Bathing long haired guineapig

[sheba]

Hi, I'm new on here and after abit of advice. I have 7 gps, my two youngsters (both boys and best friends) were the result of me buying a pregnant sow (I was unaware). Anyway, one is quite long haired and I've noticed his fur gets quite matted around his bottom though I try to keep it brushed. When I bathe him, which is the best shampoo and how can I help get rid of the matting? Sorry such a long post - but help pls.

[aquatj]

Gorgeous Guineas website

I bath mine once a month and Giles the sheltie gets brushed every day too, it takes about 5 seconds. When he came ( he was a stray ) his fur was very matted. On his first bath I just cut the lumps out with hairdressing scissors and they've never reoccurred in the five months he's been here but you could cut the long fur from round the tail end just to keep it from trailing in any muck which is how the knots probably start.

[Susie (Barmy4Boars)]

Piggy sounds adorable. Not being a past or present long piggy owner I can't really help other than to say trim it carefully if it gets too long, daily brushing or as your particular pig requires and check out www.gorgeousguineas.co.uk as I believe there is a special shampoo for long haired piggys.

[sheba]

Thanks for the advice. I have trimmed him a couple of times - doesnt their fur grow quick?? He really doesnt like being brushed - Are some brushes/combs better than others? This is a lovely site by the way!

[aquatj]

I just use a regular human brush on mine. Giles isn't over keen on his tail end being done but as it's only a few moments he copes - it isn't good if he's got wet so I make sure he's brushed before he's put in the run ( concrete floor ) in case his long fur trails through any puddles. I expect once a month bathing and conditioning will make a massive difference but I don't think it would be a good thing to do if your pig lives outside

[sheba]

Hi,
well my 7 piggies live in their shed, they have electric lights and all home comforts. Im sure they chat to each other when I'm not there (!) They squeak like mad when i open the door. Are everyones pigs inside or does anyone keep them in outdoor hutches? I'm much happier knowing they're warm and dry. If I had just ONE cage/hutch, I would have it inside the house but cant manage it with 4 hutches unfortunately...

[rachel]

I have 2 merinos and a sheltie as well as 3 other short haired and I just comb everyone everyday which keeps the knots at bay. I use a human plastic comb which has 2 different sizes of teeth, which I find gets through the knots brilliantly. With the merinos they have big curly coats and the hay gets caught in that easily so they can knot up quickly. They also get bathed every 6 weeks roughly as they do get quite wet coats, I use johnsons shampoo for them all and I find that works well.

My 6 are in a shed with the rabbits (seperate of course) and they have lighting and heating, they used to be ouside in the summer and in the garage for winter but now they have their own shed. I too would have them inside if I only had one hutch but their isn't room for 4 huge hutches as well as the rats, gerbils, c ockatiel, fish and dog!!!!

Rachel x

[Susie (Barmy4Boars)]

My piggys are inside my house in the spare room which is now piggy room. I have space for 3 large c&c pens because they are on a unit on top of each other. I think a heated shed with light and insulation is fine... if you can keep it comfy for piggys in heat or cool then thats good.

Bathing outdoor piggys/ piggys in outbuildings is fine as long as you make sure you dry them thouroughly before returning them to their quaters.

[oompaloompa]

my piggies long fur grows very quick

[nikinakinooo]

My 4 boys are outside in a double hutch, inside a large enclosure, which is weather-proofed with a lockable stable type door so they're sheltered and protected from foxes and cats.
I would so love to have them indoors but i haven't the room and have 3 dogs, who i just know would love to "play" with them!

[oompaloompa]

i keep my piggies outside (i have to because of Bronco!)

[michelle]

my piggys are in 2 purpose built sheds one for boys and the other for girls both with heating ( oil rads) and air con in summer with stable doors with nets to cover them if open, same with open windows wire netting is an effective way of safe guarding vermin or cats getting in, now need to find a screen for flys my fly zappers work over time in summer,
my pigs are all in c and c runs the girls 18 of them in one long wide one most of the shed is taken up with it, boys in seperate runs,

[sally]

You didn't say how long your piggy's fur is. Wilson had pretty long fur, particular around his rear end which would collect hay, wood shavings and form into fur-balls quite regularly. These I trimmed off with scissors, which he didn't seem to mind. I only bathed him once or twice, probably when I was introducing him to other piggies (to remove any existing smell of mother). I was fortunate that he did not need brushing or combing - I guess his fur wasn't long enough for that. After bathing, I just towelled him dry, and allowed him to groom himself until his hair was the way he liked it!

[iheartmipiggiez]

My story is very similar to your's, I started out with Dorothy my absynian and I went to adopt a peruvian and I decided I liked Faith and my dad, yes my dad fell in love with another one, Gloria, so we had three. As it turned out, Gloria was pregnant so then we had five (eek). I wasn't allowed to keep the babies and I came to reallize I couldn't handle it. So my baby boar is adopted and the baby sow is adopted and will be going to her new home in August.
My piggies are in three separate cages right now and they're all in my bedroom-it's chaos. But once the baby is adopted I'll sacrifice a peice of furniture and make a really big cage that all three of my girls can live in-if I can get Gloria to be nice to Dorothy that is!