Trachemys is not just a thermophilic amphibian that lives in the waters of Central and South America, Africa and Europe. For many, she became a pet, replacing ponds and lakes for an aquarium. Caring for this animal is not very difficult (it is unpretentious in nutrition and rarely ill), but there are still certain nuances associated with keeping turtles in captivity. They must certainly be known to a person who has decided to acquire one or several individuals, and even more so to people from whom they have long settled in the house.
Caring for the animal, its nutrition and behavior change significantly with age. Particular care must be taken to look after the cubs, as well as the elderly. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to determine the age of the red-eared turtle, despite the fact that it is very important to know.
The fact is that the size of the animal largely depends on the conditions of its maintenance and diet, so that it will not help much in this matter. Moreover, there are many subspecies of red-eared turtles. Belonging to a certain one of them can also affect the size.
So, if a specific red-eared turtle liked the pet shop, how to determine the age and gender of this individual, you can ask the seller. However, even the future owner will not be prevented from possessing at least basic information about this.
Firstly, the red-eared turtle was named due to the characteristic red spots behind the eyes of the animal, which have absolutely nothing to do with the ears, but change with age from bright scarlet to maroon. Secondly, younger individuals have a green color with stripes and stains, which become dimmer and darker with age. Thirdly, with good care, young animals grow very quickly.
When buying a small pet, you need to be prepared for the fact that he can several times increase in size in the first year of stay in a new house. So how to determine the age of the red-eared tortoise yourself? If we are not talking about special accuracy, then you can try to do this by carefully examining the shell of the animal. For each year of life, 2-3 rings are formed on it. Having calculated their total number, we can come to the corresponding conclusion.
As a rule, red-eared turtles live in captivity for about 30 years. If you create ideal conditions of detention, then they can please their owners and 35-40 years. However, you need to understand that, like all pets, at a young age they are mobile and funny, and by old age they become more infantile and moody. It is for this reason that it is so important to know how to determine the age of red-eared turtles. Acquiring a large individual, for example, for a child, it will be a shame to find out that she has no more than 1-2 years left to live. It is especially important if the animal is not bought in a specialized store, but from a private person.
Usually cubs are more mobile, curious, playful and clumsy than adults. When you buy a little fidget in a shell, you don’t really have to think about how to determine the age of the red-eared turtle. More attention should be paid to the appearance of the carapace (it should not be damaged) and the behavior of the baby (if it is cold in the room where the animals are kept, lethargy and inactivity are allowed, but it is better to choose someone who is more smart).
Trachemys are oviparous. Cubs hatch usually about 3 cm long, starting to grow rapidly literally from the first days of life. Gender can be uniquely determined only by 5-6 years. Previously, this can only be assumed with a certain degree of probability (which the seller of the pet store must certainly inform).
How to determine the age of the red-eared turtle is generally clear, but in order to do this accurately, it is necessary to know the date of its birth.