Are tortoises more susceptible to cold as thety age

[anupama]

Does aging impact tortoise shells? Does it make them less resistant to cold weather?

Thank you

 

[mike taylor]

As they get bigger they need more food ,longer basking time . I'm not really understanding your questions .

 

[anupama]

As they get bigger they need more food ,longer basking time . I'm not really understanding your questions .

I wanted to know if their shells become thinner with age making them more vulnerable to cold weather

 

[Merrick]

As they get bigger than have more mass and more body fat so that makes them less susceptible to the cold

 

[anupama]

Thank you. And as they near the end of their lifespan, does their shell tend to thin out?

 

[mike taylor]

As said above . But if they come from places that never see cold you shouldn't let them get cold .

 

[anupama]

Thank you

 

[Tom]

Thank you. And as they near the end of their lifespan, does their shell tend to thin out?

No. An older tortoise has a much thicker shell than a younger smaller tortoise. Also, tortoises can live more than 100 years, so how would anyone know if they were near the end of their life span?

Either way this has nothing to do with cold tolerance. Being an ectotherm, they will be the same temperature as the surrounding area, unless they can find a heat source of some sort. A thicker or thinner shell has little effect on this. Larger body mass can affect the rate of cooling or warming, but shell thickness won't have much effect.

Are you having a tortoise issue? Perhaps if you share what is going on we could offer helpful suggestions.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

A very warm welcome to Tortoise Forum.
We love photos here.
Any chance of a photo of your tort(s).
If you have a specific worry about your tortoise's shell, please ask, but I wouldn't worry if it's just an old tortoise.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum.

Pics would be useful here, and would allow the experts to help you more.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

The tortoise's shell doesn't keep him warm. He needs either the sun or a good light to do that. Then once he's warm, the shell makes no difference as to how fast or slowly he cools off.

 

[Carol S]

Welcome to the forum.