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Like humans, mammals, fish and
all creatures, different turtles live to different ages. Turtles
in the wild will live different lengths than turtles in captivity.
The care you give you turtle will also play a large role in
their longevity.
The average lifespan of a turtle is 50 - 80 years. Box turtles
can reach 100 years of age, but this is fairly rare. There
have been cases of tortoises reaching 300 years of age, but
again this is incredibly rare. Keep this in mind when buying
a turtle as you will have to provide care for it for many
years to come. Most turtle owners do not realize this when
they buy one.
With the safety of captive care and living, a turtle will
generally live longer lives than their cousins in the wild.
Predators, natural disasters, and random conditions that can
not be controlled kill off thousands of turtles each year.
It is near impossible to tell the age of a turtle. The lines
on their shells, unlike trees, do not paint an accurate picture
of age. These lines are however useful in obtaining an estimate
of how old the turtle may be. The older it gets though the
less accurate it becomes as layers of the carapace will fall
off over time.
All in all, turtles live for a very long time. In many cases,
if you decide to buy a turtle as a pet, you are buying a pet
for life. So be ready, be prepared, and give your turtle
the long, healthy, and happy life it deserves. |
