9-tips-bathing-guinea-pigs

One of the best ways to keep your guinea pig clean and remove dirt from it fur is by bathing it. Ever wondered how often you should bath your guinea pig? Most vets suggest that they should be bathed once a month. Bathing your guinea pig one’s month might seem unsanitary, but the truth is that it isn’t. You see, guinea pigs are great at keeping their furs clean. Having said that, there are some circumstances where a bath is warranted like when they soil their fur with dirt or when it is greasy.

If you are new to guinea pigs or you just got your first guinea pig, you are likely going to be worried about how you are going to bath it. But you don’t have to because bathing a guinea pig isn’t a big deal. If you are able to it calm, it will be easy for you to wash dirt from its fur without breaking a sweat.

In this article, we are going to be looking at some tips that will come in when you are bathing your guinea pig.

 

Calm it before bathing it

Your guinea pig is likely going to become afraid and anxious if you place it in a container of water and immediately start bathing, without calming it down first. There are several things you could do to keep your guinea pig calm. Below are a few of them.

  • Stroke its delicate furs gently.
  • Give it a treat like a slice of cucumber or a lettuce leaf.
  • Hold it close to you.

If you need to bath two or more guinea pigs, you should wash them one at a time. Doing this will reduce the odds of them getting hurt or aggregating each other.

As you probably know, guinea pigs don’t like to be carried all the time. So, if your guinea pig is acting jumpy, carefully put it in a box and carry it to the area you are going to bath it.

 

Pre-bath cleaning

Before giving your guinea pig a full bath, it is essential that you first wipe its furs with a wet cloth. Dip a clean-soft cloth into warm water and use it to remove surface dirt on the fur of your guinea pig. If its fur looks clean after doing this, you may not need to give it a full bath.

Never should you use dust treatment to clean your guinea pig. Since guinea pigs do not naturally use dust you clean themselves, using it on your guinea pig is likely going to cause more harm than good. Reports from various vets show that dust treatment can cause a severe respiratory problem in guinea pigs.

 

Try not to drown it

See, you don’t have to fill the container you are going to use to bath your guinea pig to the bream to give your guinea pig a good bath. Pour 5 cm of water into the container you want to use to bath your guinea pig. To prevent it from slipping, lay a cloth in the bottom of the container.

Don’t use hot water to bath your guinea pig, as it can dry out or irritate its sensitive skin. Also, don’t use cold water so as not to lower its body temperature. It is best you use lukewarm water.

 

Lowing your guinea pig into the container

As previously mentioned, pour 5 cm of water into the container you want to use to bath your guinea pig. Next, put your guinea pig into the water slowly. Once it is in the water, give a couple of seconds to adjust to the temperature. Don’t walkway from your guinea pig while it is in a bath container, as this can make it anxious or afraid.

 

Get it wet

Use your hands or a small cup to scoop Luke warm water over the body of your guinea pig until its fur is wet. Be careful when doing this so that water doesn’t enter its face and ears. If your guinea pig is filthy, use a wet cloth to wipe dirt off its fur. Try to avoid sensitive areas like the eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.

 

Guinea pig shampoo

To ensure that your guinea pig is clean, use a few drops of high-quality guinea pig shampoo to wash its fur. Don’t apply the shampoo directly on the fur of your guinea pig. Instead, pour a few drops on into your hand and gently use it to massage the skin of your guinea pig.

  • Try not to get shampoo near its ear and face
  • Don’t use dog or human shampoos on your guinea pig

 

Rinsing

After washing the greasy dirt out of its fur, use warm water to rinse away the shampoo. It is essential that you carefully rinse out all traces of shampoo from the skin of your guinea pig so that it doesn’t irritate its skin later on.

 

Use a clean towel to dry it

Wrap a towel over your guinea pig to keep it warm as well as to absorb most of the moisture. Don’t be alarmed or worried if your guinea pig starts shivering. This is completely natural. It is likely going to stop shivering when it is completely dry.

 

Using a dryer

See, you don’t have to use a hair dryer to dry up your guinea pig. But if you live in a cold environment and are concerned that it won’t dry quickly, then you can use a hairdryer. To use, turn it to the lowest speed and heat. To tell if the heat and speed are ok, place your hand on the vent of the blow dryer to see if its temperature is moderate or extreme.

 

Final note

Bathing and cleaning a guinea pig is not as difficult as you may think. All you got to do is to follow the instructions in this article. And remember that you only have to bath it once a month or when its fur is soiled or greasy.

 

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