Swimming Sulcata link

Yvonne G

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Nothing confusing about it. Tortoises with a high domed shell are full of air, so they float. Do this same thing with a desert tortoise and it would sink like a stone. If left in there long enough, that little sulcata would become water logged and sink too. "They" say that tortoises from South America many many years ago floated in the ocean to reach the Galapagos Islands.
 
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Nothing confusing about it. Tortoises with a high domed shell are full of air, so they float. Do this same thing with a desert tortoise and it would sink like a stone. If left in there long enough, that little sulcata would become water logged and sink too. "They" say that tortoises from South America many many years ago floated in the ocean to reach the Galapagos Islands.
The high dome makes sense, I just always thought tortoises sank like rocks due to their higher density. Thanks for the info. Still doesn't look like a very safe thing to let them do.
 

Yvonne G

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I agree, unless you're standing right there and watching.
 
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Tom

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Yep. Tortoises can swim. But they can also drown if people aren't careful.
 

Maggie3fan

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Bob had a swimming hole that was about upper thigh to me. He would walk in along the bottom and play submarine. Then he'd just stay down on the bottom and rest. When he was done, he'd simply walk out. I never worried about him because he was so smart. Maybe I should have worried more.
 
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