Bathing your guinea pig

Guinea pigs need to be kept in a clean and dry environment and you will find that your guinea pig will rarely appear dirty and won't smell. In saying this it's always a good idea to give your guinea pig a bath routinely every couple of months it will help to keep their coat in top condition dense and silky and will help to remove any excess shedding of hair.  

Shorthair guinea pigs don't often need bathing although should be bathed at least once every three months in a mite/lice wash. Longhair guinea pigs on the other hand require more regular bathing and grooming as their coats grow on average an inch a month. A longhair guinea pig should be bathed every couple of months to keep their coats in good condition. Regular clipping/trimming of a longhairs coat especially around the back area will keep their coats clean and more manageable.

What shampoo/conditioner do I use?
There are many shampoos and conditioners on the market leaving guinea pig owners wondering what is best and safest to use on their guinea pig. It is recommended not to use human products on guinea pigs as some of the chemicals can irritate the skin and eyes although in my experience I have used some brands of natural organic or fruit/herbal extract human shampoos in the past with no side effects. Shampoos specifically formulated for small animals, dogs/cats or horses are generally recommended for your guinea pig and you can usually find a small animal shampoo at your local vet or pet supply store.

Every three or so months you will also need to routinely bath your guinea pig in a parasite/mite wash to prevent them from becoming infested with mites. Recommended washed can be found below.

List of shampoos/conditioners that come highly recommended by guinea pig owners.

• Parasite/Mite Washes

• Fido's Rinse Concentrate ( contains the active ingredient pyrethrin and is one of the most widely used, safe and effective external mite treatments. Can be purchased from any vet of pet supply store ).

• Revolution ( Revolution is a topical treatment for parasites you do not need to bath your guinea pig in revolution and it is quickly becoming the easier and more effective option for ongoing parasite prevention. Simply purchase a tube from your local vet, ebay or pet supply store and place 3 to 4 drops of revolution on the skin of your guinea pig. Revolution treatment is generally repeated every 3 months.

• General Shampoos and Conditioners

• Any of the Fido's Shampoo range

• Baby Shampoo

• Head and Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo ( Human product. Leaves coat dandruff free, super soft and silky with no residue )

• Aristopet small animal shampoo

• Plush Puppy Reviva Coat ( a soft all natural organic leave in detangling/moisturising foam. Simply apply a small amount to damp coat to leave your guinea pig smelling divine and your guinea pigs coat ever so soft and silky. )

• Plush Puppy Shampoo/Conditioner Range ( Plush Puppy all natural/organic range leaves the coat silky soft and smelling beautiful. 100% safe to use and highly recommended products. Visit the plush puppy website to order online. www.plushpuppy.com ).

• Natural/Organic Shampoos
   

How do I bath my guinea pig?

Some guinea pigs thoroughly enjoy their bath yet for others it can be a bit of a battle!

It is best to bath your guinea pig in something at least 40cm x 40cm and with high sides. Fill your guinea pigs bath so it is approximately 6cm deep guinea pigs prefer shallow baths and feel more secure. Fill the bath tub with mildly warm water. Place your guinea pig in the bath and make sure the guinea pigs head is kept above water at all times as if water is inhaled it could get into the guinea pigs lungs. To make sure your guinea pig feels safe and secure place one arm in the bath underneath your guinea pig under their front feet so that the guinea pig can stand with it's front feet out of the water and on your hand/arm.
 

Some people like to mix a small amount of shampoo/conditioner into the water itself rather than directly onto the guinea pig then you can simply splash the water onto the coat of your guinea pig without the need to rinse and with minimal residue left on the coat. Others like to give the coat a wash with a small amount of the shampoo then rinse off. When rinsing the shampoo from your guinea pigs coat you can either empty the bath water and refill to wash the shampoo out or you can gently hold your guinea pigs body under a slow flowing tap to rinse. Make sure no residue is left on the coat. After the bath place your guinea pig on a towel or nappy and gently towel dry. If it is a warm day you can then place your guinea pig outside on the lawn to dry off or if it is cooler weather it is recommended to use a hair dryer on low speed to dry your guinea pigs coat as guinea pigs can catch a chill quite easily. If you wish to blow dry your guinea pigs coat the best method is to sit your guinea pig on a towel on a stool of some sort such as a bucket sitting upside down with the towel placed on it, place one hand on your guinea pig so they feel secure then gently dry the coat.
 

(c) Copyright 2006, Australian Cavy Sanctuary. All rights reserved.

Grooming your

guinea pig

Regular grooming helps to keep your guinea pigs coat silky smooth and helps to stop excess hair from shedding.

Shorthair guinea pigs can be groomed with a soft baby brush or bristle brush or by gliding a  mit (mitten) over the coat to remove excess hair.

Longhair guinea pigs should not be groomed with bristle or abrasive brushes that could damage the hair shafts and coat. They should be groomed with a wide tooth comb or baby brush to keep the coat soft and silky. Regular grooming of a longhairs coat every few days is essential to stop the coat matting or becoming tangled.

When grooming your guinea pig some people like to use a " grooming stand " which can be anything from an upside down bucket with a  towel placed on top to a wooden stand with padded fabric on the top. Something which is approx 30cm off the ground that will keep your guinea pig sitting still and comfy while you groom them.

Toenail Clipping

Clipping your guinea pigs toenails is quite easy. For a good guide and pictorial on toenail clipping please refer to the following link below from the Guinea lynx website.
TOENAIL CLIPPING