Rules for bathing a guinea pig. Is it possible to wash guinea pigs in water?

Guinea pig in Lately has become a very popular pet. And therefore, their owners are often interested in the peculiarities of keeping these animals. In particular, how to care for teeth and claws, and whether you can bathe a guinea pig. Today we will talk about whether it is possible to wash a guinea pig and all related issues.

Let's start with the fact that guinea pigs in their natural habitat take care of their fur themselves. They wash themselves, clean their fur and paws without outside help. And at the same time they remain clean and do not need additional water procedures. In addition, guinea pigs are very afraid of water, and of their own free will they will not climb into a pond for swimming.

But the question of whether guinea pigs are bathed can be answered in the affirmative. But is this advisable?

There is no single correct answer to the question whether it is possible to bathe a guinea pig or not. Each owner of this funny rodent decides for himself whether to wash his pet or not.

Some owners are inclined to believe that they should not bathe their pets. Or such procedures need to be carried out extremely rarely, since swimming in water causes panic and stress in the animal.
Other guinea pig owners regularly subject their pets to such procedures. This is justified by the fact that there is no other way to care for a rodent, in particular a long-haired breed. And they need to be bathed and brushed regularly, since a guinea pig is not able to take care of its own fur.
Also, some pig owners claim that some pets enjoy water procedures and squeal with joy.

But, as always, the correct answer is somewhere in the middle. And we will try to justify our opinion.

Domestic guinea pigs are not as adapted to survival as their wild relatives. They do not look for their own food and do not hide from enemies. This is all and excessive human care has dulled the natural instincts of these animals. And they cannot fully take care of themselves. The fur often gets dirty and this cannot be done without the help of the owner. In addition, let us remember that many breeds of these charming animals were bred by scientists, and they will not survive in natural conditions.

From all this it follows that the guinea pig needs to be bathed, because you cannot leave your pet dirty. Dirt can cause the development of various microorganisms, which, in turn, can lead to illness or even death. But you shouldn’t wash your guinea pig often.

If your pet is not very dirty, use hypoallergenic wet wipes to clean the fur and paws, carefully removing dirt. This method is suitable for caring for the hair of short-haired breeds, but this procedure will not help long-haired pets.

To keep your pet from being dirty, you can brush its fur regularly. But representatives of long-haired breeds will still have to be washed.

When to bathe

To carry out water procedures, you must adhere to certain conditions.

The animal must be quite dirty. Usually a healthy animal does a good job of caring for its fur; it is enough to comb it and wipe its paws.
It is necessary to wash only when the fur is very dirty and cannot be avoided.

Remember, bathing is stressful for your pet, and there must be a good reason for washing.

The pet must be an adult. Small guinea pigs should not be bathed! The small organism is very delicate and sensitive to temperature changes and drafts. Therefore, they should not be subjected to such tests.

When not to bathe your guinea pig

You should postpone swimming following cases. If your pet:

sick,
weakened,
recently suffered from illness
is expecting offspring or some time has passed since birth.

Bathing sick guinea pigs can provoke an even more serious illness from a stressful situation.

You should only bathe your guinea pig in the warm season or in a well-heated room without drafts.

It is also worth considering where and how you will dry your pet. After all, even if you bathed a completely healthy pet and did not dry it properly, but sent the animal to a cold room or a draft, this can lead to serious illnesses.

Frequency of water treatments

To the question of how often to bathe a guinea pig, every pet owner must find the answer himself. Since the degree of contamination will depend on the length of the fur and the conditions of detention. If you follow the maintenance recommendations, then, in most cases, you don’t have to wash your guinea pig at all. The most important of them are:

layer of filler (it must be at least 5 cm),
frequency of its replacement (several times a week),
cage length (the minimum length for one animal is 100 cm).

Guinea pigs are very clean animals and need help keeping them clean. skin. If your pet has diarrhea, has trouble urinating, or is unable to take care of himself properly, wash only the soiled area. In all other cases, review the conditions of detention.

If you and your pet regularly attend various exhibitions, then you need to bathe your guinea pig a few days before such an event, and not a day or less before it.

It is also worth frequently washing pets without fur, for example, breeds. But with such pets you need to be extremely careful and dry them very carefully after the procedure.

How to properly wash a guinea pig

If you decide to wash your guinea pig, then keep in mind that this peace-loving pet can use its teeth and claws in a stressful situation. Bathe your pet carefully and hold him firmly. So as not to escape. Talk to the rodent all the time so that it does not worry.

For swimming you will need:

A bowl of water, the temperature of which is 37-39 °C. You can also bathe your pet in a sink or bathtub.
Place a towel or piece of cloth on the bottom of the basin or bathtub to prevent the pig's paws from slipping on the wet surface.
Towels to wipe and dry the rodent.
Special shampoo for rodents, or shampoo for cats and dogs, or hypoallergenic shampoo for newborns without dyes and parabens.

Washing your guinea pig with soap is strictly prohibited! Using regular human shampoo can disrupt the secretion of your pet's skin and cause skin diseases. Also, you should not use cheap animal shampoos, which are most often not suitable for the delicate skin of guinea pigs.

And now the most important thing - how to bathe a guinea pig

Place a towel or piece of cloth at the bottom of the basin, sink or bathtub where you will bathe your pet so that your pig's paws do not slip along the bottom.
There should be enough water so that the rodent is no more than half immersed in it.
Gently stroking your pet's back, carefully place him in a container of water.

Do not turn on the water in front of your pet so as not to frighten him or cause a panic attack.

Gently wet your pig's fur all over his body, avoiding getting water into his eyes, nose and ears. On the animal's head better water do not pour. Use wet wipes to remove dirt from your head.
Apply shampoo after you have wet the entire coat. Distribute the shampoo throughout the body and gently massage your pet's skin without sudden movements. There is no need to wash the pig's face.
When carrying out water procedures, hold the pig very carefully and firmly. The pet will most likely not behave calmly and may slip out of your hands.
You need to rinse off the shampoo very carefully, do this until the water is clear. Otherwise, the remainder detergent may cause harm digestive system rodent

Guinea pigs are good-natured and trusting pets. These cute creatures can be taught to respond to your name, and when stroked, they purr very touchingly in approval of your actions.

This type of rodent was domesticated by the Incas a long time ago and since then has not left people’s homes and gives them joy and pleasant furry company with its presence. Cleanliness in the cage is half of caring for rodent hygiene.

It so happened that in order to achieve the ideal shine of your pet’s coat and improve its physical and emotional state it needs to be washed periodically. How to wash a guinea pig without stressing it or harming your pet? Let's try to answer this question.

More than one childhood dream has been shattered by parents’ unshakable phrase regarding the unpleasant smell in the house from guinea pigs. Any pet can develop a “smell” in a cage, it doesn’t matter if it’s a guinea pig, a chinchilla or a parrot.

The key to cleanliness and the absence of an unpleasant odor will be a pair of simple rules in caring for a guinea pig cage:

Weekly cage cleaning.
Daily minor cleaning.
Toilet train your pig.
Cage cleaning sprays.
A filler that blocks unpleasant odors.

All these points mean only one thing - watch your pet, and remove it from him in a timely manner, and bad smell will never live in his cage.

At least once a week you need to do a thorough cleaning of the cage. Remove old litter, leftover food, wash the bottom of the cage and place it on the floor new filler.

Every day, remove feces, large leftover food lying around, or litter that has become wet from the drinking bowl and replace it with a new one, especially if you keep several individuals at once.

Usually the pig chooses a certain corner of the cage as a toilet. After observing this, you can accustom your pig to the corner toilet for rodents. The toilet should be placed in a corner where the pig is used to defecating, and used litter with feces should be placed in it so that the pig can navigate by the smell.

As soon as your pet uses the new toilet, give him a treat to encourage him to get used to the new accessory. Change your pig's litter daily. You can put it on the bottom baking soda to eliminate odor. You should not give cat litter to guinea pigs.

If you haven’t been careful and a smell has already appeared in the cage, then you should remove all the filler from the cage and spray a special spray for 3 – 5 minutes. Wipe the cage with a fluffy towel, add new litter and put the cage in place.

Well, you're a pig

Guinea pigs, contrary to their name, like cats, are very clean and take care of their own hygiene. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about rodents with very short or very long hair. How often to bathe a pig depends on the breed.

And there are not so few breeds of guinea pigs:

Abyssinian;
alpaca;
American Crested;
American Teddy;
English Crested;
English color crested;
Baldwin;
Curly;
coronet;
mini yak;
merino;
Peruvian;
rex;
texel;
satin smooth;
self;
skinny;
Sheltie;
Swiss Teddy;
tortoiseshell with white;

And no matter what breed the pig is, experts recommend bathing the animal no more than once a week.

Be careful with drafts

Before you get ready to bathe your pig, thoroughly check your home for drafts. A draft that may seem barely noticeable to you can cause serious harm to your pig after bathing.

These gentle creatures are extremely sensitive to drafts, and after bathing, if exposed to a draft, the pet can very quickly catch a cold and subsequently get sick. And even if it seems to you that it’s summer outside and the temperature is quite bearable, don’t be mistaken.

These animals are much more sensitive to temperature changes, especially when the fur is wet. Swimming in winter needs to be discussed separately.

It is generally not advisable to take the animal out of the bathroom and all procedures for toweling and drying with a hairdryer should be carried out there until the animal is completely dry.

Even after this, it is better to take it into the room in a towel and give the pig a couple of minutes to acclimatize, because our homes will not always be well heated in winter.

Ready for the swim

First you need to prepare equipment for bathing the animal.

For water treatments you will need:

Bathing container (basin, bathtub or washbasin).
Cotton buds.
Towel.
Shampoo for rodents.

When choosing a shampoo, you should consult your veterinarian.

If your bathing place is a bathroom, then you should prepare for this a little in advance.

In order not to cause fear in the rodent before bathing, 2-3 days before, if this is the first bath, go once or twice a week, if you are already accustomed to the bath, you should bring the animal into the bath, give it treats there, and stroke and talk to it, holding on the knees. This way, your pet will associate the bathroom with pleasant moments and there will be no stress factor.

You need to fill the bathing container with warm, never hot, water. Its level should be 2.2.5 cm. We should place a towel or rag on the bottom of the container so that the pig’s paws do not move apart. From the shower or from the scoop, carefully, little by little, wet the animal, all the while stroking it with massaging movements and talking to it.

If your rodent is nervous, give him a treat. Try to avoid getting water into your pig’s nose and ears; therefore, you should not particularly wet or wash your head. Some pigs like it when the faucet flows warm water a thin stream, and they themselves happily stand under it, enjoying it.

The shampoo should be applied to the back of the animal, and gradually, using massaging movements, move towards the head. Don't wash your hair. Same with the belly and paws. The shampoo should foam well and soap bubbles should form.

You should rinse your guinea pig thoroughly, as unwashed shampoo can be harmful. gastrointestinal tract animal.

Crazy drying

Immediately taking the pig out of the bath, you need to wrap it in a large dry and preferably warm towel so that the towel absorbs most of the moisture. Don't be alarmed if your baby starts shaking.

This is quite normal for these rodents. As soon as the animal dries out and warms up, it will immediately stop trembling. When the towel is completely wet, transfer the pig to another dry towel.

When the bulk of the moisture has already been collected from the fur, it is worth combing the pet’s fur. This is especially true for long-haired species. Wet, uncombed wool can then form tangles, which, most likely, you will have to cut off, since it will be very difficult to untangle them.

Wipe the animal's ears, eyes and nose. If the muzzle was also not very clean, then it can be wiped with a damp piece of cloth. For ears and eyes, use cotton swabs, and do it very carefully.

Next comes the hairdryer. The air should not be cold, but it should not be blown hot either. Do not bring the hair dryer close to the pig, and while drying, continue to comb the hair. Do not brush your guinea pig with a hard comb. It is better to use a soft one so as not to harm your back.

Soon after purchasing a new pet, the question of how to wash a guinea pig often arises. Sometimes the animal is purchased from a pet store where the conditions were not ideal, or its fur is too long, which is difficult to clean on its own. The owner of fluffy, clean fur is much more pleasant to hold, but before arranging bath procedures for the pig, you should familiarize yourself with the features of this process.

These decorative rodents are distinguished by cleanliness, constantly wash themselves, and carefully look after their fur. The skin fat of pigs tends to be easy to clean - owners often notice that their furry pets have almost no odor, or smell pleasantly of hay. Therefore, it is usually not necessary to bathe guinea pigs in additional water.

But there are a number of exceptions to this rule that should be taken into account:

the thickness and length of the coat, especially in breeds bred for decorative purposes, often does not allow the animal to fully groom itself;
the fur can get dirty in the juice of fruits and berries, and if the pig is not litter box trained, then in excrement;
A cramped cage or infrequent cleaning will also inevitably lead to dirty fur.

The accumulation of dirt and sebum leads to the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. This can cause inflammation and irritation of the skin, weakened immunity, and the animal can become seriously ill. Therefore, in all cases when the pet cannot cope with self-care, it is recommended to help him with bathing.

Bathing is generally only necessary for long-haired breeds of pigs.

Another reason to take a bath can be the sweltering summer heat. If the temperature at home is above 25-30 degrees, the animal in its thick warm fur coat it will be very difficult. In this case, contact with water will bring him relief. Therefore, you can wash the animal or simply wet the fur if a full bath is not required.

IMPORTANT: It is also necessary to remember that the negative side of washing is high risk get hypothermia. When wet, thick fur dries slowly, so your guinea pig may catch a cold.

If you decide to give your pet a bath, make sure there is enough water in the room. heat, not less than 18 degrees. It is recommended to carry out bath procedures only in the warm season.

Do guinea pigs like to swim?

In nature, guinea pigs often cross streams and other water obstacles in search of food, so the ability to swim is innate in them. The bathing procedure itself will not harm the animal, and the risk of drowning is eliminated. But these rodents do not have a special love for water, and perceive contact with it as a stressful situation; often water treatments even cause them to panic.

IMPORTANT: If your pet shows signs of severe anxiety and throws up during bathing, it is better to stop the procedure.

Sometimes it is not necessary to wash guinea pigs in water - the fur and paws can be cleaned with odorless wet wipes, or a cloth soaked in warm soapy water will also work. But this less stressful option is only suitable for short-haired breeds.

Fortunately, not all pigs are afraid of water; often animals show anxiety only the first time, reacting to an unfamiliar situation. Most can be calmed by stroking and talking gently while bathing. Giving your pig a favorite treat also usually helps your pig get comfortable with the bath. Some pets love to bathe and express their joy by purring and whistling.

Some guinea pigs don't mind taking a bath.

How often can you wash your guinea pig?

Owners of fluffy decorative rodents often wonder: how many times a month is it right to bathe a pet? This is especially true for long-haired breeds, which are completely dependent on humans for grooming. But to clean long fur, regular brushing is often enough; you can use dry shampoo as needed.

Regular washing is not beneficial even if the rodent itself loves to bathe. Water and soap solution dried delicate skin pigs, so frequent bathing can lead to skin diseases. It is recommended to wash the animal no more than once a month in the summer, and once every two to three months in other seasons.

How to bathe a guinea pig at home

Bathing guinea pigs should take place in a warm room, reliably protected from drafts. Typically the bathroom is used for this. It’s better to first try to accustom the animal to new elements - bring him into the bathroom, let’s look around, open the tap so that he gets used to the sound of water. Accompany such visits with treats and petting. It is better to perform the washing procedure itself in several stages:

Simultaneously with water procedures, the anal valve is also better.

Anal valve hygiene

The gland is located on the back of the body; after steaming in warm water, it is generously lubricated with baby cream, and after a few minutes wiped with a damp cloth. After which you can carry out the procedure of washing the wool with shampoo. The anal valve is cleaned only when necessary - if it is noticeably dirty or has a specific odor. To clean, you need to press on the lower abdomen and carefully remove the contents of the pocket using a cotton swab dipped in oil. Then you can continue water procedures.

At what age can you bathe a guinea pig?

Washing small guinea pigs under the age of six months is prohibited. Their the immune system is still too weak, and susceptibility to stress is higher than in adults. Young animals do not tolerate temperature changes well, and even a small draft after bathing can lead to a cold and the development of complications.

How to properly dry guinea pigs after bathing

It is better to dry wool using soft towel. Gently lower the animal onto it and wipe with massaging movements until you are sure that most of the moisture has been removed from the fur. Immediately after this, so that it does not get tangled and matted.

After bathing, it is important to dry the coat thoroughly.

Sometimes owners prefer to blow dry their pet - this method is very fast, but veterinarians recommend using it only if the room temperature drops below 18 degrees. The main danger is that the noise of the hair dryer can frighten the pig, and the hot air can burn or dry out the delicate skin. To use a hairdryer, select the most low temperature and keep the device at a sufficient distance.

Blow-drying can frighten your pet and harm its skin.

Once the pig is dried and combed, you can release it into the cage. Be sure to treat the animal with its favorite treats, then the whole procedure will be associated with pleasant sensations, and the animal will take the next bath without anxiety.

The pig will remember the treat after bathing as a pleasant moment in the procedure.

Shampoo for guinea pigs

How to wash a guinea pig - this question also often confuses inexperienced owners. Is it possible to wash a guinea pig? regular shampoo or laundry soap? Veterinarians answer negatively - furry animals have too sensitive skin, which easily becomes irritated. Therefore, the fur of these animals is washed only with a special shampoo, which is quite easy to find. Modern pet stores and veterinary pharmacies offer a wide range of different options:

VEDA – shampoo “Piggy” based herbal ingredients and glycerin qualitatively cleans the wool, making it silky and shiny;
Agrovet protection "Shustrik"— natural pet shampoo without fragrance or dyes, well suited for sensitive skin of guinea pigs, has a moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effect, makes hair easier to comb;
Api-San Royal Groom- a product based on herbal ingredients and vitamins takes care of problem skin rodents, actively moisturizes and nourishes it, has a bactericidal and wound-healing effect, helps against dandruff;
Beaphar— hypoallergenic shampoo, ideal for sensitive skin, suitable for regular use.

If there is no special shampoo, but the need for bathing is urgent, bathing with baby shampoo or soap is still allowed. It is not recommended to do this constantly, as the wrong product will damage your pet’s skin. But if the wool is heavily soiled, the harm from lack of washing will be greater.

REFERENCE: Unlike other furry rodents - chinchillas, guinea pigs are not bathed in volcanic sand or talcum powder. These animals have a completely different type of fur. Using sand will only lead to more severe contamination of the coat, drying out and damaging the coat. sensitive skin pigs.

Video: how to bathe a guinea pig at home

How to clean a guinea pig's ears

At the same time as bathing, you can clean your guinea pig's ears. Ear contamination is common in these rodents, especially in long-haired breeds. The animal cannot independently clean the ear, which is closed by long strands, so excess wax quickly accumulates in it. Over time, the pet may lose hearing; pollution also often leads to inflammation of the ear canal. Therefore, when asked whether guinea pigs’ ears need to be cleaned, veterinarians give an affirmative answer.

In order to properly perform the ear cleaning procedure, you need to do the following:

Carefully examine the animal's ear. The wax will be immediately noticeable because guinea pigs have it in the same colors as their skin. Therefore, the discharge may be yellow, black or orange color, dried crusts darken.
If the crusts are not visible, you can clean your ears with chlorhexidine. Dampen a cotton swab or wet wipe and gently wipe the outer ear.
If the dirt is old and crusts are present, you must first drip a special lotion into the animal’s ears. You can buy it at a pet store or veterinary pharmacy.
After instillation, massage your ears a little and after a few minutes wipe with a napkin.

To remove crusts from the ear, use lotion

If your pet struggles and squeaks loudly when trying to clean his ears, he may have otitis media or ear mites. Then it is better to instill appropriate drops from a veterinary pharmacy - there are drugs with universal action, with anti-tick and anti-inflammatory effects.

To reduce the likelihood of wax buildup, it is recommended to trim your hair carefully. long strands, blocking the ears. Also, do not forget about such a hygiene procedure as.

How to properly bathe guinea pigs at home

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For a person who owns a guinea pig, the question becomes relevant hygiene procedures, safe for the animal. Waste from pets, including rodents, has an intense and unpleasant odor. To prevent the smell from bothering you, you need to not only periodically clean the cage, but also take care of the pet itself. However, not all owners know how to properly and how often to bathe a rodent.

Is it possible or not to bathe?

On this issue, breeders are divided into two camps. Some owners claim that pigs should not be washed. Other breeders believe that bathing is acceptable if necessary.

Opponents of bathing give the following arguments:

in natural conditions, a rodent does not swim unnecessarily;
bathing is disrupted acid-base balance animal skin, increasing the likelihood of developing skin diseases;
water procedures cause stress in the rodent, due to which health deteriorates;
the pig may catch a cold after bathing;
Guinea pigs are clean animals that take care of their own fur.

Supporters of water procedures have their own arguments:

hygiene procedures help maintain the health of the pet;
pigs often lick themselves, but this is not enough to keep their long coat clean;
Despite the fact that guinea pigs are land animals, if necessary they can swim, and in case of danger they can flee through water.

In natural conditions, rodents often have to get wet in the rain, swim across small water obstacles, running away from predators or looking for food. Therefore, we can say with confidence that water is a familiar element for pigs. Therefore, bathing is acceptable for animals living at home.

Owners who keep exhibition pigs have to wash their pets before each exhibition. Usually swimming takes place a day before the exhibition event.

Special mention should be made about bathing hairless pigs - skinnies and baldwins. Representatives of hairless breeds are extremely sensitive to drafts, temperature changes and other negative external factors. Therefore, after water procedures, these animals must be thoroughly dried.

Rules for bathing a pig

There are three rules for bathing a guinea pig.

Only adult animals can be bathed. Cubs are extremely sensitive to drafts and temperature fluctuations. Therefore, you should not torture the piglet and endanger its body.
Only a very dirty pig should be bathed. Rodents usually take care of their fur on their own. The owners can only periodically comb the pet and clean its paws of dirt with wet wipes. Bathing becomes necessary only if the animal's coat becomes very dirty.
You can only bathe your pig on warm days. Moreover, even in summer you need to make sure that there is no draft in the room where the bathed pet is located.

In some cases, washing an animal is strictly prohibited. Water procedures pose a mortal danger for pigs that:

recently purchased and not yet accustomed to the new environment;
bears offspring;
sick;
not old enough.

You should not forcefully wash a guinea pig that screams, scratches, or tries to break free from your hands and run away. The animal is not yet ready for bathing and is afraid of water, so water procedures must be postponed. A rodent will get sick more likely from stress than from a dirty fur coat.

Preparing for a swim

Guinea pigs feel uncomfortable in water, so attempts to wash them are perceived with panic and aggression. A pet who has never been bathed before needs to be accustomed to the bathroom and water.

3 – 4 days before water procedure the owner takes the animal in his arms and goes into the bathroom. The animal may be frightened by an unusual environment, in which case it is necessary to calm it down with treats, strokes and a gentle voice. You can put your pet in a sink or basin where bathing will take place so that the baby gets comfortable and stops being afraid of a new place. Some owners, in order to accustom a rodent to the bathroom, comb out its fur there. Animals love being brushed and quickly understand that there is nothing scary in the bathroom.

A day or two before bathing, you need to get your guinea pig used to water. The owner sits the pet in the sink, slightly opens the tap and directs a thin stream of water onto the animal’s fur coat. The pig must understand that water is not dangerous.

Bathing process

For the water procedure, the owner must take:

towel;
shampoo for children or animals with a neutral pH level;
cotton swabs and disks;
latex gloves;
vegetable oil.

Below is detailed description pig bathing procedures.

The owner puts on rubber gloves and takes the pet out of the cage.
Warm water is filled into the basin. The thickness of the water layer should not be higher than the animal’s abdomen.
If you plan to bathe in the sink, then the drain is not clogged, and the stream of water should not flow towards the animal, but next to it.
The pet's body is poured with water. The head is not captured. It is not advisable to hold the watering can close to the animal, otherwise the baby may get scared.
For convenience, while washing your pet, you can hold your hand under the front limbs.
The shampoo is foamed in a separate container and applied to the animal’s body up to the head.
The foam is thoroughly washed off with water.
The animal's head, eyelids and ears are wiped with a cotton pad moistened with water.

Caring for your pig after bathing

In order for the pig to feel good and not get sick, some procedures must be carried out after bathing.

After your pet has bathed, it is necessary to clean the sebaceous gland and anal area. Sebaceous gland should be wiped gently cotton swab, and then treat with any antiseptic solution. To clear feces from the anal pocket, you need to apply gentle pressure on the back of the animal's abdomen. The pocket will come out, after which cleaning is carried out with a cotton swab moistened vegetable oil. It is recommended to clean your pig's anal pocket once a month.

Next, the owner must begin drying the pet. You can use a hair dryer for this procedure if the pig is not afraid of the noise of the device. The turned-on hair dryer should be kept no closer than 30 cm from the rodent so that the hot air currents do not burn the animal’s body. The position of the device must be constantly changed so that the fur coat dries evenly. If your pig is afraid of a hair dryer, you can simply wrap it in a towel until the fur is completely dry.

After the water procedure, the guinea pig should not walk outside for 24 hours. It is forbidden to keep a bathed pet in a cold and heavily ventilated room. You should not immediately release the animal into a cage with sawdust after bathing. Wood particles will stick to wet wool.

Contrary to its self-explanatory name, a guinea pig is by no means a waterfowl and letting it swim daily in the bathtub is extremely unwise, but it is still advisable to maintain the rodent’s fur in a well-groomed condition. All guinea pigs, as a rule, are clean pets who regularly and independently clean themselves up.

And if they also have an owner who closely monitors the cleanliness of the cage, then “water activities” are usually reduced to occasional, easy procedures. And if one fine day you suddenly notice that your pet’s fur coat has the remains of straw, food entangled in it, and it smells, to put it mildly, unimportantly, then it’s time to start “bath procedures.”

First of all, this applies to guinea pigs that are being prepared for exhibitions. Their fur should be in perfectly groomed condition, and not dirty and matted. A pleasant bonus of clean wool is its rapid growth.

Things to remember when bathing guinea pigs:

1. One of important factors when bathing - this is the age of the pig. Only adult pigs can be bathed. It is not advisable to bathe small pigs. IN at a young age They are sensitive to temperature changes, and after bathing they are more likely to catch a cold and get sick than adult, stronger rodents.

2. You can bathe your guinea pig in a bathtub, in a sink, or in a basin - whichever you prefer. The most convenient option is to bathe your pet in an unfilled bathtub, watering it from the shower. If the rodent is too shy, then your choice is a small basin filled with water up to the animal’s belly and a ladle for rinsing.

3. The water you use to wash your guinea pig should be warm, but not hot. Avoid sharp changes temperatures Save the useful, alternating dousing with cold and hot water for two-legged family members :).

4. Carefully ensure that during bathing water does not get into the animal’s ears. Of course, shampoo foam should also not get into your pet’s ears and nose.

5. Ideally, you should wash your guinea pig with a special shampoo for rodents, which can be found at a pet store. If you don’t have one, any mild shampoo will do, such as a baby shampoo labeled “tear-free.” After using shampoo, it is customary to rinse the luxurious coat of long-haired guinea pigs with a balm.

6. For many animals, bathing is stressful situation. If this is the case of your ward, then during bathing do not forget to encourage your pet sweet phrases and gentle stroking. And don’t delay the washing process itself. And at the end, be sure to reward the rodent with his favorite treat.

7. After water activities, the animal should be thoroughly dried with a hairdryer. If, again, your ward is a known coward, use a soft terry towel. There should be no drafts in the room where the pig is drying.

8. Only after the pet has been bathed and dried is it placed in a clean cage.