Age and sexual maturity

[Oxalis]

As many of you know, age is a question tortoise keepers are asked a lot. Since I'm always at a loss in answering this question, I'm turning to my forum experts. I was wondering whether, with a rough estimate of sexual maturity, a general idea of Steve's age can be estimated? I've been keeping Steve since 2009, and he was basically fully grown at that point. From observation, I can say with certainty that he reached sexual maturity around 2014–'16. (And yes, Steve is a male Central Asian tortoise.) Does anyone have an idea of about how old he might be?

 

[Josh]

I would guess probably hatched around y2k at the latest? Keep in mind a lot of Russian torts were/are crated up and shipped over here under horrible conditions so it's plausible (in my mind) that he took a few years to feel acclimated and healthy enough to be interested in mating. All that to say, I wouldn't put too much confidence in his maturity date personally.

 

[Oxalis]

All that to say, I wouldn't put too much confidence in his maturity date personally.

That's what I've been reading, but it was pretty much all I had to go by. Thanks!

 

[Josh]

It's so hard to approximate age with reptiles. Let alone reptiles that live this long and tolerate such adverse conditions