Q&A for How to Tell a Turtle's Age

If 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.

The 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.

That means your turtle is roughly 6 years old. Remember that this method is not that accurate.

You can't know unless you get salmonella, which is not a good test. It is natural in the turtle's digestive system. Salmonella isn't a problem unless you have it, and you can't really get rid of it either. Be sure to practice proper hygiene, such as always washing your hands before and after handling your turtle and keep its home space clean.

It's almost impossible. You might want to ask a vet or check at the pet store or shelter you bought the turtle from to see if they have any records.

The average pet turtle can live from 10 to 80 years, while larger species live up to 150 years.

It depends upon when you rescued the turtle. If it was recently, then don't worry- it is simply trying to rest up and gather energy. If not, try raising the temperature of the cage by a few degrees. It may be too cold.

Males have longer tails and much longer claws than females. In some turtles, females are bigger than males.

If it has only one ring, then it is about 5 months old. It's so because 2 shell rings represent one year, as 2÷2 = 1.0, which is one year. So 1÷2 = 0.5, which is 5 months.

Yes, although the turtle has been away from its natural habitat, it can still spread disease from its droppings even though they look healthy. The germs can easily spread to their bodies, water tanks and habitat. And humans can get sick after touching the turtle and anything in their habitat.

Yes, but don't take them out of their tank. It can harm their skin if left out of water for too long (minus if/when they are basking) but they can be fed out of the water, albeit it's preferred you feed them while in the water.

According to Guinness World Records, the oldest turtle currently alive is 187 years old.

If properly tamed, turtles can make extremely affectionate pets! I've had the same pair of desert tortoises since I was three, and they come when sung to, love getting head scratches, and will eat out of my hands.

Rings refer to the shapes on the turtle's shell. You can determine the age of the turtle by counting the rings.

It is generally calculated based on the number of concentric rings on the scutellum of the tortoise shell. Each circle represents one growth cycle, that is, one year. You can try to count it.

The best thing you can do is let the turtle cross unassisted. However, if it's a road with frequent traffic and you're worried it will be hit, you can help the turtle by moving it to the other side. Be sure to stay aware of any cars and only help the turtle if it is safe for you to do so. Turtles cross roads when they need to, such as when they are laying eggs. If you turn it around, the turtle will likely just attempt to cross again.

Turtles cry for the same reason most other creatures cry: to clean their eyes and keep them wet. You'll notice if you get dust in your eyes, they water. This is often what happens with animals.

Red-eared sliders, box turtles, and painted turtles are all easy to take care of. It also depends on the area you live in.

There are multiple reasons for this- some that need immediate attention. First off, is your tortoise female? If it is and it has laid eggs recently or is going to lay them soon, check for egg blocks. This is where an egg gets stuck in the reproductive tract. If this is not the case, it could be a result of nerve damage and/or too low temperatures.

Russian tortoises can live more than 40 years. Raised on a lean, high-fiber diet, captive-raised turtles in low-stress environments have a higher life expectancy.

Counting a turtle’s rings on their shell, revealing the age, is merely a wive's tale. The only way to find out your red eared slider’s exact age is by asking a vet. If you want your turtle’s rough age, look at its length. For an example, an adult red ear slider is about 12 inches, whereas a baby red eared slider is roughly 1 inch.

Your tortoise will probably be fine. Tortoises love eating mammal feces, and unless the dog was ill, the tortoise should be just fine.

No. The quails might attack your turtles. If they are in box and it is enclosed, then it is okay.

Reevesii gene make turtles grow slower than most other animals. This causes them to grow up slowly, and live to around 100 years.

The female has to be older than 6 years and the male has to be over 4 years of age before mating occurs and eggs can be laid. It is safe after this age.

It’s still young, since red eared turtles grow a bit more. At that size, your turtle would be approximately 1 or 2 years old.

You should be able to tell from the size of a turtle: 1-2 inches long is a juvenile turtle, and 3-5 inches is an adult turtle.

Count the rings at the bottom.

Follow the steps shown here or ask a vet. You may even want to check the store or shelter you purchased it from. Another thing that can help you is knowing when you got it and how old it was when you got it.

Tortoises can live just fine alone. If you have a large enough enclosure you can house multiple together. Never put two males together because that will lead to fighting but you can house 2 females and a male together, again only if you have the space. But tortoises do not need companions.