My long haired Gp baby has matted fur what can i do

Alison c

Alison c

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My little Gary who I have only had for just under two weeks has small mats on his chest and belly.... I have removed them now[ but you would swear I was murdering him the noise that came out of his mouth .....I appeased him slightly with fresh parsley, but geez I never thought such a small animal could make such a loud noise 😭 was I hurting him? I use a bristle brush and a small metal comb but i shaved the small mat out there were two tiny ones with my pet trimmer (I used to work in a dog groomers for 10 years) although I've never groomed a guinea pig before....i need help 😓that was heartbreaking 😭 poor Gary.
I brush Gary and his brother Ron daily but I'm unsure of the correct way to get under is chin and to groom his belly? ....at this point i'd rather do a full groom on a Rottweiler 😂
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Oh bless him! That’s the thing with long haired piggies their fur needs looking after a lot! I do love them though 😍 You wasn’t hurting him as much as you think you was, My first girl piggie I had screamed when being brushed ever so lightly, I think they are just drama Queens 😂
 
Lucyscavies said:
Oh bless him! That’s the thing with long haired piggies their fur needs looking after a lot! I do love them though 😍 You wasn’t hurting him as much as you think you was, My first girl piggie I had screamed when being brushed ever so lightly, I think they are just drama Queens 😂
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Thank goodness for that, I was being as gentle as I could but I knew I had to get the mats off I've seen what bad matting can do in dogs so of course as they're my new babies I want to do right by them... oh!... the drama of it all 🤔
 
I think if you're skilled at dog grooming you should do fine with your piggies, cutting or shaving off any matted bits and grooming regularly is the best plan- hopefully if you combine grooming with treats they will get used to it over time!
 
I've not even had to touch some of my long hairs with a comb or scissors before they start screaming! They can be extremely dramatic.. it may have hurt a little bit, but it's better for them to have short term pain while they're being removed than long term pain having them sat there pulling on the skin.

Ever since I've started doing 'hygiene cuts' on my long hairs, I've not had to deal with any mats at all so find long hairs quite easy to care for now. I just trim or shave around the genitals, the inner legs and under the main skirt of hair on their rump, that seems to be the most sensitive areas where they don't like being brushed or combed so trimming it short removes that discomfort for them and grooming becomes a lot less stressful for all parties involved once they get used to it :)
 
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PigglePuggle said:
I think if you're skilled at dog grooming you should do fine with your piggies, cutting or shaving off any matted bits and grooming regularly is the best plan- hopefully if you combine grooming with treats they will get used to it over time!
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I think I'll be ok I think it was just the noise that threw me... but I know after so many years grooming to get the job done as quickly as possible without prolonging the groom, I wasn't sure if there was a certain way to hold them to get under the chin and belly any easier.
but fair play they're very amenable to treats especially the green and sweet pepper kind lol thanks so much x
 
Lucyscavies said:
Oh bless him! That’s the thing with long haired piggies their fur needs looking after a lot! I do love them though 😍 You wasn’t hurting him as much as you think you was, My first girl piggie I had screamed when being brushed ever so lightly, I think they are just drama Queens 😂
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PigglePuggle said:
I think if you're skilled at dog grooming you should do fine with your piggies, cutting or shaving off any matted bits and grooming regularly is the best plan- hopefully if you combine grooming with treats they will get used to it over time!
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Eriathwen said:
I've not even had to touch some of my long hairs with a comb or scissors before they start screaming! They can be extremely dramatic.. it may have hurt a little bit, but it's better for them to have short term pain while they're being removed than long term pain having them sat there pulling on the skin.

Ever since I've started doing 'hygiene cuts' on my lot hairs, I've not had to deal with any mats at all so find log hairs quite easy to care for now. I just trim or shave around the genitals, the inner legs and under the main skirt of hair on their rump, that seems to be the most sensitive areas where they don't like being brushed or combed so trimming it short removes that discomfort for them and grooming becomes a lot less stressful for all parties involved once they get used to it :)
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That's brilliant advice thanks so much I'll definitely start that in their daily routine to get them used to it x
 
Sounds like you have it all in hand. I’d second using the trimmer underneath, all round their bits and their inner hind legs and then trimming the skirt or trousers to prevent them soaking it in wee and poop. Felix is in constant need of attention for this very reason.
 
Wot a cutie! I’d advise to try keep on top of grooming. Try brushing gently every day with a soft baby brush and give a thorough groom once a week. A soak in a warm bath with small animal shampoo will help remove hay and poop caught in fur. Knots can be gently teased out with a tiny amount of mild hair conditioner. Good luck you will get there
 
VickiA said:
Sounds like you have it all in hand. I’d second using the trimmer underneath, all round their bits and their inner hind legs and then trimming the skirt or trousers to prevent them soaking it in wee and poop. Felix is in constant need of attention for this very reason.
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I think having waited all of my 49 years for my very first guinea pig and ending up with three lol....i want to do right by the boys I'm a bit like an overprotective mum and they're so small and cute and FLUFFY that I don't want to hurt them or make them uncomfortable but I know that grooming especially in the Long haired guinea pigs is a must xx so we'll persevere and keep doing the daily brushes and trim a little where I can ...I have them on fleece as that seemed the best thing to keep their fur tidy....apart from the hay x thanks so much for your reply x i love this forum 💞
 
Winniepeg said:
Wot a cutie! I’d advise to try keep on top of grooming. Try brushing gently every day with a soft baby brush and give a thorough groom once a week. A soak in a warm bath with small animal shampoo will help remove hay and poop caught in fur. Knots can be gently teased out with a tiny amount of mild hair conditioner. Good luck you will get there
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He is a cutie but then I'm biased 😂 thanks so much for your great advice x
 
Such a cutie.
Can’t add to what others have said but my long haired piggy is a real diva who always acts as if she’s being tortured when having her fur trimmed.
 
My Granville enjoys being combed and trimmed. But he is 4 yrs old and his hair is fairly silky. Your Gary looks to have denser hair. I was advised to use an anti tangle hairbrush when I first got him. I have found that regular brushing and keeping his hair a reasonable length prevents any tangles.
 

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Some pigs can be really dramatic... Hadley shrieks when she even gets a trim. No mats, no pulling, not hear her skin.... just trimming the long train at the back. You would think we were murdering her! It sounds like you did fine... with my longer pigs I will go over them every day or two with a slicker brush to try and prevent matted fur, but the ones that form I just cut out with scissors despite their protest!
 
I had a teddy named Bunny (she passed away last year) and I had to regularly trim her bum because it gets long and matted from time to time. She wasn't really much a squealer thankfully, but she would often twitch just before I cut the hair so I had to be really careful. Her fur around the eyes and nose gets long too so hubby had to cut it while I was holding her. If we didn't do that, we wouldn't see her face! 😂

Like what everyone said, piggies can be overly dramatic. I used to comb my other piggy's hair, Cookie (she passed away on Wednesday), and she would scream murder. She was an abbysinian. Although as time goes by, you would notice there is a difference between the dramatic squeal and the hurting squeal. I can't exactly describe it but you would know. 🤷
 
I must be extremely lucky, I can shave Stanley all over without a peep from him, he is such a laid back piggy. ;)
 
Just a wee tip for long haired piggies. A shampoo with 'gorgeous guineas' shampoo months ago and my long haired piggies very seldom have matts any more. I brush them about once every one or two weeks. Hy short haired guys have more matts. I definitely think that the conditioners in the gorgeous guineas shampoo has made a huge difference.
 
anyar.dris said:
I had a teddy named Bunny (she passed away last year) and I had to regularly trim her bum because it gets long and matted from time to time. She wasn't really much a squealer thankfully, but she would often twitch just before I cut the hair so I had to be really careful. Her fur around the eyes and nose gets long too so hubby had to cut it while I was holding her. If we didn't do that, we wouldn't see her face! 😂

Like what everyone said, piggies can be overly dramatic. I used to comb my other piggy's hair, Cookie (she passed away on Wednesday), and she would scream murder. She was an abbysinian. Although as time goes by, you would notice there is a difference between the dramatic squeal and the hurting squeal. I can't exactly describe it but you would know. 🤷
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Aww.I'm so.sorry to hear that cookie passed away such a sad time...they don't half steal our hearts xx sending hugs of the invisible kind your way xx
 
Reenie said:
Just a wee tip for long haired piggies. A shampoo with 'gorgeous guineas' shampoo months ago and my long haired piggies very seldom have matts any more. I brush them about once every one or two weeks. Hy short haired guys have more matts. I definitely think that the conditioners in the gorgeous guineas shampoo has made a huge difference.
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Ooh that sounds amazing.... where would i find this conditioner?..if you don't mind me asking x
 
Reenie said:
If you search gorgeous guineas on line you'll find they have a good range. X posh n go is the one I used.
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Thankyou so much I'll order some and let you know how we get on xx
 
We have two baby 8 week old abysynnians and the one with the calmer fur currently has a tuft I think I should get rid of. My cat used to get them and they needed removing before things got matted.

However if you’ve seen me on other threads you’ll know I’ve only managed to pick them up once in the two weeks I’ve had them, they are so skittish. We are slowly slowly getting there as sometimes I can stroke their head if they are eating and have nowhere to go, one plays dead and the other screams blue murder.

So anyway, am guessing pulling it out while he’s in motion is a no-no (am only half joking)?!
 
YorkshireLass said:
We have two baby 8 week old abysynnians and the one with the calmer fur currently has a tuft I think I should get rid of. My cat used to get them and they needed removing before things got matted.

However if you’ve seen me on other threads you’ll know I’ve only managed to pick them up once in the two weeks I’ve had them, they are so skittish. We are slowly slowly getting there as sometimes I can stroke their head if they are eating and have nowhere to go, one plays dead and the other screams blue murder.

So anyway, am guessing pulling it out while he’s in motion is a no-no (am only half joking)?!
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Oh. I read that at first that your cat used to get your guinea pigs, then I realised you meant it got matts. Lol
 
YorkshireLass said:
We have two baby 8 week old abysynnians and the one with the calmer fur currently has a tuft I think I should get rid of. My cat used to get them and they needed removing before things got matted.

However if you’ve seen me on other threads you’ll know I’ve only managed to pick them up once in the two weeks I’ve had them, they are so skittish. We are slowly slowly getting there as sometimes I can stroke their head if they are eating and have nowhere to go, one plays dead and the other screams blue murder.

So anyway, am guessing pulling it out while he’s in motion is a no-no (am only half joking)?!
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All I can say is three weeks today I had my three and things are getting so much easier. Perseverance and plenty of positive contact ( with food in my hand is key) Gary the Texel with matted fur under his chin will now let me get any mats with the clippers and he lets me brush and gently comb him daily, I’m so lucky my lads are just fab 😍💋 that’s Gary in his cardboard tunnel 😍FDD05CF9-37A5-4346-829A-9C2DCF14DB47.webp
 
Seven weeks on since I posted on here and they are 15 weeks old now, finally this week they are putting up with daily brushing/combing. Hooray! Had to cut a few matted bits away at the back and hopefully we won’t get so many with regular grooming.

I have found that one has matted bits on his tummy and I cannot seem to hold him in order to comb there. It’s also a tricky area to be snipping them out. Any advice for tummy grooming welcome!
 
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