Yes! Pigs can swim. In fact, they are excellent swimmers, and they enjoy swimming. They prefer swimming in freshwaters such as lakes, rivers, swimming pools, and streams. Here you will learn the ability of pigs to swim and other fantastic yet surprising facts about pig swimming.
Do Pigs Stay Afloat in Water?
Most mammals can naturally stay afloat in water, and pigs are not an exception. This is because mammals have decent-sized lungs that help increase their buoyancy.
Besides, pigs have a lot of fat under their skin, which is not as dense as water. This means that pigs will have excellent buoyancy in water.
However, even though these fatty mammals are naturally buoyant, it is not guaranteed to stay afloat as they keep still. They need to paddle with their limbs for them to balance in the water.
It is good to note that pigs do not cut their throats as they swim. Most people believe that pigs cut their throats when swimming, but this is just an urban myth.
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Are Pigs Natural Swimmers?
Some animals must be trained or introduced to water for them to swim. But pigs are proficient swimmers by birth. This is evident to their ancestors, who lived in the wild.
One of the essential survival skills in the wild is swimming. The ancestors’ wild pigs migrated from one region to another to look for better habitats and foraging grounds.
As they moved, they had to cross rivers, and down the evolutional lane, they became swimmers genetically. Thus, you don’t have to worry about hard training if you raise some pigs since these creatures need no training to swim.
Do All Pigs Swim?
Yes! All pigs swim, whether domestic or wild. Only that we rarely see domesticated pigs swim as those in the wild due to different habitats.
Domesticated pigs don’t have as many survival challenges as the wild ones since they are given everything they need. On the other hand, wild pigs have to migrate for them to survive.
Therefore, pigs living in their natural habitats have more swimming capabilities compared to domesticated pigs. This is because swimming is a physical exercise that requires more muscle strength and stamina, the traits that wild pigs possess.
Hence, wild pigs are more excellent swimmers than domesticated pigs. The domesticated pigs will only swim for short distances or paddle for safety in case they drop into the water accidentally.
Pigs Love Swimming
Most people won’t believe that pigs love swimming more than staying in muddy water. This is because these creatures spend most of their time rolling and playing in the mud.
Unlike humans, pigs do not have good sweat glands to regulate their body temperatures through sweating. In most cases, even the existing sweat glands may be blocked.
Pigs wallow in mud to cool their bodies. As a result, their skins get coated with mud that helps to retain water. As their body temperatures increase, the water in the mud gets absorbed and then evaporates, allowing them to retain optimal body temperature.
Pigs love and enjoy swimming, especially during hot sunny days. However, it is good to note that pigs would prefer to roll in the mud due to excellent water retention.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Water Activity Tips For Pigs
Are you still wondering what water activities that you can treat your pig with? Don’t worry since you will learn some of these activities without telling you to take your pet pig to a beach for swimming.
First, there are many options. But the simplest one is filling an inflatable kiddie pool with water, as this can serve as a wading pool for your pig.
Scatter some tasty treats on the water and allow your pig to wallow while eating the treats. Ensure that the treats are not soaked quickly. Some of the best treats include carrot bits, a few apple slices, or watermelon chunks.
If you want to bring your pig into a swimming pool, it is essential to add some toys inside for your pigs to play with. This is because pigs are intelligent creatures, and they like mental stimulation.
Adding toys into the water is a great incentive to keep your pet pig entertained all day long. It is advisable to empty the pool after your pigs swim as they are carriers of various deadly diseases.
Humans can contract these diseases once they get into direct contact. Allowing your pigs to swim into your swimming pool can increase the chances of direct contact.
Another way to let your pigs swim is by using a large rigid plastic container. Fill it with water and hang some treats for your pigs to have fun.
Ensure you have some rubber mats with suction cups to provide your pigs with additional traction if they slip and slide around.
Besides, you can provide your pigs with their own showers. You can quickly train your pigs to turn on and off the shower. But you need to emphasize turning off the shower since you don’t want to waste water because of your pigs leaving the shower on.
Conclusion
Now you know that pigs are great swimmers, and they enjoy swimming. They can swim in swimming pools, rivers, lakes, and streams.
Other than keeping your pet pig active, swimming regulates the body temperature of your pig. It also helps strengthen their muscles, and they can be free for safety if any danger emerges.
However, swimming with your pet pigs is not recommended. This is because pigs are carriers of numerous deadly diseases and sharing pools can increase the chances of contracting them.
There are numerous water activities that your pigs can enjoy in the comfort of your home. You don’t have to take your pigs to the Bahamas to swim.
