# Whats the average life expectancy of a terrapin?



## KYRIEBLOOMFIELD (Mar 9, 2012)

Hello 
I'd like to know how long my terrapin will live for, his now around 20 years old and just seems to keep going! I hope he still has a few years left in him yet, whats the average they normally live to?
Thanks


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## Paul Dunham (Apr 1, 2010)

The problem is no one really knows for sure.. Much of the literature says 20/30 years, yet in this section of Pet Forum there&#8217;s one said to be 35 years old.. We can&#8217;t tell in captivity because on the whole they&#8217;re pretty badly kept. Although many die, many seem to survive despite their environment.. If you travel abroad and seen Red-eared Terrapins in the wild they&#8217;re a completely different animal.. They have nice thick healthy domed shells which you never see in captivity... Captive Terrapins have a flat pancake shaped body compared with the high domed bodies of their wild counterparts.. Mis-shaped and thin shells are pretty common in captive specimens.
How long they live in captivity and how long they&#8217;re supposed to live is hard to say.. 
In contrast they say a European Pond Turtle can live for more than a hundred years&#8230;


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## suewhite (Oct 31, 2009)

Paul Dunham said:


> The problem is no one really knows for sure.. Much of the literature says 20/30 years, yet in this section of Pet Forum theres one said to be 35 years old.. We cant tell in captivity because on the whole theyre pretty badly kept. Although many die, many seem to survive despite their environment.. If you travel abroad and seen Red-eared Terrapins in the wild theyre a completely different animal.. They have nice thick healthy domed shells which you never see in captivity... Captive Terrapins have a flat pancake shaped body compared with the high domed bodies of their wild counterparts.. Mis-shaped and thin shells are pretty common in captive specimens.
> How long they live in captivity and how long theyre supposed to live is hard to say..
> In contrast they say a European Pond Turtle can live for more than a hundred years


That one thats 35 is mine she did have a mate but he died at 25 she lives out in the main pond all summer and comes into the green house with a sunken pond and light and heating for the winter and basks daily even in the coldest days


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## KYRIEBLOOMFIELD (Mar 9, 2012)

suewhite said:


> That one thats 35 is mine she did have a mate but he died at 25 she lives out in the main pond all summer and comes into the green house with a sunken pond and light and heating for the winter and basks daily even in the coldest days


She sounds like a very happy terrapin! Ive thought about getting a friend for mine, but his been on his own for so long would it be a good idea? He seems happy enough, do they like company?


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## suewhite (Oct 31, 2009)

I dont really think they need company mine being a female goes walkabout every spring looking for a mate but other than that she just basks and eats and sleeps


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## KYRIEBLOOMFIELD (Mar 9, 2012)

Sounds like im doing okay then!
Thank you everyone for your help


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