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As turtles age and grow, their scutes -- the individual plates that their shells are made of -- change as well. Some turtles, such as painted turtles, grow new scutes and shed the old ones every year. Other turtles, such as box turtles and wood turtles, have scutes that gradually increase in size. There are several ways to determine the age and length of a turtle based on what its scutes look like.
A turtle's lifespan can vary greatly depending on the species. The average lifespan for most turtles is estimated to be anywhere from 30 to 100 years, with some turtles to be believed to be even older. As a result, some pet turtles have seen more than two generations of owners as they have outlived their human caretakers. Determining the exact age of any turtle is nearly impossible, but approximating an age range can be done by following a few easy steps.
Turtles are long living reptiles. One of the oldest living turtles in the world was born in 1777 and died in 1965, giving it a lifespan of 188 years. This was possible to document as the turtle was the pet of the Tongan royal family and had been passed down through the generations. Most turtles are not so easy to date. The size of the turtle is one of the criteria used to make an educated guess as to the creature's age.
It's very common to come across baby turtles in your backyard or alongside the road, especially if you live near a body of water. Baby turtles can easily be identified with a little research and knowledge of the local species in your area. According to the National Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians, there are 48 species of turtle that inhabit North America excluding Mexico. There are probably only a few species that inhabit your area, so identifying the species should be easy. Sexing a turtle is quite difficult, and you'll probably need the assistance of…
Unless it's a baby turtle, identifying the age of turtles can be very difficult. Learn about aging turtles with tips from the owner of a reptile store in this free pet care video.
The record for the longest-lived turtle is held by one that belonged to thee royal family of the Pacific island nation of Tonga. This turtle lived from 1777 to 1965—an incredible 188 years! Turtles are known for their long lifespan and often live for 50, 75 or even 100 years, depending on the species. But how do you tell the age of turtles when there isn’t any record of when they were born? Well, you can’t tell precisely, but there are ways to reliably estimate the age of turtles. Many turtles have hard shells that form lines on the scutes…
