Turtle Lifespan: How Long Do Pet Turtles Live?
It is quite common knowledge that turtles outlive a lot of other animals. There are species of turtles that can live to be as old as forty. While this is very true, the lifespan of a turtle is dependent on several factors. The species of your turtle, its diet, as well as some other parts of its life that are within your control are all responsible for how long your turtle lives.
To get to know how long your turtle can live for theoretically, the first thing you should do is find out what species it is. Red-eared sliders which live past one or two years can go on to live into their 30s. Turtles can grow to be 50 and sometimes 80. This implies that your turtle or tortoise can live longer than you.
Ultimately, if a turtle can live past its first few years, then, chances are it will live as long as a couple of decades.
All things being equal, bigger tortoises and turtles can live for many years. However, smaller turtles and tortoise which a lot of people have as pets do not live as long as bigger turtles, but still, live for several decades. Based on record, some tortoises have lived as long as 200 years and even more. Although there is some difficulty verifying these claims as these animals lived longer than their owners. If claims are anything to go by, Adwaita, an Aldabra giant tortoise, is believed to be the longest living tortoise. It lived to be 255 years.
The Secret to Your Turtle’s Health
Giving your turtle the right meals is a vital way to help it live for long. With the right diet, your turtle will not just have a long lifespan; it will also have a healthy existence. The proper diet for a turtle is a lot dependent on its species. Species such as the red-eared slider feed on a blend of fruits, veggies, and insects, while a species such as the soft-shell turtle feed majorly on meat and fish.
It is vital that you carry out ample research on the best diet for your turtle before going ahead to feed it. When fed with a combination of fresh foods and pellets, a lot of turtles live healthy lives. Nonetheless, there should be a difference in the type of fresh food and pellets that different turtle species are fed with. Turtles usually suffer from vitamin A deficiency. With the right diet, this issue can be comfortably treated.
In addition to feeding your turtle correctly, it is expedient that you visit the vet regularly. You should also provide right living conditions for your turtle.
Threats to Your Turtle’s Lifespan
Various species of turtles have different threats. The threat to the lifespan of every turtle is a lot dependent on what species it is. As a turtle owner, you should be aware of the things that are a threat to it. This way, noticing symptoms will be a lot easy. Some common issues that turtles have to deal with, which can shorten their lifespan are respiratory infections, shell infections, and Abscesses.
