Why do turtles live so long? How long do red-eared turtles live? How long do ordinary turtles live?

The lifespan of turtles depends on the content and characteristics of the species. In their natural environment, reptiles live longer. In captivity, people often make mistakes that greatly reduce their lifespan. However, in nature, reptiles face other problems: predators and hunters. People also pollute nature and cut down forests, which affects the quality and life expectancy of turtles. Thus, reptiles rarely survive to natural death.

The question of the origin of the turtle is still occupied by the minds of many scientists. The conditional ancestor is considered to be Permian cotylosaurs or eunotosaurs. This small and very lizard-like ancient animal had short and fairly wide ribs, which together formed a kind of shield-shell in the back area.

Some scientists suggest that turtles owe their origin to a special group of parareptiles that were descendants of the amphibian discosauriscus. The first, most ancient specimen that fell into the hands of scientists was Odontochelys semitestacea, very well known in scientific circles. This turtle was characterized by the presence of the lower half of the shell, as well as teeth, which were completely absent modern views. The second oldest turtle is Proganochelys quenstedti. This animal had a full and well-formed shell and also had teeth.

The largest land turtles from the genus Meiolania had a shell whose length often exceeded two meters. In addition to the huge shell, the animal had a very long and incredibly powerful tail, which was decorated with flattened bone spikes arranged in two rows. The species is characterized by the presence of a triangular skull, on which there are elongated, blunt-type spines directed backwards and sideways.

How to determine the age of an aquatic turtle

Aquatic turtles in amateur aquariums can be found no less often than land turtles. That is why the issue of determining age is also relevant for them.

There can be two ways to determine:

Along concentric annual rings. During the first year of life, 2-3 rings are formed, and for each subsequent year only one. To determine your approximate age, you need to count all the rings and subtract 2.

Along the length of the shell. It is believed that in a one-year-old individual the length of the carapace does not exceed 6 cm. At 2 years, the female has a carapace of 9 cm, in the male - 8 cm. At 3 years, the length of the carapace is 14 cm in females, 10 cm in males. At 4 years - 16 and 12 cm respectively. In five-year-olds - 18 and 14 cm. And finally, in a six-year-old female, the shell grows to a maximum of 20, and in a male - up to 17 cm.

You can also use a special formula for calculation: divide the length of the shell in half and subtract one from the quotient.

As with land turtles, both of these methods give only very approximate results.

How long do turtles live?

The larger the reptiles, the longer. This is explained by long-term processes taking place in the body. Reptiles can stop the heartbeat.

The age varies for each species, so find out what type of turtle you have.

Land

Land animals live 30–120 years. There are species of different sizes: from 10 cm to a meter. They are distinguished by fused toes and a rounded shell. In small species, the lifespan is 30 years in an aquarium and 80 years in nature. Large turtles are 30–50 years old in captivity and up to 150 years old in natural conditions. How many years do popular land turtles live in home terrariums:

Mediterranean – 35–40;
musky – 23–28;
Central Asian – up to 30;
Balkan up to 50;
Indian (stellate) – up to 30.
Egyptian - 30.

Life expectancy depends on the content of the land turtle.

Water

Like land ones, aquatic species at home they will live half as long as in the wild. How many years do turtles live on average?

European swamp – 25;
Chinese Far Eastern trionix – 25–30;
red-eared – 30–35;
Caspian – 25;
silt bighead – 23.

Little turtles

Size up to 13 cm.

three-keel - 20–25;
spotted – 30–40;
musky – up to 23;
Reeves pond - up to 58;
silt – 50–60;
common musk – 23.

How long does the Central Asian turtle live?

This type is the most common. Their average life expectancy is 40 years, but most often (including when kept at home) they only live up to 20-30 years. The record holder among representatives of this species is the Marion tortoise. She was able to cross the 152-year-old mark, which is even documented.

Life of the European marsh turtle

There is no consensus on the life expectancy of this species. But there is no doubt that she is a long-liver. The numbers fluctuate from 30-50 to 100 years. If properly maintained, she can live in captivity for at least 25 years.

For favorable conditions for keeping a marsh turtle in captivity, an aquaterrarium (150-200 liters) is required. You definitely need to make an “island” that will act as a shore. You should not use sand as soil; it is better to take medium and large stones so that the turtle cannot swallow them. A powerful filter is needed to purify water, since the main life processes of a turtle occur in the water, thereby polluting it.

Clean water in the aquarium is the key to its health and life expectancy, it is necessary to change the water regularly. Fresh water should be the same temperature as the drained water, otherwise there is a possibility of the animal catching a cold. During the day, the air temperature should be 28-32 degrees, and the water temperature 25-28 degrees. They need ultraviolet light. It should be located above land. The water height for small individuals should be approximately 10 cm, for larger ones - 15-20 cm.

Lifespan of a sea turtle

For marine species, life expectancy averages 80 years. But most are not destined to reach that age. Some of them die while still in the embryo due to too low or high temperature. Some may be eaten by predators after they hatch from the egg and try to reach the water. Sea turtle eaters await those who manage to get to the water. Because of this threat to the lives of newborn turtles, many species are on the verge of extinction.

How long can land turtles live?

Known for their slowness, these representatives are also distinguished by a very long life. Some species can survive 100, 120 or more years. The most famous turtle in the world is Advaita, who died of old age on the night of her 22nd birthday; her age was 150-250 years. The Central Asian steppe turtle will live in captivity for about 30 years.

How long does an aquatic turtle live?

There is no specific answer to this question. But not because animals have been little studied, but because different types very different life expectancies. This figure ranges from 30 to 300 years! The average duration is considered to be 100 years. Within a species, different animals also live for different periods of time. For example, marsh turtle can live up to 120 years in the wild, but only 30 at home.

Do not keep reptiles of different species in the same terrarium.
If the reptile escaped from the aquarium and cannot be found, place a bowl of water and your pet's favorite food indoors. In turtles good vision, they will quickly respond to treats and water.
Remember that the depth of the reservoir should allow the animal to easily stick its head out and keep it on the surface.
Install two thermometers in the aquarium: one for water, the other for air.
When taking baths, clean the shell with a soft sponge. Brushes injure the animal.

The longest-living turtles are the elephant turtle named Harietta, who lived 175 years, and the Madagascan radiant turtle, Tui Malila, who lived 192 years. Domestic species do not live that long, but they delight their owners for a long time.

Today, there are just over three hundred species of turtles in the world, of which only seven species live in our country. These unique reptiles are distinguished by great endurance and amazing vitality. Characteristic feature turtle is excellent the immune system, easily copes with various infections and promotes rapid healing of wounds. The animal is able to remain viable for a long time even without food.

Origin of the turtle

The question of origin is still occupied by the minds of many scientists. The conditional ancestor is considered to be Permian cotylosaurs or eunotosaurs. This small and very lizard-like ancient animal had short and fairly wide ribs, which together formed a kind of shield-shell in the back area.

Some scientists suggest that turtles owe their origin to a special group of parareptiles that were descendants of the amphibian discosauriscus. The first, most ancient specimen that fell into the hands of scientists was Odontochelys semitestacea, very well known in scientific circles. This turtle was characterized by the presence of the lower half of the shell, as well as teeth, which modern species are completely devoid of. The second oldest turtle is Proganochelys quenstedti. This animal had a full and well-formed shell and also had teeth.

The largest land turtles from the genus Meiolania had shells that often exceeded two meters in length. In addition to the huge shell, the animal had a very long and incredibly powerful tail, which was decorated with flattened bone spikes arranged in two rows. The species is characterized by the presence of a triangular skull, on which there are elongated, blunt-type spines directed backwards and sideways.

The assumption that absolutely all turtles are long-lived is nothing more than another misconception. It has been proven that only one species, the giant Galapagos tortoise, can live more than two hundred years. The average lifespan of other species, as a rule, does not exceed 20-30 years. The Balkan turtle in nature lives no more than a hundred years, and some individuals of the Mediterranean and red-eared turtles can live for four decades.

This is interesting! An elephant tortoise named Garietta lived to be 175 years old, and the Madagascar radiated tortoise Tui-Malila had a lifespan of almost 188 years. Other long-livers among these representatives of reptiles are also known.

The large turtle has a very slow metabolism, so it is rightfully one of the longest-living species on our planet. This animal can survive without water and food for a year or more. The turtle is characterized by the presence of wrinkled skin on the body and a very slow speed of movement, as well as the ability to slow down and stop its heartbeat, so the aging process is almost invisible. A turtle rarely dies a natural death. As a rule, the animal dies from pathogenic microflora or becomes the prey of a predator.

Turtles in natural conditions

The animal leads a solitary lifestyle. Couples are only found in mating season or in preparation for wintering. For food, land turtles use mainly plant foods. Most freshwater species are classified as carnivores and feed on a variety of fish, shellfish, arthropods and other invertebrates. sea turtles represented by predatory, omnivorous and herbivorous species.

This is interesting! Various species of turtles inhabit a significant part of the land and water in the tropics and temperate zone. In our country you can find loggerhead, leatherback, Far Eastern, marsh, Caspian and Mediterranean turtles.

The main reason for the decline in turtle numbers is the capture of these animals in order to obtain high-value meat, which is considered a delicacy. This product is eaten raw, boiled and fried. Turtle shells are widely used in the manufacture of traditional Japanese women's hair jewelry. The number of some species of land turtles is declining as a result of the settlement of places traditionally inhabited by animals by people.

Home content

Small species of land and freshwater turtles are used in last years huge success as unpretentious and very original pets. When kept in captivity, the animal must be placed in a terrarium, aqua-terrarium or aquarium. The choice of maintenance method depends on the lifestyle characteristics of each species. Improper feeding and care conditions often become the main cause of death of an animal at home.

At home, the most commonly kept turtles are red-eared, musky, Caspian, mud or loggerhead turtles, swamp turtles, as well as Chinese trionix. For these types it is necessary to ensure the availability of:

spacious aquarium;
ultraviolet lamp heating an island of land occupying a third total area aquarium;
filter system;
high-quality special food.

As natural food, you can use fish, finely chopped raw meat, worms, mice, small frogs, snails, as well as plant foods such as vegetables, apples, bananas and algae. You can use special balanced food with a sufficient content of microelements and vitamins to feed your pets. A young turtle needs to be fed daily. Adult and well-formed individuals should receive food once every three days.

This is interesting! All types of turtles have very poorly developed vocal cords, but some varieties of these exotics are capable of hissing quite loudly, which allows them to scare off enemies and express their displeasure.

Temperature aquatic environment should be maintained at 26-28°C, and the resting island should be heated to a temperature of 30-32°C. It is necessary to strictly control the purity of water, carrying out its timely replacement.

These species are kept in terrariums. For a medium-sized turtle, it will be enough to allocate a terrarium with a volume of 80-100 liters. Washed and dried river gravel should be poured onto the bottom with a layer of 5 cm. It is imperative to ensure land turtle a small bath-pool filled with warm and clean water. The standard power of a heating lamp should be approximately watts per liter of terrarium volume. Optimal temperature regime should be 18-30°C.

Land species are herbivorous turtles, and therefore the basis of their diet consists of 90% plant foods. About 10% of the diet is animal food with the addition of mineral and vitamin complexes. You need to feed the turtle a finely chopped mixture of herbs, vegetables and fruits, supplemented with bran, soybean meal, cottage cheese, dry yeast, seaweed, minced meat and a boiled egg.

He must understand that he is getting a little pet for almost his entire life. There are often cases when in captivity they calmly live to a very old age. 30-40 years and more. But this happens when people understand that the turtle is not a toy, and it requires proper daily attention. If you do not follow some rules, then your red-eared beauty will give up the ghost very soon, and even good genes will not help her.

At liberty o Only 10% of turtles survive to adulthood, and less than 1% survive to old age.. In a home terrarium, many of the causes of such high mortality can be avoided.

How long do red-eared turtles live at home?

At home, the red-eared turtle lives up to 40 years. In zoos this value is slightly lower than in an apartment: 30-35 years. Moreover, the larger the turtle, the longer its lifespan will be. But on average in home terrariums red-eared turtles spruces live up to 15 years, which is determined by many factors, mainly related to care. People often underestimate turtles and equate them with fish, but they require much more attention.

Why do turtles die in captivity?

The first common reason is poor content. If young individuals can easily live in shallow "", then with age they need everything more space. An adult requires an aquarium up to 150 liters in size. In this case, it is necessary to frequently change the water, plant plants and do not forget to regularly examine the turtle.

The second reason is infections.. A turtle can get sick by picking up an infection from another individual, or from the “decorations” of the terrarium - ampularia and store-bought algae. In addition, unfavorable conditions can also have an effect - lack of light, stagnant unfiltered water, too high or too high low temperature. In addition, turtles, like people, are susceptible to environment and can get sick almost out of the blue.

The third reason is the lack due to unbalanced nutrition. In nature, the body tells the turtle if it lacks a certain vitamin, and it itself changes its diet. But in the confined space of the apartment she has no such choice. The diet of both adults and young individuals should consist of: from animal products(food for fish and the fish themselves are suitable), so and vegetable(seaweed, lettuce and dandelion leaves).

But here lies fourth reason frequent turtle deaths are far away not every city has a specialist who understands reptiles and is able to correctly identify the disease and prescribe treatment.

How to extend the life of a turtle

To extend the life of a red-eared turtle, it is enough to protect it from diseases and adverse conditions. Correctly sized, balanced food, a heating lamp, quarantine for new individuals and timely examinations at least once a month - all this does not require much time, but can serve well.

A pet whose care is given enough attention may well become a long-liver and become familiar to several generations of the same family. To do this, you should get a young individual, for the purchase of which you need to equip a spacious terrarium.

The family of land turtles consists of about 60 species, varying in size, habitat and life expectancy, which depends on their species. On average, these reptiles live from 30 to 150 years. The smaller their size, the shorter their life. And, conversely, representatives of large species can live for quite a long time, thanks to a unique vital process taking place in their body. The sizes of these turtles, depending on the species, vary from 10 centimeters to a meter. The weight of a giant turtle sometimes reaches 400 kilograms.

Interesting. The oldest on Earth was the Galapagos tortoise, Greta, a land tortoise brought to Europe by Charles Darwin, who lived 250 years.

Land turtles can survive for very long periods without food or water.

Living at home, they distinguish the intonations of human speech and recognize their owners.

The shell of a turtle contains phosphorus and after being in the sun at night you can see its glow.

What affects the lifespan of land turtles

In nature, turtles always have many dangers that constantly await them. Despite the strong shell that protects the reptile, it, regardless of size, can become easy prey for predators. These are very slow animals and they cannot run away when in danger. They only hide in their shell, which is not always a reliable shelter. There is another way to protect yourself. The reptile is capable of abruptly emptying its rather capacious bladder. Sometimes a strong jet scares off the enemy. Selected species Turtles can hiss horribly. This is where all means of protection end.

The situation is further aggravated by the fact that land turtles live in open areas. These can be steppes, deserts, low mountainous areas. Here they find their main food: greens, fallen fruits. As a supplement to their diet, they can eat food of animal origin, for example, insects, small rodents, and lizards. Large turtles easily deal with snakes. Being in open space, reptiles, in turn, can become food for predators, for whose powerful jaws the shell of small species is not a hindrance. Large individuals are safe in this case.

Life in captivity and its duration

These reptiles have always attracted lovers of exotic animals. Some buy them in pet stores, others find them directly in nature. By creating ideal conditions for your pet that are familiar to him, it would seem that you can be sure that he will live longer than in nature. After all, now the turtle is not in danger of being eaten by someone. But this is not so; in captivity, amphibian turtles live less than in natural environment. Thus, small species can live up to 80 years in nature, but only up to 30 in an aquarium. Large species, whose age in the natural environment sometimes reaches 150 years, having become pets, they live up to 40 years. And this is subject to proper care and feeding.

Determining the number of years a given reptile has lived is quite simple. The plates separating the carapace contain annual rings. During the first two years, 6 of them appear. In each subsequent year, 1 or 2 are added. The following order should be used for counting. Having counted the rings on one plate, subtract 6, divide by 1.5, add 2. Thus, if there are 20 rings, then the age is 11 years.

In nature, the age of turtles reaches 30-150 years.

When getting any pet - a parrot, fish, rabbit, cat or turtle, there is a natural desire to find out how many years it will live.

After all, many people perceive their pets as full-fledged members of the family and want to enjoy their company longer. People buying a red-eared turtle should keep in mind that although reptiles are long-lived natural world, but without proper care they risk not living even half the allotted time.

What kind of reptile is this?

The red-eared turtle (also known as the yellow-bellied turtle) belongs to the family of American freshwater turtles. Habitat habitats are small, often swampy bodies of water with weak currents. They feed on both plant and animal foods. Distributed throughout North and South America.

The external feature is two symmetrical stripes, red, yellow or orange, located behind the eyes (on both sides of the head). The color of the dorsal part of the shell (carapace) is rich green with black and yellow lines. The lower part (plastron) is painted pale yellow with a dark pattern. The pattern from the shell extends to the skin of the paws and head, so the reptile looks striped.

How to determine age and gender?

It is possible to determine the sex of a turtle only after it reaches the age of sexual maturity. But even in adult individuals, the differences between males and females remain very blurred and sex determination is possible only by secondary characteristics. The most notable include:

Claws on the hind limbs. In males they are long, sometimes curved and thickened.
Tail. The male is wide at the base, long with a narrow tip.
Size. Females are noticeably larger.
Shell shape. In males it is longer and narrower.
The structure of the abdominal part of the external skeleton. The plastron of females is smooth, while that of males is concave.

Please note: some differences are subtle or may be absent altogether, so conclusions are drawn based on several signs.

To obtain more reliable data, you can use scientific methods - blood tests for hormones, radiography and ultrasound.

Finding out how old a reptile is is an even more difficult task. The easiest way is to clarify this point with the seller. If this is not possible, then the date of birth can only be determined approximately. The error will be several years.

One of the most reliable ways to find out the age is to measure the turtle's shell with a ruler from the front to the back edge, without taking into account the bend. By one year, its length should be three to four centimeters.

In the future, sizes depend on gender:

2 years. Females - 9 cm, males - 8 cm;
3 years. Females – 14 cm, males – 10 cm;
4 years. Females – 17 cm, males – 12 cm.

In addition, you can find out your age:

Counting the rings on the shell. The first is formed before the turtle reaches twelve months. Every year 2–3 rings are added to the pattern.
By color. The darker the shell, the older the animal. Young turtles (up to 4 years old) have rich, bright colors, then the shell begins to gradually darken.

How many live in the wild?

Although natural conditions are optimal for turtles, 10% of all individuals survive to old age. Their maximum age rarely approaches 30 years, more often the limit is 15-20 years. This is due to natural reasons: predators, diseases, human intervention in the ecosystem.

How many years have they lived at home?

In the absence of external threats, the life expectancy of turtles increases significantly. In a home terrarium they can live up to 50 years, in a zoo - 30 - 35 years.

Causes of premature death

The most common causes of death of pets are:

Incorrect conditions of detention. Small aquarium, dirty unfiltered water, untimely cleaning, inappropriate temperature conditions.
Infections. They can appear from aquarium plants, decorative elements, and live food.
Poor nutrition and lack of vitamins. In nature, a turtle can compensate for the deficiency of any element on its own; when kept at home, monitoring the diet is the owner’s task.
Lack of qualified veterinary specialists who can correctly and timely diagnose health problems and prescribe adequate treatment.

How to extend life?

The lifespan of a turtle depends only on its owner. When creating favorable conditions, proper care and a balanced diet it increases. To do this you need:

Select the aquarium size. Minimum 150 liters per adult reptile. Smaller containers can only keep small turtles up to 2 years old.
Equip your aquarium with more than just water, but also a small island of land (up to 1/3 of the total volume).
Maintain a stable temperature and avoid drafts.
Carry out timely sanitization once a week.
Select decorative elements carefully. Some types of algae are poisonous to reptiles. In addition, you should not decorate the aquarium with artificial plants and shallow soil - turtles will definitely try to eat them.
Handle the turtle carefully and avoid falling, even from a small height. In addition to the fact that they have a smooth, slippery shell that can easily slip out of your hands, some individuals can bite and scratch quite strongly.
Ensure proper feeding. Turtles should not eat food that has been subjected to heat treatment. It is forbidden to give beef, rabbit, turkey, pork, fruits, and grains. Be sure to include in the diet: animal protein (crustaceans, fish, snails, feed cockroaches), greens (algae, lettuce, dandelions).
Add mineral supplements to food.

In fact, extending the life of a turtle is quite simple - you need to provide it comfortable conditions habitats that are closest to natural ones, monitor its condition and promptly apply the necessary measures.