How old is your tortoise?

[Roshi]

Moderator note:

This question was just asked today, so I looked up a couple of old threads asking the same question, and merged them all together.




does the life span differ from captivity to the wild and why? overfeeding?

so...

How old is your tortoise? how old is your oldest tortoise?

 

[Shelly]

One is 10, one is about 55, the other God only knows.

 

[stells]

Mine range from 2 months... up to between 60-70 years old...

 

[ChiKat]

My oldest (and only ) tortoise is 8 months old

 

[terryo]

I only have one tortoise, and he is two years old. Pio....much loved!

 

[Yvonne G]

I have an old, wild-caught desert tortoise. Impossible to actually "know" for sure, but I'm guessing she's my oldest tortoise. She came to my family about 40 years ago and she was full grown at that time. Probably up in the 60's or 70's.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I think awhile back torts in captivity were not cared for ideally and may have perished early (although the death rate is higher in the wild), but I'd think now with better care at least from owners like us our torts may live to be older. My little guy celebrated his first birthday in August so he's almost 1.5 now.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

So cool for those of you that have "mature" tortoises.

Taco is about 4 or 5.

Kelly and Yvonne, do tortoises "slow down" as they age, like people do, or do they stay vigorous and hale into old age? Any other health issues for tortoises after their first few decades?

 

[Yvonne G]

They don't seem to age like humans do. My old desert tortoise is as spry and active as the young ones.

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Since I got my oldest from a pretty sketchy place (that was keeping her in the worst of conditions) I never actually got around to asking how old she is (too busy paying way to much to get her out of there), but from her size I'd guess around 8 or 9 years.

 

[Meg90]

I've got an 11yr old, and at the present, a 16 month old, and a 6 month old. I know the exact hatchdates of my CB girls, but Nigel was WC. 11 yrs is best estimate. I expect them all to live long happy lives, and I am doing my best to ensure that.

 

[stells]

My old boys are extremely active and haven't had any health problems since i have had them... they really are a pleasure to own...

So cool for those of you that have "mature" tortoises.

Taco is about 4 or 5.

Kelly and Yvonne, do tortoises "slow down" as they age, like people do, or do they stay vigorous and hale into old age? Any other health issues for tortoises after their first few decades?

 

[alfiethetortoise]

Alfie is two in May. She is still small, but is almost at 94mm and 150g now so has pretty much doubbled since i got her! I'm looking forward to spring so that i can get her outside in the sun a bit more!

 

[Tom]

does the life span differ from captivity to the wild and why? overfeeding?

so...

How old is your tortoise? how old is your oldest tortoise?

No one will be able to definitively answer these questions for several hundred years. We know that at least some species can live well over 100 years and probably much longer. It is very hard to document and verify something that existed before the camera and computer were invented. You basically have to go on someone's word. Now that we have DNA testing and digital cameras coupled with computers to store the hatch dates and such, we will have our verifiable answer when our current captive bred and raised hatchlings start to die of old age. Long after we are all dead and gone. IF, they actually do die of old age......

My oldest two currents torts were just a couple of weeks old when I got them in June of 1998.

 

[bikerchicspain]

Mine range from 1 year to 60 years old, hes just as active as the others if not more.

 

[ScottishFish]

My bad if this questions been done before.

I would really like to know what age is your oldest tort? Or if they are no longer with us what age was your oldest ever tort.




1 Eastern Hermanns Tortoise 2.5yo

 

[patilraosaheb]

Indian Star Tortoise : 2 - 1.5 Years & 2 - 1.2 Years

 

[FLINTUS]

At a guess, 4 or 5 years so still young. I know someone with a CB 27 year old red foot

 

[Arnold_rules]

50 year young CDT

 

[foxboysracing]

I have a desert tortoise that the vet has estimated to be near 75 years old. My husband found him when he was a kid and he is 42 now. Love him!