i decided i missed my boars so bought one pair in ... they are a bit wiffey and am going to bathe them... what else can i use apart from swarthvega for grease glands any ideas?
bathing boars
- Thread starter Clare
- Start date
- Status
Laura-CCC4
Senior Guinea Pig
Drop of washing up liquid! Never failed mine. I was dubious but it is such a tiny drop, mixed with a few drops of water it lathers up and breaks the grease down nicely.
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2009
- Messages
- 1,946
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 0
- Location
- writtle chelmsford essex england.
at some pet stores you can get rabbit and guinea pig soap.. not sure what one though! it's from johnsons and it kills mites, lice and flea, but if you can't get that then i don't know!
shazbo
Adult Guinea Pig
do you have to wash grease gland last time i just washed piggie didnt know where it was
Laura-CCC4
Senior Guinea Pig
pigpig - the grease gland is a "specialist" area of cleaning, normal piggie shampoo doesn't normally break the grease down effectively. For a normal shampoo, www.gorgeousguineas.com are perhaps the highest recommended.
In order to keep the grease gland clear and healthy, it should be checked and cleaned frequently. A "blocked" grease gland will have a thick build up of crusty grease on it - not nice. It's located where a tail would be, low down on the pigs rump...where a tail would be! Some pigs have a very noticeable grease gland, others tend to be harder to locate. Likewise, some grease glands are very active and need cleaning very often, others hardly get greasy at all.
Shaz - you don't have to clean it if it isn't dirty. Some pigs get a huge build up, others just don't get any. Just keep checking!
A few of my pigs have a little "dimple" in their hair at the grease gland, it's very cute.
In order to keep the grease gland clear and healthy, it should be checked and cleaned frequently. A "blocked" grease gland will have a thick build up of crusty grease on it - not nice. It's located where a tail would be, low down on the pigs rump...where a tail would be! Some pigs have a very noticeable grease gland, others tend to be harder to locate. Likewise, some grease glands are very active and need cleaning very often, others hardly get greasy at all.
Shaz - you don't have to clean it if it isn't dirty. Some pigs get a huge build up, others just don't get any. Just keep checking!
A few of my pigs have a little "dimple" in their hair at the grease gland, it's very cute.
Last edited:
sqeeker
Adult Guinea Pig
Hey ccc4 i owned my piggies for nearly 2 years and i never know how to check if its grease gland is healthy or not and how to clean it properly, how do i do this? Thanks 
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2009
- Messages
- 1,946
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 0
- Location
- writtle chelmsford essex england.
oh, ok i thought you ment just normal shampoo! sorry!
Apart from the info that Laura has already helpfully posted, there is a fact-sheet at GG here:
http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/documents/Grease Glands.pdf
http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/documents/Grease Glands.pdf
Laura-CCC4
Senior Guinea Pig
Hey squeeker.
Looking at the grease gland will give you an idea of if it looks clean and clear, but feeling it gives you a better idea. Once you have located it, you are feeling for a crusty and/or greasy substance, often a bit lumpy in texture.
If there is a build up of grease, put a drop of washing up liquid on the gland and using a wet hand, massage it in well. Usually it takes a couple of minutes for the grease to have softened and broken down sufficiently enough to rinse away or gently peel off. Once you have rinsed the area, you can then dry the pig or continue to bath as normal.
Looking at the grease gland will give you an idea of if it looks clean and clear, but feeling it gives you a better idea. Once you have located it, you are feeling for a crusty and/or greasy substance, often a bit lumpy in texture.
If there is a build up of grease, put a drop of washing up liquid on the gland and using a wet hand, massage it in well. Usually it takes a couple of minutes for the grease to have softened and broken down sufficiently enough to rinse away or gently peel off. Once you have rinsed the area, you can then dry the pig or continue to bath as normal.
yay so glad i asked, sweet smelling boars for moi!
sweet smelling boars for moi!sqeeker
Adult Guinea Pig
Hey squeeker.
Looking at the grease gland will give you an idea of if it looks clean and clear, but feeling it gives you a better idea. Once you have located it, you are feeling for a crusty and/or greasy substance, often a bit lumpy in texture.
If there is a build up of grease, put a drop of washing up liquid on the gland and using a wet hand, massage it in well. Usually it takes a couple of minutes for the grease to have softened and broken down sufficiently enough to rinse away or gently peel off. Once you have rinsed the area, you can then dry the pig or continue to bath as normal.
Hiya Thanks for that, the thing with bradders is its greasy alot lol and doesnt feel nice around his bum at all lol i have trimed all around his grease gland as that has made it easier to clean so he now has a bold bum
bless him is that ok what ive done?
Castaway
Junior Guinea Pig
Another tip I've found for breaking down an accumulation round the grease gland is a few drops of anti-bacterial hand cleansing gel. I find it works better than Swarfega.
just used a drop of washing up liquid and a bit of kitchen roll to work off the grease... took no time the piggys screamed at me for bathing them and really hated it but they forgave me when i warapped them up in a lovly towel!
the piggys screamed at me for bathing them and really hated it but they forgave me when i warapped them up in a lovly towel!sqeeker
Adult Guinea Pig
just used a drop of washing up liquid and a bit of kitchen roll to work off the grease... took no time
Aww bless thats sweet
they now eating cattotts and lettuce (not iceberg) and imm off to pick dandelion leaves from next doors garden (they have mahoosive ones!))
Tallulah
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi
Thanks so much for the gland cleaning advice. I have now cleaned both Hector and Harvey.
Hector was very brave and I think very appreciative to be cleaned and is all the more sweetly smelling as a result.
Harvey, who is my soppy friendly boar kicked and screamed so much we only achieved limited success...... I think we may have to go for a second attempt, and leave a week or so gap.. not for his sake but for my wounds to heal! He is such a baby, as soon as he was in his hutch with some grass all the terrors and trauma of the sink and soap were long forgotten. Unfortunately for me my arms and neck still have physical wounds even if his emotional scars were quick to disappear! LOL
But seriously thanks for the advice I hadn't known to do that area specifically before, and it has made a differene
|)
Thanks so much for the gland cleaning advice. I have now cleaned both Hector and Harvey.
Hector was very brave and I think very appreciative to be cleaned and is all the more sweetly smelling as a result.
Harvey, who is my soppy friendly boar kicked and screamed so much we only achieved limited success...... I think we may have to go for a second attempt, and leave a week or so gap.. not for his sake but for my wounds to heal! He is such a baby, as soon as he was in his hutch with some grass all the terrors and trauma of the sink and soap were long forgotten. Unfortunately for me my arms and neck still have physical wounds even if his emotional scars were quick to disappear! LOL
But seriously thanks for the advice I hadn't known to do that area specifically before, and it has made a differene
|)- Status