We all know that pigs like wallowing in mud, but you may also be wondering whether pigs love taking a dip in clean water just as much.
Do pigs like to swim? Pigs are excellent swimmers, they definitely love swimming in water. In fact, some experts think that pigs may like water more than they like mud.
Yes, we’ve always believed that all pigs love wallowing in was mud. This is actually one of the reasons why they are seen as filthy animals. But the reality is, pigs love water too, (and they are also extremely clean, by the way).
But more than loving water, they actually need it to some extent, too. The added fun in swimming is just a huge plus in their survival.
A Pig’s Real Need for Water (and Mud)
First, let me tell you what human perspiration actually does for you so that you can understand how critical water and mud really is for a pig’s survival.
Each human being has around 2 million sweat glands. Imagine that! The perspiration that comes from these sweat glands helps out body cool down and regulate our body temperature, especially when it’s starting to heat up. This is why we sweat a lot after physical activity or when we feel hot.
But pigs don’t have a lot of sweat glands. And out of all the very little sweat glands they have, most of them aren’t even working. This means they have no ability to perspire so that their bodies can cool down in the extreme heat.
This can be a real problem considering the thick layers of fat that pigs have. You can just imagine what a hot, sunny day can do to their temperature!
This is why pigs don’t just love swimming, they actually need it, too. The water does the same thing perspiration does for people. It helps regulate their body temperature by cooling off their skin.
The only problem with water is that it evaporates quickly. This is where mud comes in. Mud has the same cooling effect that water has, but it stays on the pig’s skin longer and does not evaporate as fast.
Now that you understand why pigs love to swim and wallow, let’s take a look at some proof that pigs really do swim.
The Swimming Pigs in the Bahamas
One of the reasons why the question about a pig’s ability to swim has come to light is because of the popularity of the swimming pigs of the Exumas in the Bahamas.
It is still a mystery how the herd of pigs got to the uninhabited island. Some say that the pigs swam there from a ship that sunk nearby. Others believe that some sailors decided to leave them on the island so that they have food when they come back.
But no evidence has been found to support any of these theories.
In the past, the pigs stayed within the forest and only went out to the beach every so often, probably to have a dip when they want to cool off. But lately, tourism has increased because of them, causing them to come out of hiding and happily swim in full view of the world.
And it is fascinating! It’s amazing how well they swim in the water. In fact they don’t seem to mind the tourists swimming around and taking selfies with them.
Of course, there have been concerns raised about whether this huge influx of tourists really is safe for the swimming pigs. In fact, a whole bunch of pigs died a couple of years ago, with most of them having sand in their stomachs. It turns out that the tourists come in and leave food for them on the beach, so instead of sticking to their foraging nature, they’ve started living off the food the tourists bring.
Despite this sad story, this only proves that pigs really do have a few surprises here and there. Because of this, we now know that pigs don’t just swim in mud, after all.
Water Activities Your Pig Can Enjoy at Home
Does this mean that you need to take your pigs on a vacation in the Bahamas to let it swim? Not really! You can actually let your pig enjoy water right at your own yard.
An inflatable kiddie pool can be quite helpful here. It can serve as a small wading pool for your pet pig. You can even scatter a few treats around the pool and let your pig have fun catching them as they float around.
Just make sure that the treats you throw in aren’t the ones that easily get soaked. Maybe a few apple slices, some bits of carrots, or a few watermelon chunks can do the trick.
Might as well add a few toys into the pool while you’re at it. Pigs are very intelligent animals and just love the mental stimulation, no matter what they’re doing. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. In fact, even a few balls in there can entertain your pig long enough.
What if you don’t have an inflatable pool and only have a hard plastic one?
That’s okay, make do with what you have. Just make sure you have a few rubber mats with suction cups on hand so that if your pig becomes uncomfortable and slips and slides around, you have something that could give your pig some extra traction.
Hanging treats are also a great way to keep your pig entertained with water. You can have a few pails or water containers at a height they can reach. Fill it with water and some treats inside, then let them figure out how to tip the pail over so that they can get the treats out. They’ll get wet in the process when the water splashes out of the container, so this can be an added incentive for them.
You can get more ideas on fun activities you can enjoy with your pig in this article.
You can also give your pig its own shower. Pigs can easily be trained to turn the shower on and off, so this should not be a problem.
Just put extra emphasis on the turning off part, because you wouldn’t want to waste a whole lot of water just because your pig keeps on leaving the shower on!
Yup, pigs can be trained! Wondering what else you can train your pig to do? Here’s an article with a few good ideas.
Related Questions
Do pigs cry?
Pigs are highly emotional creatures and actually have the capacity to cry real tears. This is actually one scenario that isn’t easy to forget once you’ve seen it. If they lose one of their pig friends, for example, they can feel sadness and grief. If you mistreat them or even shout at them, you’ll see their facial expression changing, making it evident that they are deeply hurt or offended. They also feel lonely and depressed, which can affect their overall health.
What do pigs do for fun?
Pigs are playful creatures and will keep themselves busy with whatever toys they are given. You can make toys for them, or you can let them use dog puzzles, or kid’s toys lying around. Just make sure the parts will not pose any choking hazard. In the absence of toys, they enjoy snuggling against other pigs, and wallowing in mud holes. They also enjoy eating and foraging around.
Why do pigs like mud?
Pigs love mud because it keeps them cool especially in the middle of those hot summer days. You see, pigs have no working sweat glands. This means that they don’t perspire, and perspiration is what our bodies use to cool down when the heat becomes too much. Although water does the same thing for them, it evaporates easily. Mud, on the other hand, can stay on their skin for a longer period of time and will not evaporate as quickly, cooling them off longer.