Morbid subject heading, I know, but I assure you this is a legitimate question. I have noticed that tortoises and box turtles (more so than pond turtles) understand that they should be wary of heights. They may be willing to do a small face-plant, but when approaching a high enough ledge, they look over the edge, but know not to jump. I've read that the reason pond turtles are more willing to go over an edge is that they are accustomed to jumping off a log safely into the water. Terrestrial turtles, on the other hand, instinctively know that things don't work that way on land.
However, today I took my Russian tortoises into the front yard, and the male approached the edge of the sidewalk. Like most sidewalks, it is 4 inches high. To my surprise, instead of turning around he stepped forward and did a face-plant onto the pavement below. I looked him over carefully to make sure he was all right, and sure enough there's not a mark on him. He's behaving normally and feeding well, so I think he's fine. I would have thought that he would have drawn the line at about 4 inches, but he did not.
So my question is, at what height would a tortoise or box turtle no longer be willing to go over the edge?
However, today I took my Russian tortoises into the front yard, and the male approached the edge of the sidewalk. Like most sidewalks, it is 4 inches high. To my surprise, instead of turning around he stepped forward and did a face-plant onto the pavement below. I looked him over carefully to make sure he was all right, and sure enough there's not a mark on him. He's behaving normally and feeding well, so I think he's fine. I would have thought that he would have drawn the line at about 4 inches, but he did not.
So my question is, at what height would a tortoise or box turtle no longer be willing to go over the edge?
I especially have one daredevil, Herman is his name.....he has always done crazy stuff and he is the reason that I walk and check in on all of my guys through out the day...he will walk up the mountain of dirt that covers his huts...he will walk right to the edge (which is about 6-8 inches approx drop from the edge to the slope of the hill) and look and look and instead of going back the way he came, yup...he walks right off the edge (dork) and most times he is fine, a bit of an abrupt landing but all in all fine....however he will go to the corner of that same edge ...squeeze in sideways and wedge himself forcefully between that ledge and the fencing of his enclosure and step off...most times he wiggles and flings his front legs around until he drops onto his side onto the slope and lays there for a moment then does this push up thing and is righted 100%....now, I have removed all sources of climbing obstacles for him (except for his big ole have log that he loves to go into during the am heat up) so when he gets really crazy he will climb up the side of his enclosure and become vertical with the fence and on his back feet do this shimmy along the fence (I believe he thinks he is sneaking..LOL) and will go sometimes 10 feet doing this....so I have just resolved I have to check on him through out the day (although I have not found him "stuck" I have found him in weird positions...LOL) so, I wish you luck... 
