Sunday, December 27, 2009

To Bathe or Not to Bathe?

I've had a lot of people ask if you need to give guinea pigs a bath. My answer is, only if they are exceptionally dirty! Guinea pigs (from my own experiences) are not crazy about being in water. Because I take in a lot of abused or neglected piggies, I find that giving them a bath would only add to their trauma. If you keep the cage clean and keep your guinea pig groomed (which you only really need to do if it has long hair), you shouldn' t have to give it a bath.
However, if you decide you would like to do so, make sure you have everything you need. Pet stores sell Bunny Bath and Squeaky Clean, which are shampoos made just for rabbits and guinea pigs. Have a nice fluffy towel ready for when you're done, and make sure the room isn't drafty or cold. Use warm water, and if you're putting your pig in a sink or tub, put something in the bottom to make it less slippery. Your guinea pig will most likely struggle (unless it gets bathed very frequently and is used to it), so just be gentle, but make sure your little friend doesn't squirm away and end up getting hurt.

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