Piggy grooming salon

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Hannah8881

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Hi there I was bathing my piggies yesterday and I was thinking that I bet there is a lot of people out there who do not bath or groom their piggies. That then gave me the idea of a piggy grooming salon. I could offer to bath and brush piggies also cut their nails when I get a little more confident. What do you guys think of this idea? I'm not sure if it will be a flop if I decided to do it. I just thought it would be good for people who don't have the confidence or the time to give their piggies a little pampering. I would appreciate your opinions please both good and bad. Thanks :)
 
I wasn't sure if it would hit it off or not. I suppose there is no harm in trying :) thank you
 
i think thats an ace idea. i wish they had something like that near me i would take them for a pampering session x
 
Funny you should say this, my mum said i should do this.

As we have 28 i though that is enough to deal with haha.

Id go for it, no harm trying it for a while.

x;)
 
Worth trying, break into it easily, it is a bit nerve-wracking bathing a pig that isn't yours for the first time - gets easier everytime after though!

Worth being "up" on skin issues too if you're going into this - consider keeping anti-parasitic and anti-fungal shampoos around as these are good to use a regular shampoos, keep parasitic and fungal conditions at bay even if there isn't an active, symptomatic problem. You may find that people might bring their piggie with a skin problem to you to be bathed so worth pointing out from the start if you'll accept these or if you're *just* operating as a grooming salon for healthy piggies. :)
 
I think its a great idea, and think of all the stinky pigs that will love you forever!
 
Why not give it a go? I know of a guinea pig boarding business that does shampooing and toenail clipping on request. Good luck!
 
Laura made a valid point :) definately think about the skin problems and also be aware not to have anyone elses piggies in close contact with your own :) Gorgeous guineas website is worth a look at for skin problems and treatments/shampoos.
My rodentologist Lisa is in Lincolnshire and she would be a good contact if you wanted to learn more :)
 
just my opinion but i don't think people would pay to have their guinea pigs "groomed." i mean there's not much to it- they don't need bathing regularly like dogs, nail trimming can be done by a vet if people don't know how to do it themselves, and brushing isn't really worth paying for?
it's a nice idea but i just can't see people looking for someone else to do this. you'd be better off opening a website with information on how to nail trim properly- maybe advice on long haired piggy care- than trying to make money from it.
 
Well, I know an ex dog groomer, who said it was a very depressing job. Bear in mind that not all groomers will see it this way, but these were her points:

- Each animal sees you for only 1/2 hour every few months, so they are frightened and hate you.
- You get people who have let their animals coat get into a terrible state come in and expect you to fix it in 1/2 hour, and are annoyed when you have to cut some off.
- It's frighteningly easy to injure a frightened wriggling animal when you are trying to cut its hair (even with safety clippers).
- You get dogs with behavioral problems (aggression, overexcitement, fear) because the owners aren't able to groom them themselves.

Obviously not all of that applies to pigs! But it may be worth talking to dog groomers before getting into it.
 
Hello,
I am a dog groomer, and have also groomed cats, rabbits and guinea pigs.

It is true that you will probably see some awful things. Not all owners are prepared to groom their animals, or have time, or confidence.

I think its a good idea. You will get great satisfaction from making them feel better, and looking better. You may be able to change the view of some piggy owners too...they may learn that giving their piggies a pamper is great for its wellbeing. :)

Go for it!
 
Say, you might be interested in this book: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/20869
(or from amazon: [ame]http://www.amazon.com/A-Feral-Darkness-ebook/dp/B003YJEWVC/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&m=A7B2F8DUJ88VZ&s=digital-text&qid=1281214402&sr=1-12[/ame]). It's fiction, but the main character is a dog groomer.
 
Might be worthwhile thinking about insurance just incase. Sounds like a good idea though and it could well give you a wee bit of extra cash.
 
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