Guinea pigs are known to be lovely pets. They are super friendly pocket pets who, with care and affection, can live up to ten years. Guinea pigs are herbivores, and they need a constant source of good quality grass and leafy vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce. They are full of life and will always try to cuddle you whenever around. Keeping your guinea pigs healthy and happy is really crucial. You can purchase toys such as balls and tubes where you can also insert treats for them. Since their teeth are ever-growing, it is always a great idea to keep something to chew near their hiding hut.
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CAN GUINEA PIGS SWIM?
In case you have naughty kids who you know would throw your guinea pig into the pool to teach him to swim, you probably might have wondered, ‘can guinea pigs swim.’ The answer would be YES! they can, if the only option left is to sink. Generally, guinea pigs don’t like to swim as it can cause disaster. As an owner, if you strongly want your guinea pig to swim, then your pig should be put into shallow water so that its feet touch the ground. Can guinea pigs swim is a ubiquitous question asked by first-time owners of guinea pigs. Hence, acquiring the basics vital about them is essential.
DO GUINEA PIGS LIKE WATER?
If your question is, do guinea pigs like water, then the answer would be a partial yes. This is because they really don’t like to be bathed. Guinea pigs like self-grooming and don’t need to go in the water to keep themselves clean. Guinea pigs will only drink water if they don’t get enough hydration by munching on plants and grasses they consume.
IS SWIMMING DANGEROUS FOR GUINEA PIGS?
Yes, swimming can be dangerous. A guinea pig would never get into the water for fun. Instead, if you, by chance, put a guinea pig in water, it swims to prevent sinking and stays alive, and tries to get out of the water. A lot of things can happen to your guinea pig if you make them swim. Such as:
- Ear Infection: These infections are not very common in Guinea Pigs, but they can be very disastrous if your guinea pig gets one. If a rodent pig is kept deep inside the water, then water can go inside its ears, leading to an ear infection, which could cause serious ear illness.
- Pneumonia: Cavies have no control over their body temperature, which makes them water phobic. Whenever they get out of the water, they need to be dried immediately else they can get pneumonia.
- Tiring: Guinea pigs have small legs, arms, and muscles. Swimming in water is very tiring for them- both mentally and physically.
- Drowning: These pigs are not natural swimmers. They tire very easily and can’t breathe inside the water, which can stress them out, resulting in drowning.
- Depression: Just like the stress caused by swimming, putting a guinea pig in water can also lead to depression as it means doing something which they won’t like. It creates a sense of fear in them. Due to this fear, guinea pigs get used to being treated with antidepressants.
- Breathing: The mental, as well as physical stress of being in water really, makes it tough for your guinea pig to breathe properly. Their breathing becomes heavy and they tend to swallow water.
CONCLUSION
Do guinea pigs swim? Not really.
Do guinea pigs like to swim? Very seldom.
Hence, do not ever force your guinea pig into bathing or going inside a pool as this can create a situation where your guinea pig can even leave you. BE KIND!
