Hedgehogs are certainly among the cutest pets that you can buy. These are popular pets because they’re so fun to interact with.
You might be wondering what you can do with your pet hedgehog. It’s certainly possible to play with them, but they’re only active after the sun goes down due to being nocturnal.
Can you make your hedgehog swim? Is swimming something that hedgehogs can do, or is this an unsafe activity for these animals?
Read on to learn everything you need to know. This will make it simpler to make good choices for your pet.
Hedgehogs Can Swim
It is indeed possible for hedgehogs to swim. Wild hedgehogs will often swim in search of food.
There might be times when they will need to cross certain bodies of water to get where they need to go. It’s said that a hedgehog can swim at a rate of two kilometers per hour.
This doesn’t mean that hedgehogs are invincible in the water, though. They can still drown, and it’s not that uncommon to find drowned hedgehogs in ponds or swimming pools.
A hedgehog might have a tough time getting out of certain ponds and swimming pools. If the hedgehog gets stuck, it might run out of energy, and it’ll eventually drown when it can’t keep swimming any longer.
Are They Good Swimmers?
Yes, hedgehogs are considered to be rather good swimmers. When you consider the size of a hedgehog, it’s easy to see why it’s considered to be a good swimmer.
This little animal is capable of swimming well and it can get across bodies of water to reach food in the wild. Hedgehogs will indeed be in danger of drowning in some bodies of water, but they’re better at swimming than most realize.
They can swim fairly fast, and they look like pretty confident swimmers as well. If you ever see a hedgehog swimming, you’ll likely be quite impressed.
Even if these animals are good swimmers, it’s still important to be careful. These little animals cannot swim indefinitely, and you want to take precautions to ensure that they won’t drown.
Do Hedgehogs Float?
Hedgehogs are capable of swimming due to the fact that they possess hollow spines. Their spines are filled with air and this allows hedgehogs to turn on their backs and float on water.
This isn’t absolute protection against drowning, though. Some situations might make it hard for a hedgehog to float properly.
The hedgehog might have to deal with predators, and it’ll be vulnerable when floating on its back. Also, it might be difficult for the hedgehog to turn over and start floating.
So hedgehogs can float, but it might not protect them from drowning in certain situations. Regardless, it’s interesting to know that they can float well when they’re on their backs.
Is Swimming Good for Hedgehogs?
Swimming has the potential to be a fun little exercise for a pet hedgehog. You simply need to take precautions to ensure that the activity will be safe.
To start, you must make it easy for the hedgehog to get in and out of the little swimming pool. It’s likely best to go with some type of ramp design where the water will be rather shallow on one side.
Also, it’s better to make a little swimming pool for your pet than it is to put them in a large kiddie pool. Some hedgehog owners have made bespoke hedgehog pools that have worked out nicely.
Since you want hedgehogs to stay at a healthy weight, it’s easy enough to use swimming as a calorie-burning activity. You’ll want to supervise the pet during the swimming session.
Leaving the pet could run the risk of having it drown. You want to monitor things to keep the pet safe.
Note that you don’t need to use swimming as an exercise for your pet if you’d rather not risk it. You can simply buy your hedgehog toys that it can use to exercise.
Do Pet Hedgehogs Need to Swim?
You don’t need to let your pet hedgehog swim. These aren’t animals that have some sort of inherent need to swim so they can stay happy.
Swimming is simply an activity that some hedgehog owners like to use as an exercise for their pets. It can be a bit of fun, but it’s also potentially dangerous if you don’t take precautions.
Since hedgehogs can die by drowning in swimming pools or ponds, it’s imperative to approach this topic carefully. You don’t want to let your hedgehog swim in an unsafe environment.
If you can set things up properly, it might be a fun way for your pet to exercise. Just don’t think that this is something that you need to do because it’s totally optional.
Final Thoughts
Now you know that hedgehogs are considered to be good at swimming. They can swim pretty fast for animals their size, and they’re even capable of floating on their backs.
Despite being good swimmers, it’s still possible for these little animals to drown. It’s not unusual to find dead hedgehogs in ponds or swimming pools.
Some people let their pet hedgehogs swim in safe environments. You can use swimming to let the hedgehog exercise, but you’d need to take certain precautions.
Although these pets are good at swimming, it’s not something they need to do. So don’t feel obligated to let your hedgehog swim.
There are many other ways that your pet can exercise safely. So you might wish to look into alternatives if the idea of your pet drowning scares you.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. I have a wife and two children and love taking them to the zoo to see all the animals. I grew up with dogs and fish and now have two dogs and two cats. I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.