Is It Guinea Pig Fun or Animal Abuse??

 There is a video being shared on Facebook that shows 2 guinea pigs being put in a pool to swim around. A few of ma's friends have shared this video on her wall asking if Cinnamon likes to swim. I found the video cute but mostly because I have a guinea pig who likes to swim and isn't afraid of the water.
In the video, the man sets them in the water and the guinea pigs swim around. The man never leaves the pool and he keeps his eye on them the entire time.There is also a older child at the other end of the pool who is keeping an eye on the piggies. When he sees the piggies slowing down a bit, he picks them up and removes them from the pool.

I am a follower of 5 guinea pigs groups or pages on Facebook. These groups or community pages share photos, talk about guinea pig health, tips and more. 3 of the 5 guinea pig community pages asked their followers to report the video to Facebook saying it showed animals cruelty. The pages lit up with comments how those piggies weren't swimming for fun but swimming for their lives. Followers commented how they couldn't understand why the man would have them in such a deep pool with no where for the guineas to get out of the pool or a island to rest on.

As I read through the comments, I really couldn't believe how many said they reported the video. Others wanted to know where the man lived so they could report him to the local animal control. Some said guinea pigs shouldn't be allowed outside. They are prey animals and hawks or feral cats could kill them. There were finally comments from people who said that the video didn't violate Facebook terms. Others commented on how their guinea pigs liked to swim and some even bought little pools for their piggies.

I am Super Cinnamon. I jump off and on rocks with ease

There were some comments on how you should never bathe your piggie.Bathing a guinea pig would get water in their ears which would put them at risk for a ear infection. Others said if water got in their nose, it would cause upper respiratory infections and the guinea pig would die. A few of the followers said they have never needed to bathe their guinea pigs because they don't stink.

 Some followers asked how do people keep their piggies from stinking. Guinea pigs like to lay in their own urine and feces. They also eat a lot of their own poop. Many told those no bath people that their piggies did stink, they just became immune to the smell.

Cinnamon gets dirty. His fur can get oily. Guinea pigs have a grease gland. The grease gland on a guinea pig is located just above where the tail would be. Male guinea pigs sometimes produce a lot of grease and the hair can get bunched up enough that the gland will clog up. The grease gland is used for leaving scents or marking. Male glands can clog faster than females. If this gland is allowed to clog for too long, infection or irritation can occur. Cinnamon's gland can sometimes get so clogged that ma has to use Dawn detergent on it. Dawn detergent has helped save wildlife after oil spills safely. 

Its Piggie Paradise

Cinnamon has areas in our yard that is set up for his comfort. Since he goes out in the afternoon/early evening with us , he has a safe place to play. We have a couple of flower gardens that we call "Piggie Paradise". There is places for digging, plenty of shade and lots of places to hide. He also has places around the pond that he loves to hang out. The large pampas grass with the rocks are a cool place to hang out.  

Cinnamon has never been left outside without adult supervision. I am also known as the "babysitter". I keep a eye on him to make sure the neighborhood hawk doesn't come around. We all love our outdoor time. One of the concerns ma had was our pond. The pampas grass is located near the pond. The rocks surround the pond. Her fear was what would happen if our little dare devil was jumping across the rock and fell in the pond. What would he do?? Ma sometimes doesn't move super fast so could she get to him in time? 

Last year everyone got pool time, including Cinnamon. First few times he swam to save his life. He then discovered that swimming was a great way to cool off and have fun. He was never put in the pool without ma or dad in the pool with him. Short swims, never forced, family in the pool time. 
One time, ma's fear happened. Cinnamon was getting a drink from the pond and PLOOP! He slipped into the pond. Instead of freaking out , he started paddling around the pond. He climbed out of the pond, shook the water off and went about his way. He had learned not to fear the water. Ma was near the pond to save him if needed but he didn't need it. 

Now I know many people do not let their guinea pig have free range in their yard like we do. Most guinea pigs would run away. Believe it or not, guinea pigs are super fast. Cinnamon is 4 yrs old now and has been playing in the yard for a couple of years with us. He doesn't stay in a cage. A lot of people feel that a guinea pig should stay in a cage their whole lives only to be taken out to cuddle. Some feel their piggies should only have out of the cage time in a large ball. We don't. Cinnamon gets outdoor time and family time. He gets a lot of exercise and socialization. 

Does he swim? Yes. Does he like to get in water? Yes. Here is a video of him swimming. He is quick as lightning. As you see at the end of the video, ma puts him on the ground. He shakes off the water and just stays there. What you don't see, is that he goes back to the above ground pool and stands up against it to get back in. 

The point I am trying to make is just because someone exposes their piggy to other things than is out of the ordinary, should they be reported for animal cruelty? 

I left one of the guinea pig groups that was asking for the video to be reported. Not because of the fact they felt that the piggies were being abused. It was because they started sharing articles about how cats that were let to go outside were killers and was destroying our ecosystem. They said if you allowed your cat to go outside, you were a irresponsible owner. Cats should be indoors only. 

That is a whole nother blog post!

Happy Saturday.