Grooming Freakouts

[CavyMama]

Hi. I adopted 2 gorgeous pigs in March - Doris and Elsie. They were two years old when I got them, and it was clear they hadn't been handled much because they were VERY skittish. We've been working on that, and they're much more confident now. They're happy, friendly, gorgeous, mischievous pigs. And they seem to like me too. Elsie even feel asleep in my lap last week!

Everything is great until it comes to grooming Doris, and her long Cruella-de-Vil style locks... She's my first long haired pig. The problem is she flips out completely when I try to groom her bottom. She doesn't mind getting her head and upper body done, but anything south of that causes her to flip out to the point where I'm scared she's going to hurt herself or have a heart attack. I've done my best, but I noticed today that she has a matted clump of hair on her bottom, and despite several attempts to cut it out, she wasn't having ANY of it.

I've contacted a local bunny/pig groomer, and asked for their help, but would ideally love to help Doris get over her fear of bum-touching so I can maintain her coat myself. Any ideas? I bow to your rodent-whispering skills...

 

[sport_billy]

Weclome to the forum

Very difficult as piggies hate their rears or back of their back being touched....

I would recommend giving her her favourite food. Then cutting the bum fur as short a possible this will avoid matts in the future, we trim all our long haired piggies bum fur short. One of us holds and feeds while the other carefully trims. This way we don't have to brush it all the time and cause them any pain by pulling at the hair with the brush...

Be lovely to see some photos of your piggies, hope you enjoy being part of the community here.

 

[Caron's Cavies]

Hi and

So glad for your beautiful girls as you are obviously a fantastic piggy Mummy

Does Doris only freak out when you are trying to groom her bottom and/or cut the hair? Can you pat her bottom and touch her bottom otherwise?

The reason I ask this is because if it is only when you are grooming it may be that something happened before like her hair getting tugged or pulled and therefore she remembers this and does not want the same experience.

If she does this all the time it could be as above or that she simply does not like to be touched there for whatever reason.

I personally think you have a two step process to help her with this and it may take some time which may not be great if she already has a matted clump that needs removing.

Perhaps to deal with this first you could get someone to hold her to at least get that cut out for now or get the local pig groomer to do it and you hold her.

After that I would suggest trying to touch, tickle or play with her around her bottom end and perhaps reward her with her favourite treat so that she starts to associate it with something good happening. Sorry if this sounds a bit weird

She should eventually get used to nothing bad happening and then you can move on to the brushing and just keep doing it until she starts to panic and then go back to the top and then back down and back up and back down each time moving the goal post so to speak.

I guess it's a bit like for humans who have a fear of something. You calmly keep pushing and then realise that nothing bad happened so you can go a bit further each time.

This is what I do for my animals and children alike. However patience is the key and it certainly sounds like you have it so I hope this may help and good luck.

Would love to hear how it all goes xx

 

[Julesie]

Neither of my piggies are fond of their butts being groomed. My black piggie Romano calms down immediately if I hand him a green bean or coriander to munch as I do it. Once the food is gone hes back to looking back and squirming but once the food is there he's fine again.

Try her favourite vegetable with her. =)

 

[Hank288]

Daisy my long haired piggy really hates as soon as I get more then 3/4 of the way down her body. I just hold on to her and do the best job I can either with the brush or the scissors. At least it is over and done with quickly and they soon forget. The other issues I have is my pigs won't eat anything while they sit on my lap so I have no distraction available. Just do the best you can with her.
Once the hair is trimmed you will find it easier to keep it groomed.

 

[CavyMama]

Thank you everyone! Some great advice here. I'm going to get the groomer to deal with the current matting situation and then try your tips to help Doris feel more relaxed about everyday grooming... I think little and often, with positive reinforcement and distraction is the key to cracking this!

(That's a pic of Doris munching romaine in my profile pic... but you don't quite get the full effect! Will post an "after" pic when she's looking all silky and gorgeous again...)

 

[AuntyC]

Good luck. Some great advice in the above posts. If I lived closer to you would be happy to give you a hand. I enjoy grooming guinea pigs and rabbits!

 

[Touie]

mine both kick up a fuss when I brush their rear ends too and I am so gentle! i just do the best I can and give them a quick brush at least twice a day to keep the knots away

 

[Gimz]

i face my long haired ones away from me to the back of the sofa and covered in a towel, except of course for their bottom. Then give them a good pile of kale to munch on and whilst they are doing that I snip away! They feel reassured because the main part of their body is covered and of course they have lovely food too! When it comes to the more delicate part that you can't reach whilst they are sitting, then I gently lift their bums up with one hand and snip with the other. If you have a smallish but sharp pair of scissors you should hopefully be able to do it with minimal impact on the piggie. After the first time like this mine have not been bothered since.