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What Is Average Growth Rate Of A Turtle

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:55 pm
by blulite
hi guys i just measured tumble today to see if he had grown any. he now measures 3". judging by the date of my first post on here we got him on the 10th sep. he then measured 2 1/2" so in around 2 months he has grown half an inch. how is this for growth. if this is normal ish then judging by my calculations he would grow 6" a year so therefore would be fuly grown in just 2 years. does this sound familiar?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:57 pm
by blackforces get you
they grow about 3 inches a year. my 3 inch is a year old and is going on two and is about 4 inches now. his birthday is in July but that's when i got him. hes going on 4 inches now since July

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:06 pm
by blulite
sorry your post is a little muddled. so what your saying is:

a turtle will grow about 3" a year.

and your turtle is 1 year old going on 2.

also your turtle is 3 inches going on 4.

so your turtle reached 4 inches in almost 2 years.

that then is small for its age yes. seeing as it has grown only 2 inches a year.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:33 pm
by blackforces get you
ok let me re phrase this. they grow about 3" a year. my turtle is 3 inches going on four inches. now he's about 1 year old but he wont be two untill next july and he should be about 6 inches then. but my turtle is going on four inches on his first year. its confusing but its as simple as i can go

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:37 pm
by blulite
ah ok i see your turtle is 16 months and almost four inches, so by his next birthday (july) he will have had another years growth.

got it lol

actually that works out rather well. 3 inches a year. so 1inch every 4 months. your turt is 16 months so therefore 4 inches is about right. hmmm i like maths. :)

so to formulate.

turtle size in inches /3 = approximate age

S/3=AA

Size/3=ApproxAge

:):):)

wonder if that formula should be a sticky????

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:47 pm
by Arisu
Well... a turtle during its first 2 years will go through a growth spurt (up to ~4 inches). Then, it will generally grow about 1 inch each year after it's growth spurt.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:01 pm
by blulite
so if my turt turns out to be a definate male then i could possibly have a fully grown turt in 2 1/2 years?



and my formula would have to be binned lol i have worked out another formula for myself but it needs simplifying.

dont ask what the hell a formula has to do with anything its just one of those days. i just felt like doing one. lol

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:58 pm
by Arisu
a fully grown male can range from 8-10 inches. If your turtle is 4" by it's 2nd year, then it'll take 4 to even 6 more years to become a "full grown". Did I answer your question? Or did I make it even fuzzier?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:16 pm
by blulite
you answered it rather well arisu thanks. is there any sure fire way to determine approximate age?

PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:37 pm
by Sassamo
There isn't really a way too tell age, my turtle is 6inches. I got her 3 months ago from someone who got her from someone ect ect. So From being passed around her age has been lost. Some turtles can grow too fast from poor diet, like too much protien, some turtles are stunted from poor care. Some where I read that you can count the lines on the shell for age. Yet some turtles shed the shell more then 1 time a year. Sassamo's shell is also deformed, so I have that too factor in, if both sides where the same length I'm sure she would be 7inches. So I am just guessing that she's 5-6yrs old.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:46 am
by blulite
ok cool so my tumble is 3 inches. he has a few retained schutes other than that hes is fine so he could be about 1 - 1.5 years

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:28 am
by TheComputerGremlin
We have a little misinformation going on among these posts.

In the first year or so, your turtle should reach about 4 inches, given normal environment and genetics. After the first year, your turtle should grow about 1 inch per year until they stop growing. A full grown male is often 7-9 inches and a female is 9-12 inches. That would imply that a male should be full grown around ages 4-6 and a female ages 6-9.

blulite, if your turtle grew 0.5 inches in 2 months, that's just a little rapid for growth. Can you specify what you are feeding? I think you may be feeding a little too much protein. If you have retain scutes, you may want to take a look at your basking and lighting for your tank as well.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:12 pm
by marisa
RES grow the most and the fastest in the first 3 years of life, growing then continues but at a much slower rate until they reach their full size. In captivity, because of their nutrient-rich diet, RES typically reach an SCL of 4 inches and in some cases even more (which isn't good) in their first year. Growth is dependent on diet, habitat and genetics, but I personally have difficulty with the idea that a RES should be growing an inch a year once the hatchling stage (1 year) has ended. My RES has shown growth every year since his first year of life, including this year (he will be 7 this spring), but never an inch in one year.

Counting rings on the shell is not a reliable indicator of age, particularly with captive turtles that do not hibernate.

Re: What Is Average Growth Rate Of A Turtle

PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 7:51 am
by waterboy
I have a pair,1 is two years old and he is 6 inches,2nd one is one year old and he is 4 inches

Re:

PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 7:55 pm
by Tampa Bay Turtle Fan
TheComputerGremlin wrote:We have a little misinformation going on among these posts.

In the first year or so, your turtle should reach about 4 inches, given normal environment and genetics. After the first year, your turtle should grow about 1 inch per year until they stop growing. A full grown male is often 7-9 inches and a female is 9-12 inches. That would imply that a male should be full grown around ages 4-6 and a female ages 6-9.

blulite, if your turtle grew 0.5 inches in 2 months, that's just a little rapid for growth. Can you specify what you are feeding? I think you may be feeding a little too much protein. If you have retain scutes, you may want to take a look at your basking and lighting for your tank as well.


I strongly agree with all the facts you pointed out here. Unfortunately over feeding is done by many who do not realize the harm they do and the life span cut short of the turtles. As Steve has stated regarding feeding, when in doubt, feed less.