Usually the character of a person influences the choice of his friends, including pets. If one likes a restless puppy , then another is silent fish in an aquarium, or a turtle. Choosing a red-bellied turtle as a friend, it is necessary to realize that your friendship can last for several decades. And throughout this period you will depend on her life.
Before you buy this amphibian, do not be too lazy to ask yourself how to determine the age of turtles. After all, the solid age of the pet affects his behavior, as well as his other requirements for food and living conditions.
Determining the age of a turtle
Red-smelling turtle from other relatives are distinguished by red spots instead of ears. There are several ways to determine the age of such turtles. Each of them is based on marks that leave the lived years on their body. However, one can not say that any of them is accurate. After all, the appearance depends on such factors as the number of residents in the aquarium, the temperature of content and nutrition. For this reason, deviations from the truth in the amount of several years are possible.
The age of the turtle can be determined by carapace. The technique of the method resembles the definition of the tree age along the trunk cut. Each year leaves behind two or three ringlets on the scute plate. Before the celebration of his first birthday turtle already has one ring. After two years of life, it begins to slow down its growth and, consequently, in the future, the rings will grow only one by one.
Determine the age of the red-bellied turtle will help us such a method as measuring the length of the shell.
The size of the newborn turtle is about 3 cm. For a year, its body grows to 6 cm. At the age of two years, the size of the female becomes 9 cm and the male - 8 cm. For three years the female grows to 14 cm, male - up to 10 cm. they add for a year to 2 cm. And at this age the figures already become 20 cm female and 17 cm male.
The turning point begins when the length reaches 18 cm. Reptiles practically cease to grow, although there are exceptions. Under ideal conditions of life red-bellied turtles reach 30 cm.
If you compare the appearance of a young turtle and an older person, you can see a few differences. This method also helps to answer the question of how to find out the age of the red-bellied turtle.
Over the years, the ringlet on the shell is getting dark and at a respectable age they become almost black, and the shell itself is smooth and more elongated. In mature turtles, a stain near the eyes instead of red maroon. And their behavior is calmer than in the young. In the image of a turtle, you acquire an intelligent, sensitive and unpretentious creature.