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Wipes and oils.

Isabellajones

Isabellajones

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone,

So Shaun has chronic guy issues, lots of vet visits, tests, stopping veg, cutting down on veg, changing hay multiple times etc.. it’s just something we have to accept and live with. I’ve posted about his soft poops in the past and the vet now thinks it’s a chronic issue.

Anyway, he tends to get poops stuck to his hands a lot and I’ve taken to having to clean them once a day with damp kitchen towel but not really that effective.

What wipes are piggie safe?

Can I use an oil on his hands which will help stop the poops sticking and allow them to the cleaned off easier? If so, which oil is piggie safe?

Thanks!
 
First thing is to make sure you are poop picking the cage as much as you can.

Any poops which are stuck to his paws would
Ideally be soaked to get soft and then wiped off with a damp cloth rather than kitchen paper.

We would not recommend putting anything on their skin. The issue is that anything applied to their feet has the potential to make the skin soft which can then risk bumblefoot as there is no longer any hard skin to protect them.
 
I pick up the poops 4+ times a day.

He has clean blankets and pee pads twice (full fresh hay pile twice a day) a day and his Kavee liner is changed out twice a week. His area is as clean as I can be.

I’ve ordered some water based (99. water) baby wipes from Amazon.

How can I soak his hands 3+ times a day? Surly that’s not good for his skin on his hands or his mental health?

That’s a good point to be fair! Can they get bumble foot living on Kavee fleece liners 24/7? I noticed Kavee have a foot balm, I was going to buy it but held off until I had a reply here. Glad I held up tbh!

Thanks
 
Isabellajones said:
I pick up the poops 4+ times a day.

He has clean blankets and pee pads twice (full fresh hay pile twice a day) a day and his Kavee liner is changed out twice a week. His area is as clean as I can be.

I’ve ordered some water based (99. water) baby wipes from Amazon.

How can I soak his hands 3+ times a day? Surly that’s not good for his skin on his hands or his mental health?

That’s a good point to be fair! Can they get bumble foot living on Kavee fleece liners 24/7? I noticed Kavee have a foot balm, I was going to buy it but held off until I had a reply here. Glad I held up tbh!

Thanks
Click to expand...

You have to manage it as best you can but that is how you would need to get any dried on poops off - by soaking his feet to soften it and then wiping it off (that’s the standard advice).
Pure water wipes can be used but only if the poop is caught and wiped off while they are still wet.

The specific type of bedding you use does not cause bumblefoot. What causes it is bacteria getting into cracks in the skin. That can be because the skin isn’t tough enough and/or bedding is not being kept clean however. However bumblefoot can also be caused by other health conditions - poor circulation, heart issues etc, for example
 
I get them before they dry. That’s why I’m having to do it so many times a day now. Only once it was dried on and stuck completely and that time I did soak him.

Ah I see! Ok, so no to the foot balm at all then? Why do supposed cavy savvy places sell things that can cause health issues long term?! Just to make money! Really awful tbh.

The vet did mention benebac to try to harden the poops but no guarantee it will work, but it’s £30 on Amazon and that’s a lot to pay out if it’s rubbish.

Anyone tried it?
 
You don’t want to soften the skin so no to foot balm.
There are lots of things sold which aren’t necessary needed.

BeneBac is something used more in the US but I hear it is good.
I personally use the probiotic Fibreplex.
 
Ok! Thanks for that. Makes perfect sense really when thought about logically.

Would that help to harden up his loops do you think?
 
You could try Fibreplex for rodents instead of Benebac. This is a high fibre probiotic and has worked well for me when I have had piggies that have had soft poop due to taking antibiotics. It is not too expensive (I found it for around £12 on Amazon).
 
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