Bathing Longhaired Piggies

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kayjay

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Well I've just had a nightmare bathing Lottie and Grace. It was their and mine first time and it's a good job I didn't video it or the rspca would be knocking right now judging by the guineapig squeals going on. Let's just say it wasn't an enjoyable experience for them or me. The only bit they didn't mind was the hairdrying which I thought they'd be frightened at. I did get loads of lose hair off Lottie especially and she looks loads thinner but she got very stressed during the process and I got bitten

So I have a few questions

How do you bathe your longhaired piggies, do they like it or loathe it
How do I make it less stressful
How do I get them used to being groomed, they hate it
 
I have just bathed my new piggies for the 1st time, my 1st time too!
They are American smooths but Thistles hair is longer than Twiglets. He didn't like it at all, i put him in the bathroom sink with a little water in the bottom. He kept trying to escape so i shampoo'd him pretty quickly for his first time and just washed his body (checked his other area!) and rinsed him off, then i just cuddled him in a towel for ages (this he likes, he can hide in the towel!), then i gave him a bit of cabbage (this he also likes!) and still wrapped in the towel put him on the floor in the bedroom where he quite happily stayed for the longest time!
He eventually came out and ran around the bedroom drying off. When he was dry i brushed him and then put him back i the newly cleaned out cage.
I thought that for now, just to get him used to this i would keep doing it this way until he's more settled then i might introduce the hairdrier at a later date!
Niki x
 
Awww poor you!

Some piggies just don't like baths and it doesn't just go for long haired piggies either.

The only long haired piggy I have is JoJo and I haven't given him a bath. BUT I give him a wipe down with baby wipes which get him damp.
Combing him too, well that's a nightmare! ;) I do what I can with him, but mostly it's a trim that get the knots off and a tidy up of his hair so it doesn't need a comb often :)
 
I just feel it's cruel to put them through it, tbh I'm beginning to think that although longhaired pigs are without a doubt beautiful it's not fair on them.

Mine both hate being combed and I've avoided it for a few weeks now, which made the problem a whole lot worse. But I had to do it, and they've now been combed and groomed and look beautiful again, however Grace's bum is wet again with urine already even though it's trimmed quite short, I'm going to have to trim shorter still. I'm finding it really hard to keep up with their grooming and I only have two - I really don't know how people with lots do it
 
Aww you will in time. Just need to get into a routine :) JoJo's hair does grow ever so quick and around his bum area, his hair is trimmed shorter than the rest :)
He's still got his long hair elsewhere :)
 
I have two longcoated cavies, Katrina and Ore. Katrina is a Merino whilst Ore is a Sheltie. I keep both piggies trimmed but I do feel the need to bath them especially Katrina who really benefits from a bath as she is prone to her skin being a problem (her skin is fab at the moment) so I don't tend to use the Posh n Go with her I use one of the others - Neem Greem?

If they really really don't like being groomed I feel it is fairer to cut it really short instead of them having to put up with something they don't enjoy.

Clare
 
:) I hold mine under the tap so they rinse properly and quicker. I don't think they like the getting wet bit :)

Make it as quick as possible...

If you do little and often then they'll get less stressed, keep them well trimmed- summers coming anyways.
 
I get a couple of inches of water in the sink and water of the same temp in a big bowl on the draining board. I lower the pig in with my left hand - but always keep my left hand under them. I give them a bit of shampoo (from an already opened bottle) and massage it in. I use a plastic cup to pour over water from the sink to get the main bulk of shampoo off - then pull the plug. When the water has gone I scoop water from the bowl of fresh stuff an pour over the pig until all the shampoo has gone. Sometimes I give the pigs a quick dip in the bowl to get rid of anything left on the tummy. Then straight onto a waiting towel the other side of the sink and into a warm box.

You have to be good at just using your right hand!
 
hils78 said:
I get a couple of inches of water in the sink and water of the same temp in a big bowl on the draining board. I lower the pig in with my left hand - but always keep my left hand under them. I give them a bit of shampoo (from an already opened bottle) and massage it in. I use a plastic cup to pour over water from the sink to get the main bulk of shampoo off - then pull the plug. When the water has gone I scoop water from the bowl of fresh stuff an pour over the pig until all the shampoo has gone. Sometimes I give the pigs a quick dip in the bowl to get rid of anything left on the tummy. Then straight onto a waiting towel the other side of the sink and into a warm box.

You have to be good at just using your right hand!
Click to expand...

so ive heard :o ;)
 
:) Oh yeah, have everything prepared, a microfibre towel for underneath and a bath towel for ontop/wrapping. I do nails and trims on a different usually, but it depends on the pig :)
 
My pig Tiger is a sheltie - I put a couple of inches in the bath so in the shallow end there's hardly any there and he can run up there is he feels scared. I use a cup to pour water over him then gently rub the shampoo in all over except his face, then rinse him off and pop him in a towel. He hasn't bitten me but doesn't seem to like it much as he tires to climb up my arm!
I know what you mean about the combing though - Tiger HATES it so I have tohave a pile of cucumber or leaves on my knee and even then i only get a bit done as he scoffs it so quickly and tried to get away!
 
LOL wish i'd been on at the time, cause i would've said it too :o :o ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I use a bowl in the laundry sink with about 2-3 inches of warm water, quickly do the shampoo and rinse off with warm water, straight over to a dry big fluffy towel and use the hair dryer but i always have treats for him to munch on, then lots of cuddle time to make sure he's nice and dry :smitten:
 
Bathing for my long hair ones aint too bad just have to be quick and everything at hand I'm prepared to get wet !

The only fun i have is the grooming raggs aint to bad being the longer haired but the Texel Moody Holly just hates being groomed so i usually have to cut hers really short

The shelties and the new ones aint had a bath yet but both of the shelties need one especially down below !
 
the long haired ones look hilarious when they come out of the water,like someones tried to drown them,lol
 
Thanks everyone.. Lottie wasn't too bad in the bath, but Grace didn't like it.

The main problem is the grooming, but I made the problem worse by not doing it so often as I know it stresses them but then it was a nightmare to do it yesterday - I think I removed a whole new piggy from Lottie in loose hair ;D I'm going to try to groom them every couple of days whether they need it or not to get them used to it and keep Graces bum short and maybe bum wash her regularly (is weekly too much?)
 
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