Can a land tortoise swim?

Often, experienced breeders and amateurs wonder if a land turtle can swim. Nature did not give them such an ability, however, in shallow reservoirs, animals may well move by moving their legs. Therefore, you can teach them to swim even at home. However, during training, you need to constantly monitor the pet so that it does not drown.

Can land species swim

All turtles are divided into 3 groups:

1. Marine.
2. Freshwater.
3. Overland.

Only representatives of the first two can swim: no one teaches reptiles, since the ability to move in water is genetically incorporated. Land turtles swim only if they fall into a pond or a large puddle after rain. However, if the animal is in deep water, it can easily drown, because it will sink to the bottom under the weight of its own weight and the inability to row with its paws.

Therefore, it is impossible to answer in the affirmative the question of whether all turtles can swim. In marine and freshwater species, this ability is inherent in nature: newly born cubs immediately rush to the reservoir and begin to swim, instinctively paddling with their paws. The land reptile swims uncertainly, because it initially does not know how to move in this way.

Video: land turtle swims

How to teach a turtle to swim

But you can teach an animal to move in water. It is authentically known that training is amenable to:

• Central Asian turtles;
• Schweigger’s tortoise (quite rare reptiles listed in the Red Book).

Experienced owners train their pets like this:

1. They pour water at a temperature of at least 35 ° C into a container (a basin is suitable) so that at first the turtle freely reaches the bottom with its paws, but at the same time it is forced to row a little to stay on the surface.
2. After several days of training at this level, water is added a few centimeters.
3. The turtle begins to row confidently and stay on the surface. Then the level can be increased by another 2-3 cm and observe the behavior of the pet.

During training, you need to constantly monitor the animal and, at the first danger, pull the pet to the surface. The risk that it will sink is not excluded.

Therefore, it is unacceptable to put a swimming tank in a terrarium. In the absence of supervision, the reptile may simply drown.