kingsnake.com - reptile and amphibian classifieds, breeders, forums, photos, videos and more

return to main index

  mobile - desktop
follow us on facebook follow us on twitter follow us on YouTube link to us on LinkedIn
 
Click here for LLL Reptile & Supply
This Space Available
3 months for $50.00
Locate a business by name: click to list your business
search the classifieds. buy an account
events by zip code list an event
Search the forums             Search in:
News & Events: Herp Photo of the Day: False Coral Snake . . . . . . . . . .  Herp Photo of the Day: Bearded Dragon . . . . . . . . . .  Greater Cincinnati Herp Society Meeting - Apr 02, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Calusa Herp Society Meeting - Apr 04, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Southwestern Herp Society Meeting - Apr 06, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Hamburg Reptile Show - Apr. 13, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  St. Louis Herpetological Society - Apr 14, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  San Diego Herp Society Meeting - Apr 16, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Suncoast Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  DFW Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Colorado Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Chicago Herpetological Society Meeting - Apr 21, 2024 . . . . . . . . . . 

According to recent research, True


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Tortoise Forum ]

Posted by Nicodemus on April 18, 2003 at 18:39:41:

In Reply to: True or False: Turtles can never die of old age? posted by pyxis on April 17, 2003 at 00:07:57:

There was an interesting article in Discover magazine about turtles not dying of old age. I'd have to check my stack in my classroom, but it was within the last year. I'll get back to you on the exact issue next week if I can remember.
It was about turtles, but I'd imagine this would certainly apply to tortoises as well.


According to the researcher, he's never seen a turtle die of old age, only from cars, disease and animal attacks. Apparently he's been doing this for 40 years or so and some of the turtles when he started with were already pretty old.

The only problem with this statement is all chelonians live a long time and our life spans are too short to really be able to see how long they will survive in optimal conditions.

What I found VERY interesting is he said turtles actually become MORE sexually viable the older they get. Therefore OLD turtles should be protected more than young turtles.

Its kind of funny how we take for granted that "As an animal gets older, the chance reproduction decreases" (since that is how we work as well as pretty much all other animals), and it turns out we need to work completely oppositely to help turtle populations survive.



Follow Ups:




[ Follow Ups ] [ The Tortoise Forum ]