Guinea Pigs & Swimming

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CaymanCavy

CaymanCavy

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I was just browsing around Google researching general knowledge on Guinea Pigs and found the below information on Wikipedia. It is so misleading because i was informed that GPs do not swim but just seem like that out of fear when placed in water!?!?!

"Behavior
Guinea pigs can learn complex paths to food, and can accurately remember a learned path for months. Their strongest problem solving strategy is motion.[57] While guinea pigs can jump small obstacles, they are poor climbers, and are not particularly agile. They startle extremely easily, and will either freeze in place for long periods or run for cover with rapid, darting motions when they sense danger.[42] Larger groups of startled guinea pigs will "stampede", running in haphazard directions as a means of confusing predators.[58] When excited, guinea pigs may repeatedly perform little hops in the air (known as "popcorning"), a movement analogous to the ferret's war dance.[59] They are also exceedingly good swimmers."
 
I think they can swim for their lives out of fear but really dont enjoy it.
 
Yeah, i'm not sure they enjoy it either. They may be able to swim but i'm just hoping that people arent mislead and intentionally putting them to swim or die down in water because they were led to believe that GPs enjoy swimming...Or that it is good for them.
 
Given how they hate any attempt at bathing. I cant imagine them willingly entering water!
 
The only swimming mine do is "air swimming" when I pick them up and put them down. Even with a hand on the bum they do swimming motions.
I really hope people don't actually put their pigs in water thinking they like a good swim. They are not capybaras.
 
gus+walter said:
The only swimming mine do is "air swimming" when I pick them up and put them down. Even with a hand on the bum they do swimming motions.
I really hope people don't actually put their pigs in water thinking they like a good swim. They are not capybaras.
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Right you are @gus+walter ... i thought i would make this thread because i have come across 1 or 2 people who believe that GPs can swim and infact think that it is a good means of excercise for them. I've also heard my co-worker say that she thinks it's funny to see them swim! :hb: If only these poor little animals could talk!
 
GloriousGuineaGirl said:
I have bathed Edgar and Poe once. The sheer terror in their eyes completely showed me that swimming is def just a survival instinct and that they will never be the Tom Daleys of piggie world!
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I've bathed mine too with the same reaction. I spend the time apologising to them!
 
I saw a video posted by Skinnypigs1 on facebook and I will not be repeating it. The piggy looked terrified and the owner was a total idiot.
 
theoretikos said:
I saw a video posted by Skinnypigs1 on facebook and I will not be repeating it. The piggy looked terrified and the owner was a total idiot.
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That's so terrible! It's disgustingly shocking how many people don't feel they need to have respect or just a heart for animals or even their own pets.
 
It was in our newspaper last week about someone caught an iguana and painted it with toxic blue oil paint and let it ago to run about as a joke on our national animal the blue iguanas that are going extinct. Before that a lady caught a different iguana and duct taped it to a wooden stick for tourists to take a picture with for $1. And then the humane society found a dog that had been chained to a fence and left to die. The poor little guy was almost starved to death and couldn't even lift his head to drink water!:soz:
 
CaymanCavy said:
It was in our newspaper last week about someone caught an iguana and painted it with toxic blue oil paint and let it ago to run about as a joke on our national animal the blue iguanas that are going extinct. Before that a lady caught a different iguana and duct taped it to a wooden stick for tourists to take a picture with for $1. And then the humane society found a dog that had been chained to a fence and left to die. The poor little guy was almost starved to death and couldn't even lift his head to drink water!:soz:
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All of that is INSANE.
 
I know! Sometimes I feel like I live around people that are all crazy! No one cares and it makes me feel like I care too much or something but I don't they are just crazy! And no one cares if anyone gets in trouble for the animal cruelty!
 
I should explain that it wasn't skinnypigs1 who was responsible for the video she just posted it to raise awareness. People here don't seem to care much about getting caught either!
 
CaymanCavy said:
It was in our newspaper last week about someone caught an iguana and painted it with toxic blue oil paint and let it ago to run about as a joke on our national animal the blue iguanas that are going extinct. Before that a lady caught a different iguana and duct taped it to a wooden stick for tourists to take a picture with for $1. And then the humane society found a dog that had been chained to a fence and left to die. The poor little guy was almost starved to death and couldn't even lift his head to drink water!:soz:
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:rant::rant::rant::rant::rant:
That's just evil!
 
A guinea pig will not swim for fun, it is swimming to stay alive when thrown into a basin of water! I have seen a few videos that are unfortunately still making the rounds. Poor piggies! :(

If you come across one, please report the content for cruelty to animals.

Guinea pigs are much more intelligent than many people would give them! I had a blind piggy once, who re-learned to free roam in the garden after she'd lost her sight and who was able to turn herself back into the run simply through my voice commands over the distance of several yards, provided I was standing next to the run flap. But this was something that she learned willingly and not something she was forced to do.
 
Actually guinea pigs will willingly enter water, paddle their feet in it if you like, if they are overheated and want to cool down. I have known new zealand piggies who swam (paddled) to keep cool in the summer. They had access to the water, could get in and out on their own terms, and did so when they wanted to. I suppose the difference is that they wanted to and felt the need. It was helpful to them. Making a piggy swim when there is no need, and here in the uk you don't really need to, is never a good thing. but letting them explore a dish of cool water if they want to in the sun is not a bad thing. Just not a deep dish, paddling level only. So please don't assume that piggies are dry animals only and hate water, they just will take it or leave on their own terms thank you very much!
 
Thanks for that picture, i was wondering if there were any odd piggies who liked sitting in trays of water!
 
Tbag said:
Wyatt has taken to sitting in the water trough sometimes, I think his curiosity just gets the better of him!
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Though entirely agree with the initial point of this thread! Poor piggies should never be forced to swim!
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mine do that if you give them a paddle pool they'll go for a play but it has the be really hot
 
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