How to Tell the Age of a Turtle – 3 Easy Proven Steps
Turtles are commonly found as household pets. They are long-lived that is known by all the people. But if you don’t know when the turtle was born, it is very difficult to know the exact age. But we all want to know the age of the turtle for the curiosity or other reasons. But most interestingly, by observing some facts, it can be said that how old the turtle is. So, the content is going to the fact that how to tell the age of a turtle?
How to tell the age of a Turtle by Rings and Size
In most cases, three methods are considered to determine the ages of a turtle. You cannot ignore any method because each and every method gives you the correct information.
Method 1 (Count Rings of the Downside)
In this method, you have to count the rings on the downside scute of the turtle. So let’s start.
First of all, you have to see the stomach of the turtle, and you need to turn the turtle upside down. Most turtles don’t like this position, and that is why it can try to bite. So be careful when you are trying to turn the turtle. At the same time, you should be careful so that the turtle won’t get any hurt.
Secondly, Then look at the middle part of the lower section of the turtle where the abdominal area can be seen. You find approximately eight sections on the scute. There you find the two abdominal areas that are exactly the third section from its bottom. You have to choose only one side, but you can choose any side either right or left.
Thirdly, Then count the rings of the section. The rings on that section give you the exact age of the turtle. If you find 7 rings in the section, it means the turtle’s age is 6. On the other hand, 10 rings indicate 9 years of the turtle. Ask me how do I calculate the age?
The first ring indicates the birth of the turtle. In this method, the calculation is the total number of rings and minus one rings. The remaining rings are the exact age of the turtle.
Method 2 (Count Rings of the Upside)
In this method, you don’t need to visualize the downside of the turtle. You can get all the information about the age of the turtle from the upper scute.
- The rings on the upper scute may not be seen all around the year. The rings become very clear when the turtle is very hungry or at the time when it has taken a lot of food. In fact, the rings become very clear all around the year rather than just in summer and winter.
- You see, two types of rings are on the scutes’ narrower ring and winder ring. The winder ring indicates the turtle is passing a good eating period. The narrower ring represents the scarcity of food that usually occurs in the winter. Count the rings on the scutes.
- On the upper side, you find multiple scutes but never count them because the scutes don’t give you any idea about the turtle’s age. So, count all the rings here and divided by 2 after the addition of all the rings.
- So, if you count 10 rings on the scutes, then divide the number by 2. That means you get 5 that indicates the turtle’s age is 5 years.
The above two methods are nearly the same. In these methods, you can calculate the turtle’s age very easily up to 15 years, but then it is a little bit complicated. The rings get closer after 15 years, and then you may face difficulty in counting the rings. But after 15 years it is not impossible to count the age of a turtle, you have to count the rings more sincerely, just it.
Method 3 (Measure the Turtle’s Size)
In this method, you have to measure the total size of the turtle. Measure the turtle from the tip of the mouth to the tail of the turtle. You should try to stand the turtle so that you can use a ruler for the measurement. You should also try to get out the turtle’s head. Lure the turtle with its favorite food to get out its head from the shell. The size of the turtle definitely gives you an idea about its age.
Turtle’s age charts are available, and all the charts are not the same also. Particular species have a particular chart. So, determine the species of the turtle and use the chart to find out its age.
Try to calculate the turtle’s age when it is younger. You cannot determine the age of the turtle’s size becomes large than the age chart. On the other hand, you may get a wrong interpretation of its age if the turtle has passed a lot of years.
Conclusion
Many people love turtles, and maybe you are one of them. And for a reason, many people want to know the exact age when he/she doesn’t know the birth date of the turtle. The summary of the entire content is you can calculate almost the exact age of the turtle when it is young. If I say more specifically, up to the age of 15, it is a very easy process to know the turtle’s age. But later it becomes complicated. So, learn how to tell the age of a turtle or painted turtle is right now and calculate your turtle’s age. If it is older, you will get a miss conception about its age.
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