Hedgehogs are mainly known for their hunting techniques and abilities. They are famous for their digging abilities and making burrows and hedges in search of their food like insects, snails. Worms, mice, small snakes, and others. When we put a glance on their diet we can clearly see that what they eat or do is clearly a form of garden pest. This is the reason most of the people that love and are fond of gardening love to keep them as pets. So the question of interest is: Can hedgehogs swim? The answer is yes. Yes, they do love to swim. They prefer to swim in lukewarm water. Although they like to swim, we can’t say that it’s a necessary thing for them to survive or to stay alive. They do it on purpose just for playing or physical satisfaction. Sometimes they do swim to get rid of scorching heat.

All species of hedgehogs prefer to swim?

All species of hedgehogs can swim. But I am repeating that they don’t need it for a defensive purpose or there is no such thing that they cannot live without water. So don’t confuse the question of can hedgehogs swim with do hedgehogs need to swim. Their life does not depend on it. Rather they do it for pleasure.

The thing is not every hedgehog gets a chance in their lives to swim. But that does not mean they cannot. The ones that get a chance such that they live near some water bodies. So we get a clear glance at Can hedgehogs swim?through the above discussion.

They can enjoy swimming but the ones living far away from any water body or live in dry areas, they cannot enjoy swimming. 

For example, hedgehogs living in African deserts may hardly get a chance in their lives to swim. But the ones living in Europe may enjoy swimming once in a blue moon in their lives. 

The thing here which is worth noticing is that, a hedgehog which hasn’t done swimming in its whole life. Even it can learn swimming in no time. 

Importance of swimming for a hedgehog:

Swimming is not important for a hedgehog. They can finely live their life without swimming. They may even don’t swim for their whole lives. 

If you want your hedgehog to swim and for that  purpose, you may want to take them to a water body or a swimming pool

Remember to keep an eye on them. It is okay that hedgehogs can swim but as they are not designed for it they can’t do swimming for longer periods. 

They can easily get tired and it’s the major reason behind their drowning. If you have taken your hedgehog to swim, make sure that the waterbody is in such a place so that the hedgehog can easily come out when it’s tired.  See you have to cover all the aspects of the question Can hedgehogs swim?

Is cleaning the reason behind swimming? 

If you own a hedgehog you are well aware of the fact they don’t need to take a bath. Hedgehogs are quite similar to cats when it comes to cleaning themselves. 

They do groom and clean themselves by licking. They lick their whole body for the cleaning purpose. They don’t need water or soap while licking themselves. 

The prime reason for giving them a bath is when they indulge themselves in such a thing that causes strong or foul odor. 

In such situations, you can give them a bath in a tub containing lukewarm water or through a shower. 

Should I let my hedgehog swim in a pool?

Can hedgehogs swim in a pool? As they know how to swim, you can allow them to swim in a  swimming pool. However, there are a few things which you should keep in mind while letting them swim in a pool. These are :

1. Don’t let your hedgehogs swim in a pool containing cold water. Coldwater can cause them to freeze giving them chills which is not good for their health. Always make sure that water is lukewarm. 
2. Though all hedgehogs can swim, this may depend on their mood. If your hedgehog does not want to swim or is showing negative signs for swimming. Don’t force them to swim. They may get panic which is hazardous for them. 
3. Also keep in mind that if your hedgehog has never been in the water, it might don’t know how to do the paddle motion. Therefore give them some time to learn in such cases. 
4. Hedgehogs can get tired very soon. Therefore, you have to be with them all the time while they are in the water. They can get drowned when they get tired. So you have to give them a break after some time. 
5. After swimming, you have to give them a bath with clean water to get rid of all the chlorine. Hedgehogs can show allergic reactions if the chlorine is not washed away from them properly.

Can hedgehogs naturally float? 

Yeah, they can float naturally in water. They owe this to mother nature because it has designed their body in such a way that their quills have air filled in them. The air creates a cushion effect. 

They just have to roll up in the form of a ball. The quills will take care of the rest of the thing. 

Now it doesn’t mean that they cannot drown. You have to be with them all the time while they are in the water. So it’s important to learn about whether hedgehogs can swim because they can drown as well if you don’t keep an eye on them.

The easier technique is to have something in the water which is big and can float in the water so that the hedgehog can swim and take its support. They may climb on them when they get tired

Panicking is a dangerous thing for hedgehogs? 

Yes, it’s a normal reaction that is frequently observed in hedgehogs. It is also possible that some hedgehogs may shit or urinate in water as a result of panic. 

There is nothing to be worried about in this scenario because once they will get used to it. Things will get okay on their own. 

The best method to introduce them to water is to do a trial bath or swim in the kitchen sink or bathtub. So that you can get to know Can hedgehogs swim? and particularly yours.

Pick up your hedgehog from its belly and put them in water so that it can get used to it. 

Once it is no more a surprise for him you can actually see him getting relaxed and floating. This is a clear sign that now they are okay with water and you can bath them. 

How to teach a hedgehog to swim? 

can hedgehogs swim? The little baby ones? Baby hedgehogs are not that easy to handle, they need extra care and attention than adult hedgehogs. 

The thing is baby hedgehogs are of quite a loose temperament which makes them difficult to handle. 

Fill a tub with lukewarm water. The water’s height should be no more than the hedgehog’s height. Let the baby play in the eater for a while. 

Once it gets relaxed, you can increase the height of the water. Observe if it is relaxed and floating. If it’s not, give him some time to learn to paddle on its own. 

If the hedgehog shows any signs of frustration and fear. Immediately take them out of water. 

Do hedgehogs need to swim? 

Hedgehogs don’t need to swim at all. They do not need to swim for their survival. They can do their whole life chores easily while they are away from water. 

They just do that for pleasure purposes. They also don’t prefer to swim frequently. They do it once in a blue moon if a water body is readily available to them. 

There are also hedgehogs present in such regions that don’t have any water resources. Such hedgehogs don’t swim their whole lives. So can hedgehogs swim in such places as well?? Yes if they luckily found a water resource.

Questions and answers

Can hedgehogs swim in pools? 

Yes, they can swim in the pools. But you have to give them a bath with clean water, later on, to get rid of the chlorine. 

Can hedgehogs swim in the wild? 

Yes, if a water body is available to them. They can do that in their natural habitat as well. 

Can hedgehogs swim in saltwater pools? 

Yes, they can do that as well. In fact, saltwater gives them the extra cushion effect to float. 

Can baby hedgehogs swim? 

Yes, they can swim but they have to be handled properly. They may take some time to learn how to paddle. 

Can pygmy hedgehogs swim? 

Yes, they can do swimming as well. But they may hardly get a chance to reach a water body in their whole lives.