Upper limit on breeding age
Hello,
I was wondering if I could ask for some advice on breeding ages of med spur thigh tortoises. Is there an upper limit on breeding age for female tortoises? Everything I've read suggests that it's OK until they're at the older end of the scale, but a breeder has just told me that they should retire in their mid thirties. Thanks for your help, Gemma |
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I keep ibera one of the spur thigh speices:0) |
Tortoises will not stop laying in the wild when they get to 30 so why would they in captivity. I have a few Herman's in their 40s if not older that still lay good viable clutches.
I would like to know the reason to stop them at thirty. |
I have a group of Hermanns affectionately called "the pensioners"! Youngest is fiftyish & some a lot older. They still lay eggs.
Problems can occur if you start to breed with an older female that hasn't laid before. How old is your tortoise? |
Many years ago I read a paper by some scientist or other and he said that tortoise reproductory functions don't age. Females can lay viable eggs until they die of old age and males can fertilize those eggs until they die of old age. The article went on to say something about there is no such thing as 'old age' in tortoises and they die from other factors, accident, predators, etc.
Take it or leave it. I'd like to believe it. |
it is little wonder they have lasted over 200 million years - is anyone watching natural history museum? what a lovely series - Yvonne I am not sure you will get it in US but I suppose you can have catch up BBC? Don't buy the licence though !....And perfect plant - oh my goodness those tortoises , I would in heaven looking after them . I would have to name each one twice of course, CB
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