Water: Do G.Pigs need training to drink from Dropper?

[MATTMOUSE]

SORRY for the real dumb question guys, we have a young female Pig which I found in a forest whilst walking the dog, she was very dehydrated and lapped up loads of water from a dish just like a dog when i got her home!. I have bought a water dropper device for her cage but have I have never seen her drink from it and the water level only drops a fraction at a time. I am just worried that she'll go thirsty as I assume she doesn't know what the device is. Will she try by instinct?

[Peggysu]

You might have to show her for a while with your hands, in the mean time make sure when you give veggies that they are nice and wet. That will help insure that she is getting water.

[Ly&Pigs]

You may have to show her how to use the water bottle like Peggysu said.

Have you taken her to a vet? If she's that dehydrated, she may need vet care because who knows how long she was in the woods.

[MATTMOUSE]

No we haven't taken her to the vet yet. I found her last Sunday so we have had her for a week now, she eats very well so nothing wrong with her appitite, and has gained some weight too, her droppings look normal, her urine is slightly cloudy (white) probably because the kids kept on giving her too much dark green cabbage leaves so we've stopped that. her coat has regained to a full gloss look as I've seen her preen herself regulary. She's even become a right little madaam and call out for attention and food when entering the conservatory...............

[twiztedlilfae]

I would still get her the vet for a check up. My mom used to take in stray kittens and would nurse them back to health and she was really good at it too. But eventually we'd come home after being gone for a little while (dr appts, sports, the normal kiddie things) and would come home to dead kittens. We'd have them up and walking around for about 2 weeks and then suddenly we'd find them dead.

She might have an illness that she's not showing signs of as I'm pretty sure our strays had some type of illness. So as a precaution so she can continue to do well I'd take her to a vet.

[Cogni]

You are so lucky to have found her! And she is very lucky you did, too. I have heard of people letting their unwanted animals loose in field or forest. Most pets do not survive long when that happens. A check-up at the vet is a good idea, in my opinion.