how do you tell the age of your tortoise?

Question
i recently purchased a sulcata tortoise from a private owner she is about 5 inches in diameter, could you please tell me the easiest way to tell her age?

Answer
This is a common question with an unsatisfying answer- there is no known way to accurately determine the age of a turtle or tortoise unless you watched it hatch.

You can use a growth chart to make a guesstimate, but it is not very helpful in honesty.

Of course, there really is no major reason to know the age of the tortoise, most cares are based on size rather than age.

Try these sites for good cares:
- http://www.tortoisetrust.org
- http://www.africantortoise.com