Can Redfoots swim?

[NDevon]

Its a loaded question really, as the answer is definitely 'yes' - but I guess I'm not sure if they should! To soak my 4 baby Cherryheads I have a plastic tub, it's about 12" square, and I fill it maybe half an inch, then put the lid to the container on the floor and one edge of the container on the lid. What this does is create a gentle slope, almost no water at the highest point / shallow end and maybe 1 / 1.5 inches at the deeper end. I always put them in at the higher end so just their feet get wet, and they slowly wander in.

The biggest goes straight to the deeper end and darts around. Her feet just about touch the bottoms but she's floating, first few times I put her back in the shallow end but she quickly goes back to the deep end. The others follow and 2 in particular seem to really enjoy floating, spinning round, almost like mini bumper boats. It's fun to watch, I don't take my eyes off them for a second incase they got into any difficulties, but they seem to be really enjoying it. At first I had the water much shallower but over the past few days let it go a little deeper as they seem to like it. They all put their heads right under, one blows bubbles which has my little girl in hysterics (it's not a one off thing, she does it every soak and the only one that does).

I wouldn't try them in a pond or anything deeper, and I guess they have natural buoyancy, but it does seem they have worked out that if they gently kick they can propel themselves forwards and use their feet to steer. Would they do is stuff in the wild? Is it natural or are they doing something they really shouldn't be doing? I just thought they would sit in the water and sulk until I got them out again, I didn't think they would enjoy it as they seem to.

 

[Rue]

I image they can swim just enough (hopefully) to get themselves out of trouble if they happen to wander in some wet area and get in over their head (pun intended). I also create a gentle slope in the bath...and watch to see what happens. But even in my deep end, my tortoise doesn't have to swim...just stretch her neck out a bit more.

 

[Anyfoot]

Its a loaded question really, as the answer is definitely 'yes' - but I guess I'm not sure if they should! To soak my 4 baby Cherryheads I have a plastic tub, it's about 12" square, and I fill it maybe half an inch, then put the lid to the container on the floor and one edge of the container on the lid. What this does is create a gentle slope, almost no water at the highest point / shallow end and maybe 1 / 1.5 inches at the deeper end. I always put them in at the higher end so just their feet get wet, and they slowly wander in.

The biggest goes straight to the deeper end and darts around. Her feet just about touch the bottoms but she's floating, first few times I put her back in the shallow end but she quickly goes back to the deep end. The others follow and 2 in particular seem to really enjoy floating, spinning round, almost like mini bumper boats. It's fun to watch, I don't take my eyes off them for a second incase they got into any difficulties, but they seem to be really enjoying it. At first I had the water much shallower but over the past few days let it go a little deeper as they seem to like it. They all put their heads right under, one blows bubbles which has my little girl in hysterics (it's not a one off thing, she does it every soak and the only one that does).

I wouldn't try them in a pond or anything deeper, and I guess they have natural buoyancy, but it does seem they have worked out that if they gently kick they can propel themselves forwards and use their feet to steer. Would they do is stuff in the wild? Is it natural or are they doing something they really shouldn't be doing? I just thought they would sit in the water and sulk until I got them out again, I didn't think they would enjoy it as they seem to.

They definitely swim in the wild, whether it's because they want to or have to I don't know.

 

[NDevon]

Thanks guys

I will try to get a little video of them at some point, as long as I can stop my daughter from laughing her head off watching them. They are funny, just not sure I find them as funny as she seems to!

I was a little worried at first that they would stuggle but they kept going back for more, I guess it could feel nice if they can just float and know they are not in any danger.

 

[dmmj]

I've always wondered is floating swimming? I swim and float if I fall into deep water I can swim to saftey can a tortoise do the same?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I've got two floaters/swimmers and two that seem to sink.
So yes....and no.

 

[NDevon]

I think the difference is when you swim you are in control, moving through the water. Floating just 'happens'

 

[naturalman91]

I've always wondered is floating swimming? I swim and float if I fall into deep water I can swim to saftey can a tortoise do the same?

i think they could i've watched and read a good amount on redfoot's and they seem to be able to swim in order to cross small path's of water in one documented case even did it to get across a good sized pond now i'm not saying every species can or every tort for that matter but yeah

 

[mike taylor]

It's more of a floating thing . They can float and kick their feet . As far as swimming like a water turtle nope not at all .

 

[NDevon]

It's more of a floating thing . They can float and kick their feet . As far as swimming like a water turtle nope not at all .

See I can't swim, I think Inhave negative buoyancy but apparantly that's not possible, but I'm not scared of water, I try laying flat and a I just drop like a stone, I had a large pool in the garden growing up and had frequent lessons but the coaches all gave up on me. They always said all I needed to do was propel myself along, as I would naturally float. So I'm not sure there's a huge difference between floating and kicking to move along and swimming. I realise they can't hurtle through the water like a turtle, and they can't dive down and glide around, so if that's swimming they fail, but if swimming is propelling the body rou the water in a controlled style then maybe they can.

Either way, they do a better job of it than I do!

 

[mike taylor]

Hi,I see your point . I think it's more controlled chaos.