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smelly pigs!

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rachy

Hi everyone,

My two lads Moses and Ken have begun to smell! Its a sort of dirty unwashed sort of smell more on their bellies than anywhere else. :o
They are still quite young ( about 15 weeks old) we have bathed them once but it was only about a week ago. I have recently started using new bedding in their cage its stuff a bit like cotton wool, could this be to blame? The smell has only started recently. Is it ok to give them another bath? Should I use hay for them to sleep on and do away with the fluffy bedding? All advice very much appreciated!

Rach
 
Hi Rach, I'm afraid i can't help you with why your Moses & Ken are smelling now as i haven't experienced this with my boys but i know lots of people on hear seem to have this problem. :-\

I'm not sure the cotton wool type bedding is a good thing to use. Is it that coloured stuff that can be used as bedding for hamsters? Hay can be used as bedding for your piggies. :)
 
Yes its the same coloured stuff you can use for hamsters - I've taken it out to see if its the culprit. We were trying to avoid having loads of hay in their cage (they always have some to eat though) as I think my husband is allergic to the hay. Oh well he will just have to put up with it!
 
If you take a look in the Housing section, there is a posting on there from Lez entitled "Suggestions for bedding" (it's on the second page) this should give you ideas of alternatives you can you. There are afew posting on there about different beddings so that all should help. I have always used wood shavings but since i have been on this site (just over 2 weeks) i have found that most people don't agree with using this.
 
I find that my boars do have a stronger smell than the sows.,some more than others.The long haired ones tend to be the worst.Yes,you could bath them again,but too frequent bathing can make the skin dry and therefore prone to skin problems.May I ask what shampoo you are using?.Gorgeous Guineas do shampoos and conditioners that are suitable for more frequent use.

Whatever type of bedding you use,it needs to be changed at least once a day,because the urine starts to smell after a few hours and if the pigs are lying on it the hair on their fronts will pick up the smell.
 
it would be the bedding i think, i have had the same problem with bertie. he is on his own until he can be neutered and to make him less lonely i gave him some of that cosy fluffy stuff to cuddle up in. he started to smell within about 2 days. it's because it absorbs all of the urine and it doesn't drain away. also, i think the boys do smell more ::)
 
Thank you everyone for your advice! We have stopped using the woolley bedding and they are back sleeping on fresh hay again and we've already noticed a sweeter smell! We also give them a bath using the gorgeous guinea products that are often recommended on this website so they smell beautifully of lavender and rose!
Thanks again for all the very good advice


Rach x
 
Lavender and Rose? What shampoo was that? I have the Rustic Rhapsody which is Rosewood and absolutely gorgeous :)
 
The five oil one it smells so lovely though it reminds me a bit of hippies!
 
omg my piggies's bums stink sometimes and then they rub their bums along the floor and the room has like a stinky smell. We just Wipe their bums with warm water cotton pads.

Vets said theyre just manly pigs 98)
 
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