how can you estimate box turtle age?

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Saybs444
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how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by Saybs444 »

I'm curious as I have been encountering so many lately! :)
herpfriend
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by herpfriend »

I have been told you can count the rings on the scutes up to maybe 25. By that age, the rings on the scutes start wearing off.
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Jeff
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by Jeff »

The costal scute annuli (sides of the shell) can be counted with relative ease until the turtle matures, usually at about 6-8 years of age. After maturity, the turtle grows more slowly, and the annuli tend to pack together as narrow ridges. There can be secondary depressions or grooves to confuse matters. I'm never confident in counts over about 10-12 years, sometimes younger. There is a small starting zone about 1/4 in height and diameter in the upper part of each costal. That's what the turtle hatched with, and starts your count at zero.

Jeff
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pete
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by pete »

Have you found any juveniles? They are in serious trouble here in mass. Most populations consist of adults with little or no recruitment. Essentially dead populations.If you are privy to a good healthy population fill out the online form on masswildlife for rare species.
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justinm
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by justinm »

Great thread. I have a small rescue Eastern Box in my collection. She was found and brought into the local zoo. The zoo couldn't keep her as they can't accept donations like this, and brought her to the local herp club. After four years she's growing slowly as my captive. I just put her out in the garden for the summer. She'll be monitored several times a week to make sure her needs are met.
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beemaster
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by beemaster »

Saybs444 wrote:I'm curious as I have been encountering so many lately! :)
Funny you mention that. I'm in Bristol County and haven't seen one yet this year, despite going out the past four weeks to places I know there to be surviving populations. That being said, all these populations I know down here seem to be in rough shape. I find as many squished on the road as I do alive and I've yet to find a juvenile. Other than catching a couple of females out nesting, I'd have nothing to believe that these populations are functionally surviving.

The crappiest part about that is the South Coast is supposed to be their stronghold within the state.
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Saybs444
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by Saybs444 »

beemaster wrote:
Saybs444 wrote:I'm curious as I have been encountering so many lately! :)
Funny you mention that. I'm in Bristol County and haven't seen one yet this year, despite going out the past four weeks to places I know there to be surviving populations. That being said, all these populations I know down here seem to be in rough shape. I find as many squished on the road as I do alive and I've yet to find a juvenile. Other than catching a couple of females out nesting, I'd have nothing to believe that these populations are functionally surviving.

The crappiest part about that is the South Coast is supposed to be their stronghold within the state.
:( ugh that is very crappy I agree :'(
I wish there was more that I could do. Whenever I see them I want to make sure no harm comes to them but the only way to insure that is to take them in which is not something I desire to do to them nor something that they would fare well through. I know they're susceptible to so many dangers (humans). I worry that the wrong person will go out to these places and see how "cool" they are, and take them. Other than that though, in this area they don't get hit bcuz there aren't roads all that close.
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Saybs444
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by Saybs444 »

justinm wrote:Great thread. I have a small rescue Eastern Box in my collection. She was found and brought into the local zoo. The zoo couldn't keep her as they can't accept donations like this, and brought her to the local herp club. After four years she's growing slowly as my captive. I just put her out in the garden for the summer. She'll be monitored several times a week to make sure her needs are met.
I hope she does well in your care!
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Saybs444
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Re: how can you estimate box turtle age?

Post by Saybs444 »

I have come across one that I believe to be sick or possibly just very old. Her rings are completely worn off, and she makes a strange gasping noise. I can hear her in the growth sometimes without seeing her. I know that it is her bcuz I encountered her before and heard and seen this behavior. She had a discharge coming from her eyes and had trouble opening them. Also she kept trying to open her mouth it seemed. But from what I could see, it had a lot of gunk (mucus I believe) in it. :( I wiped the mucus from her eyes gently and poured bottled water on her. That was about all that I could do. I didn't want to stress her out too much :(
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