LEOPARD TORTOISES CANNOT SWIM !!

[Mao Senpai]

Well you know how tortoise when climbing.. just fall on their back and sometimes takes time for them to get up... well in water I was thinking they would just spin right side up.

 

[onarock]

I agree Balboa. The thought that these tortoises are desert species is largely misleading. The more that I learn about them and their environment, Ive come to realize that they are more of a grassland, edge of the forrest type tortoise. Not to say that part of their range isnt desert like, I just think its more of the acception and not the rule.

I think you're right on with giving them the option to swim guys. As we've come to realize they don't live in the sandy sahara desert it comes to reason they likely have bodies of water they frequent.

 

[Yvonne G]

Its been too long, but I THINK Steve said that the tortoise goes into the pond on his own. But I'm thinking he also said that sometimes he tries to climb out in a spot where he's not able to and has to be helped.

 

[Madkins007]

Red- and Yellow-foots can also swim as young and adults, just to add to the species list.

I often think that most tortoises are more 'turtle-y' than we sometimes want to admit. 'Easy in and out' pools for more and more species are sounding like a good idea. Some of those kid's pre-formed wading pools have a short 'slide' that might help torts get in and out easier if you bury it to the lip. Some mortar mixing tubs also have a good sloped side. I'd love to do a concrete pool, but I think that is out of my skill level.

Just FYI- for those who did not know, most of the upper half of the shell is the tortoise's lungs. They are two rather large, spongy 'bags' that obviously provide some decent flotation if the animal has a good breath.

 

[Fernando]

Wow!!! This is awesome.

I'm going to put floaties on Andy JUST IN CASE...

 

[DeanS]

Years ago I belonged to one of Joe Heinen's YAHOOgroup listservs about African tortoises. Someone posted a video in the photo album section of their adult leopard tortoise swimming. The only name that comes to mind is Richard Fife, but I really don't think he belonged to that group. I've tried to find the video, but without the fellow's name, its hard to wade through all the pictures.

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Boy, was I ever way off base. It was Steve Spitzer's leopard tortoise:

http://africantortoise.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=50

(click on the picture to make it bigger)

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All I can say is WOW! Thanks for taking the time to dig that up for us Yvonne!

 

[dmmj]

Are you sure that wasn't a RES in disguise? just for FYI CDT's sink like a stone.

 

[Badgemash]

Ooh this is giving me some awesome ideas for the babies outdoor enclosure, maybe a little trickling stream into a shallow pond... actually if Octavia's poop size/body size ratio stays the same as she gets bigger that could end in disaster. I would need a Sea World sized filter on that sucker

-Devon

 

[YaekoCubr1501]

Superb pics! It's shocking to hear that LEOPARD TORTOISES can not swim!