Age of an African Spur-Thighed Tortoise by: Shelly If you are not around when your tortoise hatches, the only way to tell its age is by the size of its shell. There is a common belief that counting the rings that appear on the shell of a tortoise yields the number of years the turtle has been alive, but the formation of rings on a tortoise shell is not regular. Sulcata Tortoise Life Span Because sulcata tortoises haven’t really been raised from birth for very long, it’s still hard to determine what age a well-raised sulcata born into captivity is capable of living to. Not even experienced veterinarians can make the call merely by looking. My brother just gave me one as a gift, I am pretty sure it is a boy, he is - Answered by a verified Reptile Expert Sulcatas are born with flat … Be sure to ask your veterinarian to check your pet's gender the … Your veterinarian will be able to tell you whether your tortoise is male or female. Share on Facebook Determining if a sulcata tortoise is a male or female takes a lot of patience -- about five years worth of patience. That is because both sexes look the same when they are hatchlings. How Can I Tell a Tortoise's Age? My brother just gave me one as a gift, I am pretty sure it is a boy, he is - Answered by a verified Reptile Expert There's no way to tell. First, measure the turtle from tip to tail. Because sulcata tortoises haven’t really been raised from birth for very long, it’s still hard to determine what age a well-raised sulcata born into captivity is capable of living to. To tell a turtle's age, start by counting the number of rings inside one of the scales on the turtle's shell. Because sulcata tortoises haven’t really been raised from birth for very long, it’s still hard to determine what age a well-raised sulcata born into captivity is capable of living to. It is a desert-dwelling tortoise whose range extends along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert from Senegal and Mauritania, east through Mali, Chad, the Sudan and Ethiopia to Eritrea. The larger sections of growth equal a year. How can I tell the age of a sulcata tortoise? Exotic veterinarians can often pinpoint the sexes of young sulcata tortoises via endoscopy. The one on the right looks much older since his shell is in worse shape, but he’s smaller than the one on the left. Learn about aging turtles with tips from the owner of a reptile store in this free pet care video. Many turtle owners are undoubtedly curious as to the age of their pets. It is not possible to tell the age of a tortoise by looking at it. How to Tell The Age of a Sulcata Tortoise. Never feed your sulcata most fruits or vegetables as they have too much water, vitamins and/or sugars for the sulcata to digest properly! If you have thoroughly examined your tortoise and you just cannot figure out its gender, then it's time to take the animal to an expert. Unless it's a baby turtle, identifying the age of turtles can be very difficult. By its hatching date. The “rings”on a tortoise, mark periods of growth. Because of the differences in the ways that different species can be sexed, we wanted to put together a page showing many different species, and the things to look for when sexing a particular species. Sulcata Tortoise Life Span. Sulcata tortoises grow rapidly for the first five to 10 years, and then their growth slows with age. How can I tell the age of a sulcata tortoise? If the lower shell is indented, or concave, it is most likely male. It is hard to tell. Right from hatching day you can tell how healthy a tortoise is by the shape, size, and condition of his shell. You can also estimate a turtle's age using its size. Sulcata tortoises grow rapidly for the first five to 10 years, and then their growth slows with age. Getting a sulcata tortoise from a reputable breeder who can tell you about its health history is crucial. Owners often want to know the sex of their sulcata tortoise, but because males and females look physically similar, determining a tortoise's gender can be difficult. This is how you determine the sex of a Sulcata Tortoise most tortoise species can be determined the same way. Owning a sulcata tortoise (also known as an African spurred tortoise or Geochelone sulcata) is not for everyone.To the uninformed buyer, sulcata tortoises appear to be tiny, adorable tank turtles; little do they realize that within several years, with … The African Spurred Tortoise is the third largest tortoise in the world and the … To sex tortoises, pick up the tortoise and examine its lower shell. Unfortunately, short of being present when they hatch, there really is no definitive way to know how old they are.