My Guinea won’t let me groom him, help!

[PrincessPig]

Hi everyone,

So my guinea pig, ted, is a long haired, and needs grooming regularly but he HATES it. I’ve tried all the tricks, such as favourite foods and letting him chill as I do it, he’s ok with me brushing the top of him but when it comes to brushing his belly he flips out. He’ll bite me quite bad to the point that the bites bleed and I can’t hold on to him anymore and have to let him go. I’ve been unable to brush his belly for a week now and I’ve found a Matt of hair on his stomach. He also refuses to let me cut his hair, he’ll scream and run off or if I keep tight hold of him and carry on he’ll wrestle with me so much it’ll be too dangerous to carry on. I’m at my wits end and don’t know what to do? Does anyone have any advise on how to keep him calm and show him it’s ok? Thanks guys

 

[sport_billy]

Hi everyone,

So my guinea pig, ted, is a long haired, and needs grooming regularly but he HATES it. I’ve tried all the tricks, such as favourite foods and letting him chill as I do it, he’s ok with me brushing the top of him but when it comes to brushing his belly he flips out. He’ll bite me quite bad to the point that the bites bleed and I can’t hold on to him anymore and have to let him go. I’ve been unable to brush his belly for a week now and I’ve found a Matt of hair on his stomach. He also refuses to let me cut his hair, he’ll scream and run off or if I keep tight hold of him and carry on he’ll wrestle with me so much it’ll be too dangerous to carry on. I’m at my wits end and don’t know what to do? Does anyone have any advise on how to keep him calm and show him it’s ok? Thanks guys

I would get the vet to do it. Piggies do not normally like grooming, they are also a prey animal so the belly is a no when touching them

 

[Seven7]

Hi everyone,

So my guinea pig, ted, is a long haired, and needs grooming regularly but he HATES it. I’ve tried all the tricks, such as favourite foods and letting him chill as I do it, he’s ok with me brushing the top of him but when it comes to brushing his belly he flips out. He’ll bite me quite bad to the point that the bites bleed and I can’t hold on to him anymore and have to let him go. I’ve been unable to brush his belly for a week now and I’ve found a Matt of hair on his stomach. He also refuses to let me cut his hair, he’ll scream and run off or if I keep tight hold of him and carry on he’ll wrestle with me so much it’ll be too dangerous to carry on. I’m at my wits end and don’t know what to do? Does anyone have any advise on how to keep him calm and show him it’s ok? Thanks guys

Welcome

My boy Finn is long haired and he also hates it.
I use a tunnel and when he goes in and eats his veggies and herbs, I am able to cut his bum hair. I consider cutting his bum hair very important otherwise his hair will get very matted making it very uncomfortable for him to even move around.
I put him in a big plastic container, then work on cutting his hair little by little. He does complain but at the same time, I don't want him to be unkept.
Picture below is his tunnel, and he will stay in there while I am finished with cutting his bum hair. The rest of his hair is cut while he walks around a plastic bin.

 

[Seven7]

Here is my boy Finn in the plastic bin. This is him after a haircut and a bum bath.
I don't really do belly brush because my boy Finn doesn't like it.

 

[PrincessPig]

Sorry for the late reply but thank you very much for the advice. I tried this and it worked for a little moment but long enough for me to snip enough. He’s actually started to settle down now I’m terms of grooming, I have to fit him on his slightly in the crook of my arm, he’ll stay there long enough for me to check his genitals and get a quick few brushes of his comb in. I think doing it in the tunnel first helped him to see it wasn’t so scary after all!

 

[PrincessPig]

I would get the vet to do it. Piggies do not normally like grooming, they are also a prey animal so the belly is a no when touching them

Thank you, he’s actually started to settle down now in terms of grooming. I just nestle him in the crook of my arm slightly on his back, the user below gave a good tip of trying to do it in his tunnel. If he ever gets too anxious about it again though I think the vets the best bet.

 

[PrincessPig]

Here is my boy Finn in the plastic bin. This is him after a haircut and a bum bath.
I don't really do belly brush because my boy Finn doesn't like it.

View attachment 118630

Also this is Ted after his first bath and proper full groom thanks to your advice, he actually enjoyed it