# Hedgehogs: Natural swimmers?



## eshi (Mar 7, 2011)

Oh.... is it automatic for hedgies to know how to swim? and if ever I am gonna try to make my hedgie swim, how deep should the water be?


----------



## mesyhedgehog (Dec 5, 2009)

Yes, they are natural swimmers, but they don't relly like the water that much. I prefer putting an inch or two of water so their feet could get clean (thats where the most dirt piles). Even if you want to clean the quills, you can splash some water on his/her back.


----------



## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

I wouldn't recommend 'making' your hedgie swim...it is natural for WILD hedgies to swim ACROSS streams if their life is in danger. They don't generally do it recreationally.

There are some very rare hedgies that like the water...we assume...or are they just paddling around trying to get the heck out??

Making your hedgie swim seems like a really bad idea to me...you can try a very shallow foot bath in a bathtub (less than 1" of water in the deep end) then see how he does and if he seems to enjoy it, you can let him wade - himself - to the deeper end of the tub. There's no real reason to put a hedgie in water unless it's to clean him.


----------

