Do you bathe guinea pigs ?

i<3piggys

i<3piggys

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Hello I was wondering If you guys bathe your guinea pigs and if they like it ? I read that guinea pigs self groom, but I feel like any animal with hair and that poops should be bathed. Also what kind of soap can you use? or do you have to buy special soap? I appreciate all advice given :nod::clap::nod:
 
I give my long haired boy Finn his bum bath and he seems to like it as he never resisted. I don't put him in a deep water, just enough to give him his bum bath. I rinse him off again with just small amount of water then I set him in a towel that is waiting for him to dry. I give him his treat after his bath so he has a positive view of bum baths.

I use gentle shampoo.
 
I have only given mine a bath when they have had mites. Betsy has a bum bath occasionally cos she has long fur and it sometimes gets all matted if I don't trim it regularly. I use Gorgeous Guineas shampoo.
 
Seven7 said:
I give my long haired boy Finn his bum bath and he seems to like it as he never resisted. I don't put him in a deep water, just enough to give him his bum bath. I rinse him off again with just small amount of water then I set him in a towel that is waiting for him to dry. I give him his treat after his bath so he has a positive view of bum baths.

I use gentle shampoo.
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thank you for your reply :)
 
They are not dirty or extremely smelly but I have had them for about two weeks and haven't bathed them. and that just seems weird to me lol
 
I’ve had two pigs who have needed to be bathed beacause they got mites and required a medicated shampoo. One of the ones I have now requires occasional bum baths because she’s messy. She’s had 3 in 3 years and my other 4 have never been bathed, two lived to 6 and 8 years old and they just never needed it.
 
Bathing is not part of regular care unless actively required eg due to dirty bums (usually sick or long haired piggies weeing on their fur).
 
i give all my piggies a bath every 3 months,i have a lot of longhaired cavies.i use vetsect shampoo as it prevents fungal and mite infections.i start with them when young/or when i first aquire them.i have found they get used to it,and stay calm.i do not keep them in alot of water,put a towel at the bottom of the bath.
 
I have only ever bathed a guinea pig that became incotinent or had the squits
 
I’ve never bathed my piggies and the eldest is over 6 years.
This may change as I have a long haired girl who can get matted fur around her bum if I don’t keep it trimmed
 
I wouldn’t want to strip any natural oils from their skin and coat. I personally would only ever bathe an animal if there was a medical need.
 
I rarely bathe any of mine. I have bathed my pink eyed white once in the year I've had her, shortly after bonding her into a herd as she got covered in urine that the others sprayed her with. My special needs Texel seems to need bathing once every 6 months or so as she sometimes gets damp or dirty due to mobility issues although with the way she bobs her head uncontrollably it gets left as long as possible due to the risk of her bobbing her head underwater and inhaling. The other 10 have never been bathed at all, generally I just give them a quick wipe with a damp cloth if they've got mucky although they're usually able to sort themselves out themselves. It's not a planned or routine activity generally, just an as needed/medically necessary basis.
 
Beemz said:
I wouldn’t want to strip any natural oils from their skin and coat. I personally would only ever bathe an animal if there was a medical need.
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Yea thats a good point, i got told that this is bad for dogs by a lady that had springer spaniels that she used for shooting pheasents
 
Skypipdot said:
Yea thats a good point, i got told that this is bad for dogs by a lady that had springer spaniels that she used for shooting pheasents
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I have a Labrador- she’s too big to bath but if she ever gets Fox poo on her I have to take her to the river with some baby shampoo! Haven’t had to do this for a couple of years thankfully. She’s raw fed and has a gleaming coat!
 
Beemz said:
I have a Labrador- she’s too big to bath but if she ever gets Fox poo on her I have to take her to the river with some baby shampoo! Haven’t had to do this for a couple of years thankfully. She’s raw fed and has a gleaming coat!
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I love labs, i had a springer spaniel ( the gun dog breed) not show
 
Midge!
 

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I give baths as infrequently as possible... my only pig to get regular baths was Sundae in her old age, she had bladder issues and would leak a bit and get a wet bum in her old age. It's hard to dry them completely, they stay clean because the cage is cleaned regularly, and I trim the longer coats to keep them off the floor to minimize getting damp or otherwise gross. My pig who did get regular baths did NOT enjoy the process, but it was better than ending up with urine scald from sitting in pee!
 
i<3piggys said:
Hello I was wondering If you guys bathe your guinea pigs and if they like it ? I read that guinea pigs self groom, but I feel like any animal with hair and that poops should be bathed. Also what kind of soap can you use? or do you have to buy special soap? I appreciate all advice given :nod::clap::nod:
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Hi there- all piggie set ups are different which will determine how well they stay clean & if you need to bathe them. My piggies live outside most of the year and I bring them inside when the cooler weather arrives (they are in now as its frosty but if it gets warmer later I like to give them some natural light & a graze. However, sometimes it can get muddy and they need cleaning. They are pretty good at self cleaning but when I have bathed them, they absolutely love it (they are naturally good swimmers). I also use it as an excuse for a nail trim too as it makes it easier to trim softer nails. I use one of those laundry baskets with handles (from asda) so nice & deep to avoid anyone jumping out or spillage but keep the water shallow so they can stand, using the palm of my hand to support their front legs . I use a special small pet shampoo from the vets (never commercial shampoo for humans) & basically give them a good wash, bum & body but I don't go near their face as they let you know they aren't keen! I limit the bath to only a few minutes (the water is luke warm). I then wrap them in a towel and dry them off fully before putting them back in their bed. They normally shake excess water off like a dog would & thats it really. I guess if my pigs weren't outside I wouldn't do it very often but I would say I do it 4 times a year or whenever they need a clean. Hope that helps.
 
David Pet Lover said:
I have a poorly piggie Cocoa who has lost the use of her back legs tho her illness and she has a bath when she needs one to clean her legs and privates.
She seems to enjoy it. bless xView attachment 97711
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Hello lovely Cocoa! You seem resigned to your bath. You must be used to it by now. Daddy only baths you cos he loves you and wants to keep you nice and comfy!
 
Betsy said:
Hello lovely Cocoa! You seem resigned to your bath. You must be used to it by now. Daddy only baths you cos he loves you and wants to keep you nice and comfy!
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Thanks and i do. She's not too happy but knows in a few mins she be back with her mates who generally watch everything I do when Cocoa is out the run.
 
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