guini ok 2 be swimming????!!!!

#1 06-21-02, 12:09 pm

We have a kiddie pool in our back yard , & i put my guini pig in to see if he likes it. He was a born swimmer! Does he really like to swim?? beacause soon he whould starlt to try and jump out. At his 3rd dip, I noticed someint white and gooey looking ozzing out the side of his eyes (he has black eyes) is that beacuse of swimming? should i stop his pool time? I think he gets great exersise, but that eye thing really bugged me! HELP!

#2 07-03-02, 01:43 pm

If you've ever had a dog, you know they get some white stuff out of the corner of their eyes. It's caused by moisture that dogs naturally have because they pant. Because the moisture is up around the face, the eyes can get the white stuff. It's just a defensive mechanism to get rid of any bacteria in the moisture. It has to get out of there somehow.

Just to be save though, it's always a good idea to see a vet. It could be something else not so good. I've never heard of a pig swimming though, so I couldn't say rather it's safe or not. Sounds like some fun though! If it's safe, I'm building my pig an inground pool! :-P LOL

#3 09-07-02, 05:30 pm

I don't see a problem with cavies swimming, but I wouldn't keep the water no higher than 1-3 inches. If they are having to swim, and not walk, then the water is too high. Also, don't leave the pool in the sun while they are playing in the water- yes, the water is cool, but it can heat up very fast under the sun and you don't want your cavies getting burnt.

#4 12-25-02, 09:23 pm

Burnt? I think they would have a heat stroke before the sun or water fryed them.

#5 12-26-02, 07:17 am

Cavy Swimming? It's simply not OK. If its lower than two inches it's not called SWIMMING, if you let the cavy swim more than 3 inches it's already dangerous. I know you're just asking, but I think swimming your cavy will just not make him/her happy, its of no use if you can bathe them.
Burnt is not the term.
Swimming is no good.
Posters must have Facts Basis Before leting their Opinions Out.

**SuperCavyLover** · #6 01-04-03, 10:03 am

AngelicumCavy, go talk to someone who CARES. :

:

#7 04-22-03, 09:03 pm

On hot days in the summer, I fill the kiddie pool so my pigs can swim. I float some grass around in there, and make a brick patio for a shallow end. In the deep part, I put cinder blocks for an island. Two of my pigs love it and will jump off the cinder block into the water, and push grass to the shallow part to eat it. They like it and when they are done we dry them off until they are 98% dry and then put them in their covered outdoor play area to popcorn off the rest of the 2%. My pigs like water in the pool, but they hate baths! LOL

#8 08-07-03, 06:42 am

wow so your pigs really like to swim, must try this with my pigs. I will make a shallow end too. how warm or cold is the temperature of the water??

Louis · #9 07-06-04, 06:46 am

Mine has been swimming for sence he was born he loves it as long its not too cold becase he doesent like that so heat the water just above luke warm and pretsoto guinea pig swimming pool, i usely but him in the bath thats the best spot and the water is deep on one end and shallow on the other and when he gets bored he goes for a swim in the deap end to exersise his legs and you know the best part it washes them just think about it for a sec
they must have so much crap logged in there fur and when they go into the water it comes all out clean and nice smell
i even made a water slide for my guinea pig bozo the slide hade a little water pump so that water was going down the slide and i think he liked it after he is done he tryes to jum out that means they hade engothe to make them stay in longer raise the water temputure but not to high becase they are smaller then we are

**Treen** · #10 07-07-04, 08:29 am

Very few guinea pigs genuinely enjoy swimming. I've never had one that enjoyed water and I've seen pictures of guinea pigs who are (according to their owners) apparently enjoying a swim, whereas it's obvious they are in fact swimming round in circles in a blind panic, desperately trying to climb up on one another. To me it's like the whole baths thing - people enjoy bathing their guinea pigs, but very few guinea pigs remotely enjoy being bathed (and if they're groomed properly and their environment is kept clean, they seldom need to be bathed anyway).

I'm sure there are some pigs who do like a little paddle, but on the whole, they much prefer to run about on dry land. It's only a guinea pig who would repeatedly (and by himself) choose to get in the water and swim around that I'd actually believe liked swimming!

If you do try swimming then make sure it's shallow, at the right temperature and that you have lots of escape routes from the water so they can easily climb out themselves at any point. Never leave them unattended in water.

When guinea pigs clean themselves (which the often do after being bathed/ being in water) their eyes produce a milky substance - it's like their own windscreen washing fluid. What's not absorbed back in will be cleaned away by the guinea pig within a couple of minutes.

**Becky101** · #11 07-08-04, 10:31 am

Hi there,

I think swimming sounds fun and all, but how do you know if your pigs enjoying it or hating it?? I would to try it with mine but I would be scared if somthing happened!

Becky

cavylover · #12 07-08-04, 11:32 am

Rodents arent a swimming kind of animal exspecially guinea pigs.short stubby legs kinda chubby.I dont think its a good idea.But if you think they like it they probably dont.

**mncavylover** · #13 07-09-04, 10:06 pm

I don't think I would try it... There is a risk of some of the water aspirating into the lungs and also (obviously) the risk of drowning. Try filling the bathtub with about two-three inches of warm water and letting the piggies get in by themselves. Put them in the shallower end and see if they go for a swim. It's safer than a pool. Hope this helps! =)

cavylover · #14 07-10-04, 08:52 am

LOl here you go piggy(drops em into a 8 foot pool) Go piggy Gooooo

.

**CuteFluffyThing** · #15 07-15-04, 01:27 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deandraspigs

Burnt? I think they would have a heat stroke before the sun or water fryed them.

it remebrs me of one year ago when we put the gp's outside ( we didnt have a free run then) in their large base (dont know how to say it better) and we put them in the shadow under a wall and we went inside . very unhappy fact was that that day was a very special day for the weather : the sun and the wind rolled over extremely fast and temparutes heated to like 330+ in three minutes . I quickly went to go get our piggies because they where already sweating and they dug themselves in their hay to keep them fresh . I put the two piggies in my bath tub and let out a one inch nice cool refreshing water and the next half our i saw how they where playing in the water

**StasiaJ26** · #16 09-02-05, 10:45 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavylover

Rodents arent a swimming kind of animal exspecially guinea pigs.short stubby legs kinda chubby.I dont think its a good idea.But if you think they like it they probably dont.

Amazingly though Hamsters LOVE the water.~Stasia

**John4216** · #17 09-15-05, 02:35 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treen

To me it's like the whole baths thing - people enjoy bathing their guinea pigs, but very few guinea pigs remotely enjoy being bathed (and if they're groomed properly and their environment is kept clean, they seldom need to be bathed anyway).

It's only a guinea pig who would repeatedly (and by himself) choose to get in the water and swim around that I'd actually believe liked swimming!

GP's are not meant nor equipped for swimming. What you said here is correct. It is people who ejoy it but the GP themselves do not. Putting a GP in water that is to deep for it to walk in and forcing it to swim is cruel and abusive not cute.

**dagwellismypigy** · #18 09-15-05, 03:24 pm

Do you realize the original post was from 2002?

**John4216** · #19 09-15-05, 03:33 pm

LOL no I did not even notice

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