Grooming Parlour

Cavies require regular grooming; long-haired breeds more so than any other.
Grooming consists of 3 main aspects:-

*Brushing;
*Bathing;
*Nail clipping.

Long-haired guineas also need their hair trimming to keep it from knotting and dragging in dirty floors and bedding.

While piggies do groom themselves, they cannot sufficiently clean every necessary area of their body. Their focus is on the face; any other areas are just 'wiped over' with their paws and not as thoroughly cleaned.

Sir Charlie having a wash

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Brushing

Guinea pigs of any breed need to be brushed at least once every 2-4 days.
Shedding of the 'dead' hair is a natural process which occurs without any aid, but one thing regular brushing does is encourage this process by loosening and removing the 'dead' hairs, thus keeping the hair in good condition.
Using a good brush also gently stimulates the hair follicles to produce natural oils to keep the coat clean and shiny.

Tuppence showing off her beautiful long hair

Some guinea pigs dislike being brushed and will squeal and kick to stop you. It may feel unfair to continually put them through this, but the more you do it the more they will accept it. It could take weeks or months for them to realise that it will be done despite their protests; when they finally figure that it's quicker if they just sit still, you will find it much easier to give them a quick brush and a cuddle.
Brush gently and smoothly to make the process as comfortable as possible for your guineas.

The ideal brush is a soft-bristled one, such as a baby's brush. Some people use toothbrushes, but these are only useful for grooming smaller areas, such as the legs.
Wire-bristled brushes with protection on the ends are the most commonly used ones and prove to be very effective. These do seem to cause a little more discomfort due to the thorough brushing it gives, but it is a good investment if you have cavies with thick, coarse or long hair. If you do encounter any knots, determine how bad the knot is before trying to remove it. If it is just a mild tangle, brush very gently, working through one small bit at a time. If the knot is more like a solid mass, it is much better for your piggy if you just cut it out carefully with scissors.

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Bathing

You should not bathe your piggies too often. Too much use of shampoo can dry out the skin and coat, so any more regular than every 6-8 weeks is not advisable. Ideally you should only bathe when necessary i.e. when your pigs are dirty, but sometimes pigs just need a good wash to clean their hair and bring out the full shine again. Gorgeous Guineas sell a wide range of excellent products all based on bathing piggies. The shampoos, conditioners and other products all smell gorgeous due to the drops of essential oils in them, and they also - as the compnay name suggests - make the piggies look simply gorgeous! Gorgeous Guineas shampoos are highly recommended; as a user of these myself I know how wonderful they are and how shiny and divine-smelling they make the guineas.

Most guinea pig shampoos are good to use, but insecticidal ones should be avoided - insecticidal shampoos are not advisable for treating parasitic illnesses and should also not be used when the pig does not have a parasite problem.
Human shampoos and shampoos aimed at other animals are also not recommended; the chemicals contained in such shampoos are not dedicated to providing the best care for a cavy's thin delicate skin and can sometimes do more harm than good. As yet, the only good-quality shampoo which is made for other animals and is as effective on guinea pigs is Four Paws Bunny Bath.

Some cavy carers put their guinea pig straight into a shallow-filled bathtub and bathe them. Some use the shower head to wet the hair and rinse the shampoo off. Some put their piggies in bowls to give an extra feeling of secuirty throughout the often fearsome process of bathing. It really depends on what works for you and your guinea pig.

Fill the bath with around 2-3" of warm water. Make sure the water is not too hot or too cold. Wet your piggy, either using a jug or shower hose, lather on a small amount of shampoo, and rinse very thoroughly.
To dry, wrap in a towel and pat him all over. You may find that he will allow you to use a hair-dryer on him; if he puts up with this, use a warm - but not hot - setting, and always keep your hand between the dryer and the piggy. Spreading your fingers and ruffling his hair as you move the hair-dryer around is the best method.


Charlie being dried with a hair-dryer

Do not put your guinea pig outdoors or anywhere cooler than the room he was bathed in until he is fully dry. Respiratory complaints are often caused by guinea pigs being damp/wet and moved somewhere cool or outdoors.

Attitudes To Bathing

The Attitudes To Bathing are the categories of how well guinea pigs cope with being bathed. Some piggies fit into all the categories, i.e. one month they may enjoy being bathed, while the next month they loathe it. 

-  A complete scaredy-pig who hates the whole process and will fight/ jump his way out;
- Dislikes It and will try to escape, But Gives In after a while;
- Will let you bath him Without Much Fuss.
- Generally Enjoys It, often explores the bathtub, making bathing into a fun adventure.

I have various tips for coping with pigs who belong in a category of the Attitudes To Bathing:

Complete Scaredy-Pig:
Place him in a washing-up bowl/tub for extra security. Fill with around 2" of warm water.
Keep your hand on him at all times - do not push him/hold him down; rather grip him gently but firmly around his chest and under his shoulders.
Do not let him get his front paws on you unless you have a firm hold of him - he will use this as a means to propel himself out of the water.
Always talk to him - your voice will be soothing to him. If you must leave the shampoo in for a set time, pick him up, wrap him lightly in a towel and cuddle him. Feed him a few veggies during the cuddle and make sure he stays warm.
Get the bath finished as carefully but quickly as possible, and dry him thoroughly.

Dislikes It...But Gives In:
This Attitude To Bathing is one of the two easier ones to cope with.
A soothing voice, a few veggies and a little cuddle before, during and after bathing will help calm your piggy and make the experience much more pleasant for him.
For the first part of the bath hold your piggy in the grip mentioned above - around his chest and under his shoulders - as it is usually within the first few minutes when your guinea is most concerned at being bathed.

Lottie is a Dislikes It...But Gives In piggy.

Without Much Fuss:
Undoubtedly the easiest pig to bathe is one who just lets you get on with it. A calm voice and a few veggies will help keep him this way. Still be prepared to hold your piggy firmly, as an unexpected noise or movement could spook him and make him fear being bathed.

Enjoys It:
This is not the easiest kind of pig to bathe despite what your first thought may be. An inquisitive pig, like my Jasmine, can be a real handful. Always trying to duck under the shower head, trying to climb over the edges of the bowls, won't sit still for two minutes. Not an easy customer. The best way to limit his curiosity is to sit him in a limited space, such as a washing up bowl. Don't let him have the whole bathtub to roam in as you will never get the bath finished!

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Nail Clipping

Guinea pigs' nails grow constantly, much like a humans' nails do. Providing rough surfaces, such as bricks or playtime on a paved area, can aid in keeping the nails short, but the best thing to do is to get into a routine of clipping their nails youself.

A vet can show you how to perform this procedure yourself, the benefits of which are possible savings in vet bills, and no need to take trips to the vet on a regular basis.
The only tools you need are your hands and some nail clippers (human or small dog nail-clippers are the most commonly used), so it is very cost effective. If you struggle to handle your guinea pigs and clip their nails yourself, have someone else hold your piggies while you clip. Often this is the safer and quicker option.

Personally, I (Laura) make a point of trimming Charlie, Tuppy, Lottie and Jasmine's nails on the first day of every month. This prevent the nails becoming long and sharp, and trimming little and often keeps the quick safe too. The piggies are now also used to this routine and are much easier to hold, and they cope very well with having their paws touched and nails clipped.

The most important thing to watch out for is the quick. This is the line of blood in the nail, and if caught when nail trimming it can be slightly painful and opens a slight risk of infection. Trimming no more than 1-2 millimetres off on a regular basis usually prevents such accidents, and as you trim overgrown nails the quick will draw back a little until it is as long as it should be in normal length nails.

Piggies with clear nails are usually the easiest to clip, since you can clearly see the pink line in the nail and where it ends. Often, carers have reported the discolouration of the unnecessary length of nail after the quick ends - the nail can be a slight yellow colour rather than clear.

Diagram showing the quick and where to clip a clear nail

Guinea pigs with dark nails can be tricky, since you are unable to see the quick. Some carers rely on a flashlight / torch to slightly show the quick - this is acheived by shining the light under the nail, and a lighter line - the quick -  can be visible. Others tend to clip little and often, as with clear nailed piggies, and this tends to be the best way to go about dealing with black and brown claws.

If you do ever catch the quick, dip the affected nail in styptik powder, cornstarch or finely ground coffee granules. This stops the bleeding. Once all bleeding has stopped, you can very gently and carefully dab the affected nail with a cotton ball or dip it in some salt water a few times daily. Keeping the nail clean will prevent infection.

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Important Note about trimming / filing teeth

 Don't do it. It's as simple as that. Some guinea pig books and websites claim you can easily clip and file cavies' teeth yourself, but this poses many dangers. An inexperienced cavy carer could so easily fracture the tooth and cause bleeding and pain, and well as setting up a potentially difficult future for your piggies in terms of dental health.

The only person who should clip or file cavies' teeth is a trained professional, such as a vet or qualified rodentologist.

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COPYRIGHT LAURA HUMPHREYS 2006-08