How to Tell a Turtle's Age

Co-authored by Audra Barrios

Last Updated: June 25, 2024 Fact Checked

VIDEO

Unless you know when a turtle is born, it's nearly impossible to tell its age. While you can count rings on the turtle's belly, that method is often a better representation of when the turtle had food and when it didn't. If your turtle is young, you can compare it to the size of other turtles in the species to get an idea of how old it is.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Counting Rings

Download Article

You want to count rings on the turtle's scutes to help determine age. The scutes are the scales that cover the turtle's shell. Keep in mind, this method only gives you a very rough estimate, as rings often develop in periods of feast and famine for turtles. In other words, they may develop when the turtle was very hungry or had a lot of food, rather than just in winter and summer.^{[1]
X
Research source}
2
Count the rings. The rings within the scutes will usually alternate between wider rings of one color and narrower rings of another color. In theory, the wider ring represents a period of good eating, typically the warm season. On the other hand, the narrower ring represents a period of scarcity, often in the winter. Therefore, if you count the rings and divide by 2, you have a general estimate of the turtle's age.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Look for the rings. You don't want to count scutes, as scutes do not reflect the turtle's age. Rather, you want to look at the rings within the scutes.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
Advertisement
3
Estimate the age. After counting the rings, take a guess at the turtle's age. For instance, if the turtle had 14 rings, you can guess that the turtle is 7 years old, as every 2 rings may represent a year.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- A turtle will have rings whether in captivity or the wild.
- After 15 years of age, it's very difficult to tell the age, as the rings get closer and closer together.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Checking the Size

Download Article

A turtle's size can indicate age, particularly if it is fairly young.^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Audra Barrios
Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist

Expert Interview. 18 August 2020.} Start by measuring it from tip to tail so you get a basic idea of how big it is. Try to get the turtle to stand still so you can use a ruler to measure. Having an enticing treat can help get the turtle to pull its head out of the shell.^{[6]
X
Research source}
2
Find the typical sizes of the species. Find a growth chart for your particular species. Make sure to find your specific turtle, as even turtles with the same name can come in different sizes. You can look online or find a library book about your turtle's species.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- For instance, a southern painted turtle usually doesn't get bigger than 6 inches (15 cm), while a large western painted turtle may grow to 8 inches (20 cm).
- Turtles bred in captivity tend to grow faster than their wild counterparts. Note that this increased size can give a false impression of the turtle’s age.
Once you've found a size chart, look at your turtle in relation to the chart. You may be able to estimate your turtle's age if it hasn't reached its full size yet.^{[8]
X
Research source}

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How can I tell the age of my turtle?

Audra Barrios
Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist
Audra Barrios is a Marine Biologist and owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business offering experiemces, reptiles, supplies and plants. With over 15 years of experience, Audra specializes in reptiles and exotic animals, environmental education, marine biology, conservation issues, and animal husbandry. Audra earned a BASc in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied Natural Sciences at the College of Marin. She is the founder and Executive Director of Things That Creep, a non-profit dedicated to herptile conservation through education. She has spent the last nine years working as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.

Audra Barrios

Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist

Expert Answer

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.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 51 Helpful 69
Question

Which turtle stays on the smaller size?

FutureHow

Community Answer

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.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 48 Helpful 84
Question

My turtle has 13 rings. It’s a pointer turtle.

FutureHow

Community Answer

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

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 31 Helpful 103

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Read Video Transcript

Tips

The age of a turtle is hard to measure once they're over the age of 5.^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Audra Barrios
Marine Biologist & Reptile Specialist

Expert Interview. 18 August 2020.}

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
A poor quality shell can make a turtle look older than it actually is. For example, a turtle that had poor nutrition for several years might develop a rough, bumpy shell, giving a false impression of its age. Don’t put too much emphasis on the appearance of the turtle when assessing age.

Thanks
Helpful 19 Not Helpful 4