Ear Cleaning?

[Coco&Luna]

Just wondering if you guys clean your pig ears regularly? I've owned guinea pigs for over 5 years and had 4 pigs and have never done this? I read it on something called the happy cavy blog showing how to clean your pigs ears out with mineral oil and a cotton bud, do you guys do this? I just had a look in the pig ears, but I don't even know what ear wax looks like? is it black?

 

[nicky]

I have never done this. Should I ?

 

[Coco&Luna]

:/ idk, i read it here because i was having a look in Lunas ears and realised i didn't even know what earwax looked like & couldn't even tell if they were dirty because they're black anyway, lol.
http://www.happycavy.com/how-to-clean-guinea-pig-ears/

Don't worry, i've never done it either.

 

[Veggies Galore]

I have to say - just like it says in a section of the article you have given a link for ...

DO NOT stick the cotton buds inside your guinea pig’s ears!


Just a slight poke or prod can seriously damage a guinea pig’s ear. If you suspect that your guinea pig has a large build-up of earwax, schedule a vet appointment where a deep ear cleaning can be safely performed.

I think the intention is to prevent a build up of wax on the outside of you guinea pigs' ears

 

[Wiebke]

I have to say - just like it says in a section of the article you have given a link for ...

DO NOT stick the cotton buds inside your guinea pig’s ears!


Just a slight poke or prod can seriously damage a guinea pig’s ear. If you suspect that your guinea pig has a large build-up of earwax, schedule a vet appointment where a deep ear cleaning can be safely performed.

I think the intention is to prevent a build up of wax on the outside of you guinea pigs' ears

I fully agree with @PiggyOwner - DO NOT stick a cotton bud in the ears and DO NOT use mineral oil!

If you notice a lot of dirt in your piggies' ears, please see a vet for a suitable ear spray that will dissolve ear wax overnight, so you can gently remove it with a bit of loose cotton wool. Ear wax always has the same colour as the skin of the piggy's ears.

 

[Coco&Luna]

Yeah, kinna like the way your supposed to do with your own ears, I gathered that. I wouldnt go shoving two foot of cotton bud into their heads lol
But i've never cleaned their ears at all & was wanting to know if you guys do as is advised in the article and clean around their ears.
& also what does earwax looks like, is it the same colour as ours? because i wouldnt know what a build-up of wax looks like if i don't even know what earwax looks like in the first place, especially in black ears?

 

[Coco&Luna]

ahhh ok, just curious. so if Luna has black ears, her earwax is black? lol....chameleon ear wax!

 

[Wiebke]

Yeah, kinna like the way your supposed to do with your own ears, I gathered that. I wouldnt go shoving two foot of cotton bud into their heads lol
But i've never cleaned their ears at all & was wanting to know if you guys do as is advised in the article and clean around their ears.
& also what does earwax looks like, is it the same colour as ours? because i wouldnt know what a build-up of wax looks like if i don't even know what earwax looks like in the first place, especially in black ears?

I have just answered most your question in my last post. I check the ears regularly; most of my piggies' ears are actually perfectly fine and don;t need any care. For Nerys, who suffers from getting a build up of gunk in her ears occasionally, I have got a spray from the vets.

 

[Veggies Galore]

I was shown (by Cavy Corner) to wipe the outside of the ear with a damp swab ( like makeup pads)as part of a weekly check over. I haven't had any problems - I'd be able to tell you what colour wax was if I did!

 

[Coco&Luna]

yea cheers. it was just a general question. Not a threat that I was about to start poking hard instruments into my pets eardrums.

 

[Veggies Galore]

yea cheers. it was just a general question. Not a threat that I was about to start poking hard instruments into my pets eardrums.

I have to say - just like it says in a section of the article you have given a link for ...

DO NOT stick the cotton buds inside your guinea pig’s ears!


Just a slight poke or prod can seriously damage a guinea pig’s ear. If you suspect that your guinea pig has a large build-up of earwax, schedule a vet appointment where a deep ear cleaning can be safely performed.

I think the intention is to prevent a build up of wax on the outside of you guinea pigs' ears

I didn't doubt you . I posted my above post in case anyone read this thread without clicking on your link.

I know a lot of humans use cotton buds to clean inside their ears - even though hoomans aren't meant to !

 

[7squeakers.]

I believe that the general thinking these days is don't try cleaning them too often unless there is an obvious build up of wax. Mites or excessive wax need vet treatment.