Just curious...which tortoise swims best?

[KhairulTort]

Yes, it’s up to me....

Happy for you

"Can we agree that tortoises just ain’t really built to swim..."

Are they optimally equipped for swimming? Probably not. Neither are you or I. But that doesn't stop us. Got a book on my shelf with a photo of a redfoot swimming across a river in Brazil. It happens in nature...

[/QUOTE]
I get that they’re floaty, which is adorable but I’m sure it’s not where they’d prefer to be ?

 

[herpivore]

Apparently this Russian can swim! I always thought they would just sink.

My experience also! The first time I tried soaking my Russian tortoises, I closed the drain in the tub most of the way & turned the shower head on (after making sure the water temp was about 85°F).
I walked back in a few minutes later to nearly a foot of water, and they were all paddling around, bobbing in a confused manner ?
Now I add water to the proper shell level at the low end of the tub, turn on a small space heater in the bathroom, and spray them a couple times with the showerhead just to rinse their shells off. It's a good time to scrub any dirt from their shells too.

 

[herpivore]

I think this is a form of abuse! They would never do this on their own, only when they have no choice. You can see he's looking for something to hold on too, a tortoise, a hose. I don't understand why anyone would do this?

That tortoise just seems confused. Maybe it hasn't been in deep water before.
I'm more alarmed that it was in that water with larger turtles, that might try to bite the tortoise!

 

[Kim&Tim]

That tortoise just seems confused. Maybe it hasn't been in deep water before.
I'm more alarmed that it was in that water with larger turtles, that might try to bite the tortoise!

Ofcourse it hasn't been in deep water before, it's a russian, they don't like water and they will never swim unless they're forced! It will drown if you keep it in there, it's a landtortoise.
I'm done with this thread from now on. It makes me angry.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

My Redfoot loves swimming every since I first tried it with him. My bathtub is slanted to where he's touching the bottom on one end but he's completely submerged and floating at the other end. Most of the time He goes to the deeper end to swim or float all by himself.

 

[herpivore]

Ofcourse it hasn't been in deep water before, it's a russian, they don't like water and they will never swim unless they're forced! It will drown if you keep it in there, it's a landtortoise.
I'm done with this thread from now on. It makes me angry.

Some of my Russian tortoises appear to appreciate water - when I soak them in the bathtub (with deep water on one end and shallow water on the other) they stay in the deep water and paddle around. I keep an eye on them and remove and dry off the ones who seem to be done with the water.
I appreciate the concern, but I don't keep them in deep water, and did not post that video.

 

[Blastoise]

I think we all agree you shouldn't put your tortoise in deep water. I just posted the video because I was amazed that the tortoise didn't just sink like a rock.

 

[Markw84]

Tortoises swim. Many do voluntarily in the wild often. Indian stars and Burmese will be seen swimming in pools and lakes. Aldabra tortoises are very commonly seen swimming in the ocean and lagoons around the island - often a considerable distance from shore. Redfoot tortoises have no problem swimming and need to in some part in the wet season. Galapagos tortoises will often find a pool and sleep the night mostly submerged.

To the original question, probably the giant tortoises are the best swimmers. Although really floaters and paddlers, they are good at it, and their longer necks make it easier to keep their heads high while swimming.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Oh holy crap!!!...My 100 lb plus Sulcata headed straight for his pond when I'd open his door in the morning. He played 'submarine' and would lay on the bottom for about 15 minutes...he loved the water...now I have 2 other Sulcata and they both also head straight for the water...
I keep T ornata ornata...3 toed...and Eastern box turtles and they spend their days in an outside pen with a pond and they freely swim about and bask in the shallow water or on a floating board.
All this 'touchy feely' stuff concerning chelonia and how to be so involved about their feelings is a buncha crap! I hold my tortoises, play with them and spend a considerable amount of time with them. Why else would you have them? Just to look at? Seriously? How do we know a tortoise is 'upset'? Mine aren't...they love going out and having access to a pond...
and there's no reason to be angry at seeing a tortoise in water...it's not as if they are treated like aquatics...I personally give my torts access to water and it's their choice to go in or not...all 3 of my tortoise do....