Can anyone estimate the age?

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Jovski

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People keep asking me how old my torts are, and as the lady i bought them off changed their ages about 3 times, so i dont think she actually knew. It'd be nice to know a rough estimate if anyone could possibly help?
They are both Western Bells Hingebacks as both only have 4 toes on the front feet. The larger is female and weighs 1300g today, the smaller male weights 620g. He's sexually mature but so much smaller than her. I was told they were anywhere between 4 and 12 on various occasions, so i really have no idea. The female is said to have laid eggs for 4 years if that is any help. :)
The vet advised me to take some ID photos back in may, so hopefully they may help.

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tortadise

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Jov,
Its almost always impossible to know for sure unless they are known captives, and hatch date is given. WC or even ltc are just going to be a guess. Given that they are bellianna, and the male is around 7" and female 8.5" they still have some size they can put on. I would say anywhere from 10+ years. Bells can grow pretty fast from hatchling to 1 year of age wild, and grow slower or even faster in captivity. So its very very hard to be even close to accurate for yah. But they are mature I can you that. Also they look awesome. Nice specimens. Have you gotten any eggs yet?
 

Jovski

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ah cool. A friend managed to get an estimate for her horsfield so i wondered if possible with these - hers was only 3 or so though. Im not actively breeding them at the moment because the female is having issues with parasites - though they've mated before and i may get eggs yet :) I was told they lay eggs November through January, but phoebe has put weight lately and is attacking her cuttlebones like crazy so im keeping an eye on her :)
 

Jacqui

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*fingers crossed* that she is indeed getting ready to gift you with eggs. We need more of these guys! :D
 

FLINTUS

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They are actually quite common here in the British Isles as WC or LTC, but not so much CB-we have 4 breeders as far as I know. On Shelled Warriors we decided these because of the price must be CF in Africa http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/bells-hinged-back-tortoise.html but as you can see they are not extremely rare now-a breeder up in the north east of England is selling them for £175, a tad under US $270
 
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