why is my long haired guinea pig in pain when i brush his bottom.?

urmasdejormas

urmasdejormas

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Hi,
I have been brushing Charlie every time he has poop or knots in his bottom fur .
I have heared that you have to brush long haired guinea pigs .
I'm still not sure shoud i cut my guinea pigs fur if it has poop stuck to it.
its too cold to bathe my guinea pig...(my guinea pigs has to be outside because of family allergy problems)
the big worry is that charlie seems to panic , screech, bite, fidget, etc when i cry to brush him ...(or clean his bottom fur.
Is it because they have delicate skin or lots of nevers in his bottom area.
Every time after the grooming session he is in shock and i dont feel like doing it again....
i dont want to make him feel like I'm tormenting him.
can anyone give me advice.?
 
My long haired piggie squeaks and jumps whenever I brush around her butt. I think part of it is that they just don’t like their butts touched. If the hair is really matted and tangled,it would be good to cut the hair around there shorter. I keep Rapunzel’s hair around the back cut short so it doesn’t touch the ground and get poop and pee in it. A lot of people cut all the hair short so it is even with the floor and doesn’t drag through stuff. If you give him a bath, I would keep him inside until he is dry. You can even use a blow dryer on the low setting if it doesn’t scare him too much.
 
If the fur is getting messy it’ll need cut, if he’s in pain he’s possible matted?

I’ve got no personal experience with long haired piggies, so I’m just guessing!
 
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This is my Granville (an old photo of him in better weather). I comb his hair with a wide toothed comb available from Pets at Home. I can follow up with a small toothed brush when I know there are no tangles, to enable me to gather loose hair. Sometimes he has a matted hair so I use an anti-tangle brush that I got a couple of years back from the Pound Shop.
But I do keep his hair round his bottom quite short as poops can get caught if I left it longer or his hair could act as a sponge soaking up his urine.. His hair round the rest of his body I keep cut to floor level so there is no hair dragging round as he walks. It means that there is no need to wash him.
He loves being combed every night but is more sensitive around his rump so I am extra careful round that area.
 
Hi. I just don't think pigs like having their butts touched. My guinea pigs looooove it when I rub or scratch their back but if I brush by their bottom they run away or squeak, so I don't do it because I don't like making them upset, like you. which is totally understandable especially since they are prey animals and that is a natural instinct. Guinea pigs are just spoiled rotten lil complainers haha. I recommend just trimming the hair which is what most long haired guinea pigs need.
 
Betsy has a very fashionable wedge cut around her bum in the summer and in the winter she gets a quick trim. She is in desparate need of a bum bath and a good haircut but the weather is too cold and she is an outside piggy.
 
I've had 3 long haired piggies, non really liked having their bums combed. I would recommend a hair trim, it makes it easier all round.
I used to put mine on a flat board and gently trim the hair so it was just above ground level. xx
 
I have one piggy with some long hair, sort of. Cuddles is an abyssinian mixed with either sheltie or coronet, and she has some longer hair on her behind area. But thanks to a particularly well-placed whorl, it sticks up like a shark fin and doesn't drag anywhere! I'm so lucky!

Her fur never seems to be matted or tangled, but she doesn't like it when you touch her bum, or the long fluffy bits on them. Brushing it ever so lightly with your fingertips will result in her dramatically stampeding away, making sure to jostle as many of the others as possible. :))
 
If it’s knotted or matted Id cut it out! The comb should glide through gently and even then mine squeak because they don’t like it but at least you’ll know it’s not pain related! Give veggies and get it over with as quickly as possible and put them back. Do this regularly so it’s quick for them and easier to manage xx
 
My long haired boy protests at having his bum area brushed or combed but sometimes if there is a slight matt in his hair then it's going to pull and that can be painful. I always cut any matts or sticky bits out first and then give him a brush
 
urmasdejormas said:
Hi,
I have been brushing Charlie every time he has poop or knots in his bottom fur .
I have heared that you have to brush long haired guinea pigs .
I'm still not sure shoud i cut my guinea pigs fur if it has poop stuck to it.
its too cold to bathe my guinea pig...(my guinea pigs has to be outside because of family allergy problems)
the big worry is that charlie seems to panic , screech, bite, fidget, etc when i cry to brush him ...(or clean his bottom fur.
Is it because they have delicate skin or lots of nevers in his bottom area.
Every time after the grooming session he is in shock and i dont feel like doing it again....
i dont want to make him feel like I'm tormenting him.
can anyone give me advice.?
Click to expand...

Hi!
Please keep the hairs at the bum end and around the genitalia and legs cut short to prevent matting and tangling as much as possible in the first place. Gently cut out any mats before you start brushing. Pulling on tangles is painful, so most piggies don't like grooming and protest loudly. some will also kick if you come near their back end with a brush for that reason.

Cut the long hair short in summer as it is like living in a skisuit on a tropical beach; they hair will grow back quickly. Also keep the undercoat on the sides cut shorter (less tangling and less hassle for the piggy. Make sure that there are no hairs your guinea pig can tread on and that it can still do all the piggy stuff.

Here are tips on boar care, including bum baths: Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
 
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