When To Do What?

[ellybelly07]

What care should I give the pigs weekly, monthly, and yearly? I've got what I need to do daily care and I know what to do but what about all these times? When to clean grease gland, go to vet, bathe, ect...? thanks

 

[VickiA]

Oh, bless you, don't stress too much. The daily care is the hardest thing to get used to, so if you've got that sussed then you are most of the way there. Take to vets when there is a change in behaviour you are worried about. Grease glands - depends entirely on the piggies. Some never need doing, others need a bit of regular maintenance. Bathing - depends again on the piggies. Long haired need more attention than short haired. Personally I've not had to do more than a bum bath when necessary. Be guided by your piggies

 

[ellybelly07]

Oh, bless you, don't stress too much. The daily care is the hardest thing to get used to, so if you've got that sussed then you are most of the way there. Take to vets when there is a change in behaviour you are worried about. Grease glands - depends entirely on the piggies. Some never need doing, others need a bit of regular maintenance. Bathing - depends again on the piggies. Long haired need more attention than short haired. Personally I've not had to do more than a bum bath when necessary. Be guided by your piggies

thanks

 

[madguinealady]

Nail clipping every four weeks and weighing every week .My short haired piggies only get bathed twice a year but my Peruvian gets bathed as and when she needs it.Don't worry, just enjoy them

 

[ellybelly07]

Nail clipping every four weeks and weighing every week .My short haired piggies only get bathed twice a year but my Peruvian gets bathed as and when she needs it.Don't worry, just enjoy them

thanks

 

[jenniferanneharris]

Also worth adding its good to keep a weight record and weigh your piggies weekly. This gets you and your piggies into a habbit and can help you catch any illness before they show symptoms -being prey animals....they will hide when they are poorly...so a weight loss can indicate illness and further attention...more can be read about this on some of the health pages :-D .

 

[sport_billy]

Just to add to the excellent advice from all above.. With nail clipping it can be good to get a vet to show you how to do it, it helps to see it done at close hand.

 

[VickiA]

Just to add to the excellent advice from all above.. With nail clipping it can be good to get a vet to show you how to do it, it helps to see it done at close hand.

Good point, sport_billy - especially if your piggies have dark nails. I have just had to refresh myself on clipping dark claws as the beautiful Connie has not one single easy white nail!

 

[Wiebke]

You can find threads about piggy body quirks and early signs of illness in our Daily Care section. Combined, they should help you get a feeling for what is normal and what not. Weighing weekly and giving your piggy a weekly once-over is an important tool for discovering problems early on.
Any weight loss over 50g should be investigated by a vet; it is important that you set aside penty of funds, as vet care in the US can quickly run into th hundreds or even over a thousand dollars when you are faced with a serious health issue and an operation.

Americans tend to bathe more often that people in Europe. For the sake of the piggy skin, it is important to not overdo it. Usually a bum bath (just washing/rinsing with baby warm water around the soiled back end) does the trick, especially with boars. Some breeds are more likely to pick up dirt, like rougher haired rexes or teddies or their longhaired counterparts, which need daily grooming anyway. Smooth haired shorthair and longhair piggies are less likely to pick up dust and dirt although you want to keep longhaired piggies cut short around the back end and sides to prevent frequent messes and matting.

Boars are more likely to suffer from grease gland overactivity and greasy hair or a build-up of gunk around the grease gland, this issue you check weekly and address at need.