Bathing

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Hoggle*&*Ludo

Hoggle*&*Ludo

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hello,

My piggies are weeing a lot and their bums are always wet so I know bath time is looming. They are still nervous with me and know it is going to be a nightmare, has anyone got any tips? I have their shampoo at the ready but am scared of using it!

Should I just spot clean them? :(|)
 
Hi there,
I usually put a towel in the bath. We have a shower attachment on the taps.
I get everything ready first, towels out shampoo lid open, hairdryer ready, treats ready.
I find it easier to have help from another person. My only girl who is not at all nervous is Mildred and I can manage her on my own :)
My OH will hold the piggy while I quickly shower - use a jug if you haven't got a shower. Then I put the piggy on the bathroom carpet on a towel while I put a 50p size bit of shampoo rubbed between my hands and gently massage all over right upto the ears, underneath and around the bottom area.
If it is an anti-lice shampoo, I leave the girls wrapped up in a warm towel and hold them and feed them treats for ten minutes to stop them from being bored :)
Then rinse, one person to hold piggy and other to rinse thoroughly :)
Then towel dry which they hate and blow dry with hair dryer, keep your hand between the dryer and the piggy so you can feel the dryer is not too hot to burn the piggy, keep it moving wafting it around.
Then I usually brush and trim bum hair once clean and tangle free :)
 
I have to bath my girls again on Friday. I was so nervous when I first started bathing my piggies, but you will get used to it and so will they.
My rodentologist recommends piggies are bathed every 4-6 weeks with an anti lice shampoo such as flea or die, or lice and easy :) this process is then repeated 7 days after.
Aswell as this process Mildred and Holly my long haired girls end up at least having an in between bath as they need to be kept clean and as you are already aware it is so hard keeping their bums clean :)) My girls are on vet bed and they still get wet patches sometimes - if I notice this it is usually time to bath as otherwise they will get matted or sore.
When I got Holly from the rescue she had a really dodgy haircut as the rescue had to just cut out so much matted hair that had been left. She has such beautiful shiny hair now and you will find such pleasure in seeing your piggies looking so gorgeous and shiny :)
 
tattyruncy said:
Hi there,
Then towel dry which they hate and blow dry with hair dryer
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I think towel drying is Pippa and Willows favourite part of bathtime :))

What do your piggies think of the hairdryer? I've never tried in on my two.

I've always left them under warm towels to dry off themselves (we have 3 or 4 piggies towels which I'll rotate as they get too damp and stick on the radiator to dry off and warm up)
 
Mildred and Holly the long haired girls seem to love it, especially their furry tummies being dryed. :)
The other girls dont seem to mind/tolerate it - these 3 are all short haired so it is usually over and done with in a jiffy.
I think I just worry about them getting cold being left to dry in a towel :) I'm a bit of a worrier :)
 
I bathed all 3 of mine on Sunday and they dried themselves off under the radiator. They were all in a line - it looked like I'd put them there. They were dry within the hour. I used to use a hairdryer with my pigs when I was a kid put it was always a massive poo-fest and they were terrified so I don't bother now.
 
with regard to blow drying they do not tend to like a fast breeze and i use a low setting heat wise
 
I've got to do Mork later - he's still looking a bit dry. Going to coconeem him and see if it helps.
 
What does that mean?! :red

I want to bath mine so much but it is the drying process I am unsure of, the hairdryer will scare them into oblivion!
 
Hoggle*&*Ludo said:
What does that mean?! :red

I want to bath mine so much but it is the drying process I am unsure of, the hairdryer will scare them into oblivion!
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If you've got your central heating on, they will dry fairly quickly if they're running around. Just make sure they're completely dry before you put them away. And give them a good towel dry first to give them a head start.
 
Thank you. :)

I suppose me and my BF could have one each wrapped in a towel for a while, they would like that. Then I can get some soggy piggy pictures! :(|)
 
We washed mocha in the kitchen sink. I was all ready for a huge fight, like there is when you wash cats but when we put her in the water she just started walking around and drinking the water haha. Then we soaped her up and took her out and refilled the sink with clean water and rinsed her really well and filled the sink again just to make sure all the soap was gone. She never fussed once though she did think about getting out a few times...

Still haven't done moo she STILL hasn't had her babies and its driving me crazy.
 
Hoggle*&*Ludo said:
Ahhhh! :<>

How deep do you have the water? Is there a chance they could drown? :(
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I had it up to her chest. On the last rinse we made it a bit higher so she could swim a bit. Guinea pigs are very good swimmers ;D

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cciHtYn3MLY[/ame]

To be safe I would make the water pretty shallow. Besides you don't want them swimming around when you are trying to wash them.
 
tattyruncy said:
My rodentologist recommends piggies are bathed every 4-6 weeks with an anti lice shampoo such as flea or die, or lice and easy :) this process is then repeated 7 days after.
Click to expand...

I haven't quite understood what a rodentologist is. I don't think we have them over here. Do your pigs usually have lice when you treat them? Is it recommended for all pigs? Anti lice shampoos can be pretty strong and they obviously contain poison (but it may only be poisonous to lice, I guess). Why treat rotinely if they are not infested?

Just questions, I'm pretty new to pigs and take every opportunity to learn!

Oh, and where do pigs get lice from? Mine don't meet any other pigs so I'm thinking they couldn't get it?
 
How adorable, piggies swimming! Think mine are far too young and skittish at the mo so you are right, I will make it about an inch or two high and get my BF to help.
 
skrikopanik said:
I haven't quite understood what a rodentologist is. I don't think we have them over here. Do your pigs usually have lice when you treat them? Is it recommended for all pigs? Anti lice shampoos can be pretty strong and they obviously contain poison (but it may only be poisonous to lice, I guess). Why treat rotinely if they are not infested?

Just questions, I'm pretty new to pigs and take every opportunity to learn!

Oh, and where do pigs get lice from? Mine don't meet any other pigs so I'm thinking they couldn't get it?
Click to expand...


Pigs can get lice from there hay, and I must confess I don't treat for lice... I don't quite see the point if he doesn't have them... but I suppose I could be swayed from this opinion?!
 
Last edited:
thanks for the hints
I have to wash my fosters tomorrow

its going to be 39 so wont need a drier

be an interesting time

venice
 
I gave our girls there first bath a couple of weeks ago. We were nervous about it but it was quite successful. I bought a small square washing up bowl, I put about 3 inches of warm water in it, placed a flannel on the bottom so they couldn't slip, had the bowl next to the sink in the kitchen where I had fresh warm water for rinsing. Washed them in the small bowl with pet shampoo, then rinsed them off in the kitchen sink! Gave them a good towel dry and then a nice blow dry! They didn't seem at all bothered, in fact I think they quite enjoyed it!
 
I wash my long-hairs approx every 2 month (or more if they are being particularly lazy and sitting in their wee lol!). I definitely agree with putting a towel down - I started doing this a year ago and bath-time was MUCH easier. I think they freak out when their little paws skid without one. I fill bath water upto approx their lower chin, and sit them on the towel. I find they are happier when I wash them together also.

I tried in the sink once but they figured they could try to jump out so def stick to the bath! Shower head or jug works fine. If they get 'antsy', I let them run to the other end for a minute or so, then take them back.

Drying wise, I use a hairdryer and it's ok. I towel dry, then put it on a low setting (low heat and low power), sit and nurse them (so their noses are under my chin) on a towel, and put my hand over them bums and wiggle them with the hairdryer behind my hand. They're not too bad with it but I do find I have to be patient with stopping and starting. I always give them a treat during it aswell. Once their part dry, I put them down for a run and they generally dry off themselves.

Hope this helps anyway, every piggy different I guess. Mine have got quite used to bath-time and as long I'm a patient and stop and start, they're ok

Plus they look sooooo cute all bedraggled! :<>





Hoggle*&*Ludo said:
Ahhhh! :<>

How deep do you have the water? Is there a chance they could drown? :(
Click to expand...
 
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