Piggies swimming

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fi.cantillon

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Does any one do this with their piggies and is it fun for them or for health reasons?

If I was to do this how would I set it up and stop them from drowning?
 
DON'T do it, although they can swim, they don't enjoy it and will be scared.
 
To be honest, it depends on the circumstances. If they want to swim then make it on their terms.

In New Zealand, a hutch of piggies (two) were overheated and could see the chest deep water of my brother in laws pool, their hutch had recently been moved due to diy. So they wheeked until the humans realised what they wanted. The ramp was lowered into the water, with humans standing in the pool in case of accidents (the pool was circular and about 10 feet across with cool water in it) and the piggies happily swum in the pool, round to the ramp and went back up it. The pool became theirs and they were allowed to cool down in it whenever they liked. Fascinating. I honestly wouldn't have believed that piggies can swim until I was told about this. Those two don't have their own pool anymore - the diy has been finished, their hutch is in the shade properly now and there is a new pool (the old one is gone).

So we tried it, giving our girls access to a paddling pool where they could swim if they wanted to and get out if they wanted to. They didn't have to stay in the water at all, it was their own choice. They swam. One liked the water more than the others, but they all had a go. There was no panic, there were a number of places to get out, so it really was their choice how far and how much they would swim, if they wanted to at all. We didn't put them in the water, they climbed in. They swam.

I have come to believe that it is a choice matter, force them to swim and it is scary, give them the choice on a hot day and they will if they want to in perfect calm.

So this is my experience. I won't ask a piggie to swim in a confined place with nothing to get out onto easily now! But I think it's useful for them in the heat and good exercise too.

Sarah x
 
I forgot to add - it was a really hot day and the water in the paddling pool had been there overnight so it was heated up from the sun and not terribly cold.
 
When I got my first piggie some 11 years ago he had been dropped - apparently did a 'backflip' - cos they do that all the time don't they rolleyes

Anyway, although he had feelings in his back legs he couldn't move them. After starting a course of anti inflammatories he began to have some movement in one leg but dragged the other so I used to put him into a shallow warm bath and have my hand supporting him initially them start to move it a small way away and he would swim after it. He was only in for a few mins every day but he was never frightened or worried and I actually thing he enjoyed it. He gradually got full movement back and was fine eventually :))
I would never leave them unattended or in water too deep but I think its like all things, some will hate it and some will like it :)p
 
That is really interesting. I am about to adopt a rescue piggie, who has one lame leg. As she was found abandoned they do not know if she was dropped or if it was a birth defect. Maybe i will try a bit of water therapy with her! x
 
I thought that pigs can swim but hate it and get very scared, and sometimes even go into shock because of it, thats why mine don't have baths i just put the shower on very low for them that way they don't feel trapped in the water.
 
mine have always hated it, and i've always put just enough water in to cover their feet, so they're not even out of their depth.
my advice is don't do it, just trying them out with it could stress them out enough and make normal bathing difficult in the future. they're happy on land so leave them be :)
 
Toddyguineapig said:
When I got my first piggie some 11 years ago he had been dropped - apparently did a 'backflip' - cos they do that all the time don't they rolleyes

Anyway, although he had feelings in his back legs he couldn't move them. After starting a course of anti inflammatories he began to have some movement in one leg but dragged the other so I used to put him into a shallow warm bath and have my hand supporting him initially them start to move it a small way away and he would swim after it. He was only in for a few mins every day but he was never frightened or worried and I actually thing he enjoyed it. He gradually got full movement back and was fine eventually :))
I would never leave them unattended or in water too deep but I think its like all things, some will hate it and some will like it :)p
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Hydrotherapy ig a very good idea to try and get limbs "going"
We had a rescue girl in once and it looked like she had lack of Vit C realy bad as she was weak with both her back legs and dragged them and I filled the sink and just suportered her belly and she started to sort of doggy paddle and gradulay she got her legs back in line and was very happily running round the garden with her mate so I'm a great believe now as using swimming as a hydrotherapy on guineas but it variese from pig to pig if I use the sink or bath as I found some just like been soported and do the movement while some love going in the bath and free swimming, but most is down to what the guinea is comfortable with but if theres no reason to see if they like swimming it doesnt do them any harm not swimming
 
It's a survival mechanism, not something they do because they enjoy it. It is not something owners should be making them do for "fun". There are plenty other ways a healthy guinea pig can be exercised.

Hydrotherapy can be beneficial for piggies with joint/leg problems but it should only be attempted by someone who knows what they are doing and the pig needs to be supported at all times.
 
daftscotslass said:
It's a survival mechanism, not something they do because they enjoy it. It is not something owners should be making them do for "fun". There are plenty other ways a healthy guinea pig can be exercised.

Hydrotherapy can be beneficial for piggies with joint/leg problems but it should only be attempted by someone who knows what they are doing and the pig needs to be supported at all times.
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thanks lorna, i knew you'd say exactly what i thought! x
 
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