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Care for long-haired boy !

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Pork

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Hello !

I have a long-haired boy and i'm going insane trying to keep it tangle-free and clean mallethead

He DETESTS it when I comb his hair and his constant protests make me feel that he might just bite me one day in sheer frustration. I wouldn't blame him.

I've also tried cutting his hair to make it much shorter, but the result wasn't too nice (uneven!) because, again, he detested the process.

Do you have any advice on how to keep his hair tangle-free and clean AND how to make the combing/cutting process a little more peaceful?

Beans' mum :{
 
Have you tried giving him something to munch on while you're doing it? :) Didn't work for me but might work for you! Haha . Good luck x
 
PopcornPigs said:
Have you tried giving him something to munch on while you're doing it? :) Didn't work for me but might work for you! Haha . Good luck x
Click to expand...

Yes I have. Parsley - his favourite! But no joy... :(
 
I'm glad you've posted this as I was going to post something asking for advice from other people who have long haired piggies. I'm getting a coronet piggy this week (the cage has now arrived) and have only ever had short haired gps - just looking for tips/advice, although I don't think Benny has a problem with being groomed/cleaned.
 
If either of you find out, let me know! I not only have a long haired piggy, but a long haired piggy who hates being held! Even without combing! I kind of have to chase him around my bed with the comb... :( (Obviously without pulling his hair ... )
 
I have two long haired boys - Shadow (a sheltie) and Elvis (my peruvian). Shadow is a fidget bum and is always on the go, brushing him daily used to be a real chore and he used to squeak and move all the time - cutting his hair was a whole different story.

I'm quite lucky with Elvis as he's always just stays where ever you put him down (he even poses for photo's). What brush are you using? Reason why i ask is because since i changed mine - my life is so much easier now.

I used to use pone similar to this:
http://www.pet-points.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_386_387&products_id=2502

But the bristles are quite hard and i think it used to pull their hair and was probably too harsh on their skin - hence why they hated me brushing them.

I now use one like this:
http://www.pet-points.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_386_387&products_id=2503

The bristles are much softer and i don't get anymore squeaks and they are quite happy to munch away whilst i brush them (they'll even sit there without food while i brush them)

In terms of keeping them clean by cutting their hair i tend to save it till bath time - i like to get everything done at the same time. The problem i had was that my two are on fleece and they can poo for england and they are also not shy about where they do it - even with me hoovering their cage daily - they still managed to get the odd matt near their bum area.

To cut the hair round the back end i sort of lift them up in the air slightly and trim what i can see (being careful of their bits). The rest of the hair is cut while trying to distract either with some veg or by using my daughter to gently hold them still. Sometimes though if Shadow is being particularly picky about having his hair cut i do it on the kitchen work-surface - because for some strange reason he doesn't move around so much. What sissors are you using? i got a cheaper set of sharp hair cutting sissors off ebay for about 13 pounds.

I wish i had a photo of their first haircut, they looked like i'd let a 2yr old at their hair with a pair of sissors. Elvis looked particularly bad as he is a lighter colour - shadow hid his un-even haircut well as he is nearly all jet black bar a white strip on his neck.

It does get easier the more times you do it - my thinking is to get it over and done with as quickly as possible rolleyes
 
I too have long haired piggies, a long haired boy who is as patient as anything and will submit to brushing and a long haired rosetted girl (avatar piccie) who screams as if you are murdering her if you so much as go near her with scissors or brush.

I have found that with Caramel (girl piggie) a hair clippers is best, really quick and painless, by the time she worked out we were taking off her hair it was over with.

might be the route to try!

good luck and don't forget to post before and after pigtures! xoxo
 
My longhaired boy doesn't like cuddles much, but he'll let me comb him (apart from round his bum :))). I just use a normal human comb on him at the moment, as I didn't know his hair was going to grow so long and was unprepared lol. I think he would prefer it if I used a proper small animal brush like Sodapops uses. That might be an idea.
 
Ooh yeah I wouldn't recommend the slicker brush (first photo) unless it's a piggie with thick fur as it will probably scrape their skin. Bristle brushes (second photo) are good for making the fur shiny and taking away excess/moulting hair, do you find that brush gets rid of tangles though, sodapops? I use a wide tooth comb on my texel (the one who hates being brushed) and it goes through quite nicely (when I get a second to put it through...) x
 
The slicker brush was good for getting out the tangles, but because they squealed each time i put it through (as it caught every single tiny tangle) it was a nightmare to do - each time i got the brush out they'd jump and squeal and it made it impossible.

I use the softer bristled brush more frequent (i probably brush them twice a day) and because it's less painful for them they are more willing to sit there and allow me to do it - hence grooming is less stressful for them ;)

I try to keep both my sheltie and peruvian's hair short around their back end as this is where the most tangles appear - i think this is the part they hate having brushed the most.

PopcornPigs i might try a combination of the soft bristled brush (for use round their back end) and your suggestion of the wide toothed comb on the rest of their hair :)

I think it's trial and error as every pig is different and what works for one necessarily doesn't work for another - i think if you have many suggestions it helps to try and find what best works for you.

I'm open to other suggestions and really like the idea of using hair clippers (suggested by Deb H) and if i had a steady hand i might have tried it :))
 
THANK YOU SO MUCH for being incredibly helpful and for posting your thoughts/insights.

I use a comb like this one:

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/double-sided-comb-by-pets-at-home-28347


Anyway, last night, I gave both boys (Pork -shorthaired; Beans -longhaired) a BATH. No problems there; they were both as good as gold. Hairdrying time - again no problems. When it came to combing time, Beans (longhaired) was, as usual, loudly protesting. I had to ask my husband to feed Beans with Parsley while combing AND CUTTING hair at the same time. It sort of worked.

I think food is the best way to distract him and will keep feeding him his favourite food while combing/cutting so he associates it with good things.

Also, I will get a soft bristle brush as you recommended here.

AGAIN, thank you for being very kind and helpful.

Re photos --- it looks like I'm not allowed to upload/post photos. Not sure why :(

Pork and Beans' mum
 
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