This article was co-authored by Audra Barrios. Audra Barrios is a Marine Biologist and owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business offering experiemces, reptiles, supplies and plants. With over 15 years of experience, Audra specializes in reptiles and exotic animals, environmental education, marine biology, conservation issues, and animal husbandry. Audra earned a BASc in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied Natural Sciences at the College of Marin. She is the founder and Executive Director of Things That Creep, a non-profit dedicated to herptile conservation through education. She has spent the last nine years working as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.
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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.
Steps
Counting Rings
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1Pick 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.[1]
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2Count 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.[2]
- Look for the rings. You don't want to count scutes, as scutes do not reflect the turtle's age. Rather, you want to look at the rings within the scutes.[3]
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3Estimate the age. After counting the rings, take a guess at the turtle's age. For instance, if the turtle had 14 rings, you can guess that the turtle is 7 years old, as every 2 rings may represent a year.
- A turtle will have rings whether in captivity or the wild.
- After 15 years of age, it's very difficult to tell the age, as the rings get closer and closer together.[4]
Checking the Size
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1Measure your turtle. A turtle's size can indicate age, particularly if it is fairly young.[5] Start by measuring it from tip to tail so you get a basic idea of how big it is. Try to get the turtle to stand still so you can use a ruler to measure. Having an enticing treat can help get the turtle to pull its head out of the shell.[6]
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2Find the typical sizes of the species. Find a growth chart for your particular species. Make sure to find your specific turtle, as even turtles with the same name can come in different sizes. You can look online or find a library book about your turtle's species.[7]
- For instance, a southern painted turtle usually doesn't get bigger than 6 inches (15 cm), while a large western painted turtle may grow to 8 inches (20 cm).
- Turtles bred in captivity tend to grow faster than their wild counterparts. Note that this increased size can give a false impression of the turtle’s age.
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3Compare your turtle to the size chart. Once you've found a size chart, look at your turtle in relation to the chart. You may be able to estimate your turtle's age if it hasn't reached its full size yet.[8]
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can I tell the age of my turtle?
Audra BarriosAudra Barrios is a Marine Biologist and owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business offering experiemces, reptiles, supplies and plants. With over 15 years of experience, Audra specializes in reptiles and exotic animals, environmental education, marine biology, conservation issues, and animal husbandry. Audra earned a BASc in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied Natural Sciences at the College of Marin. She is the founder and Executive Director of Things That Creep, a non-profit dedicated to herptile conservation through education. She has spent the last nine years working as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.
Marine Biologist & Reptile SpecialistIf it's fairly young, you can use its size to give you a clue about how old it is. However, once turtles are over the age of 5 there's not a good way to figure out how old they are. -
QuestionWhich turtle stays on the smaller size?
FutureHowCommunity AnswerThe smallest, easiest to take care of, and the most popular small pet turtle would be the musk or mud turtle. They get to be 4-5 inches (10-13 cm) max. -
QuestionMy turtle has 13 rings. It’s a pointer turtle.FutureHowCommunity AnswerThat means your turtle is roughly 6 years old. Remember that this method is not that accurate.
References
- ↑ http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Turtles-Tortoises/Turtle-Care/Reptile-Shell-Markings/
- ↑ http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Turtles-Tortoises/Turtle-Care/Reptile-Shell-Markings/
- ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/1929825?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
- ↑ http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Learning/documents/Profiles/Eastern_Box_Turtle.pdf
- ↑ Audra Barrios. Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 August 2020.
- ↑ http://www.totallytortoise.com/how-to-tell-the-age-or-sex-of-a-turtle.html
- ↑ http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Turtles-Tortoises/Painted-Turtle/
- ↑ http://www.totallytortoise.com/how-to-tell-the-age-or-sex-of-a-turtle.html
- ↑ Audra Barrios. Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 August 2020.
About This Article
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!
