months old reach a length of about 5.5-6 cm. Their weight is 48-65 grams. Over the next year of life, pets increase in size up to 7.5-9 cm. Total weight ranges from 95 to 150 grams. Ten-year-old animals have a length of 15 cm or more, and a weight of 150 grams. The rate of weight gain and increase in shell depends on many factors: the volume of the terrarium, the type and quality of food, the presence of additives, and so on.
What shortens lifespan in an aquarium?
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Before you figure out how to prolong your pet’s life, you need to familiarize yourself with the factors that often provoke the premature death of a pet:
- Poor living conditions. Contaminated unfiltered water, an aquarium that is too small, careless and irregular cleaning, and an unsuitable temperature for the animal.
- Many small towns do not have qualified veterinarians who specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases in turtles. This is often the reason for the premature death of a pet.
- Infectious diseases. It would seem where these infections come from. In fact, everything is simple, pathogens can appear from animal feed, aquarium plants and decorative elements.
- Deficiency of vitamins, minerals, macro- and microelements, poor diet. In the wild, the animal independently compensates for the deficiency in the body of certain substances, but in captivity this is the responsibility of the owner.
Aquaterrarium for a turtle 100 liters
These are the main reasons why a once strong animal may die prematurely.
Interesting facts about turtles
It is known that large turtles have the longest life expectancy among representatives of the animal world. This is possible due to the fact that turtles have a very slow metabolism in the body. It’s hard to imagine, but some of them can survive for several months without water or food, and there are unique turtles that can live in such conditions for up to 2 years. Here are some more amazing facts about turtles:
- Turtles have well-developed sensory organs, and nerve endings are located on the shell. With prolonged contact with a person, turtles are able to recognize him.
- The turtle shell contains phosphorus. If a turtle spends a lot of time under the sun's rays, then in the dark you can see how the shell glows.
- Turtles, hearing a pleasant and affectionate voice, stretch their necks out of their shells.
- The sex of the future turtle depends on the ambient temperature. Males will appear if the temperature in the nest is low, and females will appear if the temperature is high.
By the way, May 23 is World Turtle Day. These silent and mysterious creatures have lived on our planet for a very, very long time. They appeared about 200 million years ago. I think it is well deserved that these inhabitants of nature have their own holiday.
How to extend the life of a turtle at home
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In captivity, a turtle's lifespan largely depends on its owner. Therefore, it is extremely important to create favorable conditions for her life, to develop balanced care and nutrition. What is needed for this:
- Choose a rather large aquarium. Adults feel quite comfortable in containers with a volume of at least 150 liters. In aquariums with a smaller capacity, it is better to keep small turtles whose age does not exceed 2 years.
- The interior of the aquarium must be equipped with a dry island, where the animal can take a break from the water and warm up thoroughly under an ultraviolet lamp.
- It is important to prevent drafts and also maintain a stable temperature in the habitat.
- The optimal frequency for sanitizing the space is once a week.
- Be careful when choosing decorative elements, since some types of algae can be poisonous for these turtles.
- The pet must be handled extremely carefully, especially at first, until the pet gets used to the owner. The animal may show aggression, bite and scratch. You also need to take into account that the shell of a healthy pet is slippery, so you can accidentally let go of the turtle from your hands.
- Regularly enrich your diet with vitamin and mineral supplements.
- Provide a proper and balanced diet. You can purchase ready-made industrial formulations, which are sold in large assortments in pet stores.
Ready-made industrial food for pet turtles
Little red-eared turtles are peaceful and intelligent pets. Their additional advantage is that they are unpretentious in care and maintenance. Such pets are optimal for busy people, as well as the elderly and children. In this way, kids can be taught to love and care for our little brothers.
Crumbs in the shell: the life period of little turtles
Not everyone is ready to have a large reptile at home. Much more often, babies up to 13 cm in size act as original pets. Despite their miniature size, such “cuties” live quite a long time.
Lifespan of a tiny turtle:
- three-keel - from 20 to 25 years;
- musky - 23;
- spotted - from 30 to 40;
- silt - from 50 to 60;
- Reeves (pond) - 58.
What difficulties may arise
Turtles are considered long-lived.
These amphibians can live almost 120 years. And if all maintenance measures are followed when keeping them at home, then reptiles can outlive not only their owners, but also their children and even grandchildren. In captivity, this amphibian animal can be kept in simple conditions; they do not require special care. But you definitely need to equip an aquarium with a large volume, about 150-200 liters. It must maintain a temperature of at least 25-30 degrees.
It is worth noting! Until a certain age, it is almost impossible to determine the sex and age of a land turtle. Full puberty begins at about 6-8 years of age, but visible signs may appear even later than this time.
Famous long-lived turtles
The world-famous long-living tortoise belongs to Charles Darwin. Her name was Hariette. She was brought as a baby from the Galapagos Islands. In those days she was considered a male. They called her Harry. Its size at that time did not exceed the diameter of the saucer. She spent the last years of her life in Australia. Its weight exceeded 1.5 centners. At the time of her death, she was 177. The animal outlived its owner by 105 years.
Garietta is not the only turtle considered a legend. Another, named Advaita, according to various sources, lived 150-250 years. She belonged to the species of Giant Turtles. The British general, Robert Clywood, brought it from the Seychelles.
A radiant tortoise named Tui Malila has broken all records. She lived to be almost 200 years old. There are legends that it was once given to the leader of the natives.
Before you bring a small turtle into your home, you should understand whether it will be possible to create all the conditions for a long and comfortable life. You need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to pay attention to your pet. It is also recommended to study the features of the content and consult with specialists before purchasing.
