Tortoise age

[Terry Allan Hall]

Not sure in the case of Hingeback tortoises, but in both American box turtles and European Testudos, there are quite a few examples that have outlived their owners...my 1st was a Hermann's that I inherited from my Grandfather...she lived in our respective homes for a bit over 50 years, and my Grandfather was pretty sure that she was the same size, 10" in length, from the day he found her, so my vet feels like she was at least 60 to 75 when she died, presumably of old age.

The oldest tortoise ever recorded, and one of the oldest individual animals ever recorded, was Tu'i Malila, a radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata) from Madagascar, which was presented to the Tongan royal family by the British explorer Captain Cook shortly after its birth in 1777. Tui Malila remained in the care of the Tongan royal family until its death by natural causes on May 19, 1965. This means that upon its death, Tui Malila was 188 years old.

 

[Yvonne G]

The thing about growth rings is there are so many variables to growth. If there wasn't much food one year, there might not have been a growth ring. If food was plentiful in the spring, but sparse in the summer, but then plentiful again in the fall, there might be two growth rings that year. Same thing with water, heat, etc. A tortoise/turtle doesn't put down a growth ring like a tree does. A tree grows each year, a turtle/tortoise may not.

 

[Masin]

She's beautiful!

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Very nice looking!

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

The thing about growth rings is there are so many variables to growth. If there wasn't much food one year, there might not have been a growth ring. If food was plentiful in the spring, but sparse in the summer, but then plentiful again in the fall, there might be two growth rings that year. Same thing with water, heat, etc. A tortoise/turtle doesn't put down a growth ring like a tree does. A tree grows each year, a turtle/tortoise may not.

Tropical no, temperate yes. That's because of the huge difference in growth between summer and winter. But again, only up to a certain age. Beyond that age, the growth is slight, and also abrasion can "erase" existing patterns on the scutes.