I had been using feminine hygiene wipes on my guinea pig to make his coat look nicer, but then I realized it was taking out the natural oils or something because whenever I cleaned his cage and got him out, his back was all wet and clumpy. I think the wetness and clumpiness had something to do with the wipes I'd been using. Now I'm using a washcloth with water on it to clean him. Is there a special brand of small animal shampoo or something I should use? I want his skin and hair to be healthy and fluffy again. Thank you.
2007-07-03 10:42:52 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Rodents
Guinea pigs do a great job of grooming themselves. They only need baths when they get dirty . ex- laying in pee Don't use anything that is for cleaning humans. The chemicals are most likely way too strong for your piggie.
If you have a long hair pig, he may need butt baths more often because his rear gets dirty. Just wash his butt ,not all of him. Bathing too much can cause skin problems.
2007-07-03 12:01:54 · answer #1 · answered by MemphisGal 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He seems healthy. Make sure he gets out to run around everyday if possible. All those fruits and veg are fine apart from the plantain skins because they can give the guinea pigs a funny tummy and are hard to digest. Other fruits & veg you could give them are pears, peppers, tomatoes, melon skins, carrots, dandelion leaves and even apple/pear tree branches if you have an apple/pear tree because they love the taste and also it is good for their teeth. Pellets are good too, but only in proportion. You should feed him 3/4 veg & fruit and 1/4 pellets to keep him as healthy as possible. The fruit helps them stay hydrated and the pellets can help digestion and their teeth. You don't need to feed him pellets everyday. 2-4 days a week should be fine if you are feeding him fresh food everyday, but you can feed him pellets everyday if you want. So, no, if you feed him lots of fresh stuff then he won't be missing the pellets. P.s. The fruit & veg helps them stay hydrated & make sure he gets plenty of water. Also if your guinea pig lives alone make sure you get him out and play with and stroke him regularly because if you don't he could get lonely. Hope this helps! x
2016-05-17 10:47:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just a quick bath with some warm water and mild kitten shampoo will have him looking good. Keep his bedding really dry and change it frequently, and you'll almost never have to bathe him.
Also, it is extremely important to add Vitamin C to a guinea pigs diet. The Vitamin C they add to the pellets is only good for 90 days after milling, and who knows how old those bags of pellets are??? Many people will tell you that you shouldn't add Vitamin C to water, but according to the #1 veterinary medical textbook on small mammals, that's not true! I add 100mg of Vitamin C to every 16 ounces of drinking water. It must be changed every day because vitamin C will lose 50% of it's potency in 24 hours. Most Vitamin C pediatric syrups for children come in 500mg per teaspoonful. So, about 1/4 teaspoonful or 1ml per 16 ounce bottle of water is fine. Many health problems can be avoided in guinea pigs just by adding Vitamin C to the diet. Feeding fresh vegies high in C is also a good idea, but many pigs won't eat enough every day to get what they need. Some good vegie choices are bell peppers (any color), tomato, and oranges.
2007-07-03 12:58:14 · answer #3 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What are you feeding him? Guinea pigs shouldn't need a whole lot of bathing to have nice fur. But most guinea pig foods are actually really bad and could easily cause poor fur quality. Guinea pigs should eat timothy hay, plain pellets (no treats in them!) - adults should have timothy pellets like Oxbow- and a variety of veggies.
2007-07-03 11:30:00 · answer #4 · answered by Angela L 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only wash him when he is dirty. Once or twice a month or so. Only use small animal shampoo.Petco has some really good shampoo and wipes. Brush him everyday.Guinea pigs keep themselves clean.
2007-07-03 10:51:25 · answer #5 · answered by Cavy Slave to 3 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I washed my guniea pig regualry but only with a wet paper towel. She was long-haired and I made sure she didn't have any snaggles and brushed her occassionally and gave her haircuts. It also helps to make sure they always have clean freh water and fresh fruit including veggies and fruits.
2007-07-03 11:03:03 · answer #6 · answered by SLR 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you must bath your pig, Four Paws Bunny Bath is an excellent shampoo.
2007-07-03 14:16:20 · answer #7 · answered by ellenvega 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋