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Help needed for Forum Piggy Hair Cuts and General Grooming Guide Please

Betsy

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I am in the final stages of writing the Cavy Coiffure Guide for the Forum and I need help from all you lovely people in Forumland:-

How do you trim your piggies?
How do you manage to keep them stilll while you are doing this?
What do you trim them on? Do you use a table? the floor? the kitchen counter?
Before and after pictures of trims and the amount of fur cut off would be great too.
What do you use when you groom them? a brush? a comb?
Photos would be useful too please and also the name of your piggies.

I can't promise to use all the photos but I will use some of them.

Thanks so much!
 
1. With a pair of scissors, when I can find them!
2. I like to use a bowl of pellets because Bacon can’t resist them... keeps him still long enough. He’s a content little piggy
3. I usually just do it on my bed with a towel down to catch the loose fur, or on the floor but I’m not fussy
4. He doesn’t usually need proper grooming with a brush etc, I trim his fur/give him a wee bath if it gets too long or messy
Before: 4D44CB86-5A4B-4F49-8222-BC71B7993854.jpeg
After:1832AF4F-A9FA-425F-8F0B-24A1EB44B9E5.jpeg

*Bacon is not a long haired breed, but his fur is much longer than the length of most guinea pigs, he needs trimmed around his bum, and that’s it
 
Afraid I can't help as I've only ever had short haired piggies. They've rarely needed a brushing, let alone a salon-style session with scissors or clippers. Best of luck getting some good pictures for your guide though!
 
Will have a look on Monday for you, got a long all day shift tomorrow so doubt I'll be posting much.

Think I put some of my hairdressing tips in a thread, will try & find it for you too :)
Xx
 
Will have a look on Monday for you, got a long all day shift tomorrow so doubt I'll be posting much.

Think I put some of my hairdressing tips in a thread, will try & find it for you too :)
Xx

I have a few bits from you @GPTV but any more would be greatly appreciated!
 
1. With a pair of scissors, when I can find them!
2. I like to use a bowl of pellets because Bacon can’t resist them... keeps him still long enough. He’s a content little piggy
3. I usually just do it on my bed with a towel down to catch the loose fur, or on the floor but I’m not fussy
4. He doesn’t usually need proper grooming with a brush etc, I trim his fur/give him a wee bath if it gets too long or messy
Before: View attachment 133671
After:View attachment 133672

*Bacon is not a long haired breed, but his fur is much longer than the length of most guinea pigs, he needs trimmed around his bum, and that’s it
My boy Max has long hair at the back like Bacon. I find that if I comb his 'skirt' at the back with a fairly wide toothed comb every day, or as often as I remember, it keeps it from getting messy and knotted. I occasionally cut it, for example of he's been in boarding and it's got yucky. He's very calm and tolerates a quick snip well. Cavy coiffure it is not, but it does the job 😊
 
@Posyrose is it possible for you to post a picture of the comb you use please? It may help others. Do you use a bribe to keep him still?
 
I have loads of pics of my (rainbow bridge) Sheepy the alpaca before/during/after haircuts but they’re on a memory card I can’t get to as no pc and just my phone! But this is the brush I used with him, tried quite a few but I found with his very long, curly/frizzy hair this was the best! Just a regular human one! Was great at getting knots out and not pulling at his skin a lot (cats have one now, love it).
0FDD4F2D-910D-4913-82F0-7875C09C344F.jpeg
Oh sorry, a very old pic of him too @Betsy to show his funky hair after a cut! Got far longer than that!
FE0F9D29-4801-48D1-9A47-E2F19C5C61A2.jpeg
 
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I use scissors for bum hair trims but have clippers for the longer haired pigs I have for a summer cut when it‘s warmer. I use both a brush and a comb, though they don’t like either really! Lots of squeaking - you’d think I was killing them! I usually do it on the dining room table with a cloth and towel on it, with either coriander or some other titbit I know each individual pigs is partial to, to help keep them still. Clipping the long haired pigs is easier than trimming with scissors as I use the clippers in the direction the hair falls so it thins it first then it gets short - and it looks a lot neater too - not like someone has been at them with a knife and fork that trimming with scissors can sometimes look like!
 
@Posyrose is it possible for you to post a picture of the comb you use please? It may help others. Do you use a bribe to keep him still?

It was from somewhere like Boots and has a fine tooth end and a wider tooth end; I use the latter.

I brush him when he's having a cuddle and I don't bribe him; he's used to it as it's an everyday occurance.

If I was cutting his hair I'd arrange a bribe!
 
Before and after pics of Shelby.

I have a padded cushion (looks like a small furry dog or cat pad) and sit the piggie on facing away from me up at a table. I put a tub of favourite food in front of her & start by combing first gently to reassure until she starts purring. I use the 2 sided brush from pets at home, soft bristles side. Once smooth I check for any matting (usually at the rear end) and snip them off carefully by putting the hair between my fingers so a fingers distance from the body (using small animal scissors).
As she is mainly an outdoor pig, I trim all around her base to ensure no hair is dragging on the floor (again using my fingers to guide just like in the hairdressers...well kind of 😂).
If she gets irritated I stop, stroke & brush her again and start again until its done.

If she is a little dirty I use a foam shampoo and massage it through her nice new doo.

Hope this helps!
 

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Before and after pics of Shelby.

I have a padded cushion (looks like a small furry dog or cat pad) and sit the piggie on facing away from me up at a table. I put a tub of favourite food in front of her & start by combing first gently to reassure until she starts purring. I use the 2 sided brush from pets at home, soft bristles side. Once smooth I check for any matting (usually at the rear end) and snip them off carefully by putting the hair between my fingers so a fingers distance from the body (using small animal scissors).
As she is mainly an outdoor pig, I trim all around her base to ensure no hair is dragging on the floor (again using my fingers to guide just like in the hairdressers...well kind of 😂).
If she gets irritated I stop, stroke & brush her again and start again until its done.

If she is a little dirty I use a foam shampoo and massage it through her nice new doo.

Hope this helps!
That's very helpful thank you!
 
Bailey and Thistle are due a trim, I'll see if they will cooperate for pictures 😅 I know Pippin won't want pictures bless her, shes a bit sensitive about her permanent bad hair day lol
 
Before and after pics of Shelby.

I have a padded cushion (looks like a small furry dog or cat pad) and sit the piggie on facing away from me up at a table. I put a tub of favourite food in front of her & start by combing first gently to reassure until she starts purring. I use the 2 sided brush from pets at home, soft bristles side. Once smooth I check for any matting (usually at the rear end) and snip them off carefully by putting the hair between my fingers so a fingers distance from the body (using small animal scissors).
As she is mainly an outdoor pig, I trim all around her base to ensure no hair is dragging on the floor (again using my fingers to guide just like in the hairdressers...well kind of 😂).
If she gets irritated I stop, stroke & brush her again and start again until its done.

If she is a little dirty I use a foam shampoo and massage it through her nice new doo.

Hope this helps!
Is that the same guinea pig? 🤔😁
 
I mainly use a wide tooth comb to keep them tangle free. I like to use a high counter so that I can stand up to trim them. I put them on a small fleece pad so they feel comfortable and secure. I use a small pair of animal grooming scissors as they are sharp and cut very easily. I only trim round the back end, my focus is hygiene rather than looks. If I was trimming for medical reasons, ie better access to an absess or similar I have a small wahl pet shaver which is very quiet.
 
It took me longer to get round to doing this than I had planned, but I finally remembered to take some pictures.

For day to day grooming I just use my hands, gently teasing out any small tangles that I find, but I find that when trimmed the way I do it, tangles are very rare. I use a metal comb, I find plastic ones get caught in the hair if piggy decides to do a 180 ninja jump complete with comb, whereas metal ones slide right out. I then use 3 types of scissors, 2 curved (left and right) and straight ones.
DSCN7361 (2).JPG

First thing I do is go through the coat by hand, removing anything that may cause a tangle when being combed, hay, shavings etc. (picture 1) Once i've done that, I comb through the hair as well as I can, any tangles that are near the ends I will leave instead of upsetting the piggy trying to get it out, it will end up being trimmed off anyway (picture 2) Then I lift up the main 'skirt' of hair and trim the back end, back legs, genital area, and if necessary the sides (Pic 3 and 4 are before and after...couldnt get a picture of any of the other areas with one hand!). Once done I put the main skirt back down, comb through again to get it in place and then use the curved scissors to trim around the sides and back end of the piggy (remaining pictures)
The straight scissors are for fringes or trimming anything from their belly if they get themselves a little gross to avoid poking the skin or the face with curved scissors.

DSCN7365.JPGDSCN7368 (2).JPGDSCN7370 (2).JPGDSCN7371 (2).JPGDSCN7373.JPGDSCN7375 (2).JPG

I hope thats somewhat helpful. I did Bailey too, but she didnt want to sit for pictures at all, so I gave up and just cut her hair 😅
 
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