Bathing help please!

[Logiebear]

I am in need of advice on bathing piggies. Never done it before but have to bath 3 of them tonight.

I need help with every thing like how much water do you put in? I have shampoo to use that I got from p@h. Do you brush the fur before or after? How do you dry them? How do you handle them in the bath? There are so many questions.

Can some body walk me through bathing a semi long haired piggy please and then I can adopt that to the other 2 I have to bath. These piggies are very unsed to people so does that mean I have to be very careful?

Thanks in advance

Suzanne xx

 

[Wiebke]

There are different ways of bathing a guinea pig. You can do it in the bath tub (especially if you are afraid you might have a panic jumper) or you could do it over a sink. Most guinea pigs don't like the feeling of being drowned, while a few enjoy a bath. You may like to put a towel in the bottom for grip.

Make sure that the water is handwarm, testing with your ellbow, like you would with a baby. Any longerhaired piggies will fare better if they have been brushed before to avoid tangling during the bath. Make sure that they don't get any shampoo in either eyes or mouth.

I hold mine on my arm and wash them under the tab in the kitchen sink. That way I haven't got trouble with desperate piggies climbing trying to climb out. On the other hand - I'm up for a shower and a complete change afterwards!

But you have to find out what works for your piggies and yourself best.

Afterward I gently blot them and wrap them in a towel. I prefer to let my piggies dry off on their own indoors, but with longerhaired piggies a blow dryer (not too hot, of course!) comes in handy.

You can either do your piggies one after another or together in the bathtub.

I have mine all together by the sink (the company keeps them more relaxed), but wash them one after the other.

A good place for shampoos is gorgeousguineas.com.

 

[Farquhar]

You may find it easier to bathe the piggies in a basin on the floor or in the bath. Piggies can leap so high out of their bath and if you are not used to it then you could have a piggie that high jumps over your shoulder. I fill the basin with water (not too deep) then place the piggie in the basin. I shampoo then drain the water and rinse the piggie under the tap with tepid water. This ensures all residue is removed. Each piggie reacts so differently but most of mine have leapt from the basin during bathing. I dry all my piggies with a hairdryer on a low setting. They dont seem to mind this but again each piggie can react very differently. I also use Gorgeous Guineas shampoo. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[Hoshishi]

I've been bathing my piggies today too - well 2 out of 11.

I used to bath them in the kitchen sink but now do it in the bath tub as I find it easier. I can bend down and feel more in control and the piggies don't tend to try to jump out of the bath while they always tried to jump out of the sink.

I tend to cut their nails first, then brush them, weigh them and then off to the bathroom. The water reaches to about their neck line. I put them in the water and use a plastic bowl to pour the bath water over them. I then take them out of the water, shampoo them and put them back in the water where I rinse them of using the plastic bowl.

I then towel try them, followed by the hair dryer. They don't like the hair dryer much at first but most calm down after a while. I even had one pig who really enjoyed the hair dryer (that kind of made up for her being a monster in the water).

Some piggies are happy to sit in the water. Some need to have their front paws on my arm and some need to completely sit on my arm. You'll soon find out what they prefer.