When faced with the question of whether or not it’s good to bathe our Guinea Pigs, many owners are struggling at the conceptional state – how do you bathe your little fellow?
Before asking how you can bathe your pet, you should ask yourself whether or not you even should.
Look, we all get it. Your Guinea Pig managed to lay in his own feces, has got grass all over himself after a proper session outside or carries a weird stench with him.
In short, we will cover everything you need to know about giving your guinea pig a bath.
How Often Should You Bathe a Guinea Pig?
Actually, in most cases guinea pigs don’t need a bath as it can strip their coat of essential oils and cause dry skin.
Bathing your guinea pig once or twice a year or after something happened is fine, but you really should avoid bathing them if it’s not necessary.
Most often, when we think our guinea pigs need a bath, it’s due to some external factor like dirt and grind that’s sticking to their coat and may give off a bad smell.
Try to remove any dirt on their coat without putting them through the actual bath. Bad guinea pig smell can have various causes:
- Gut/digestive issues
- Smudges on his butt if the poop is watery
- Urinary tract infection
- Other sicknesses that prevent your guinea pig from grooming himself
Did you know that guinea pigs are actually quite clean due to their grooming routine? Once your guinea pig stops grooming himself or becomes apathetic, it’s usually a sign that your pet is sick.
Please consult a vet if you think your smell problem has underlying medical reasons.
Similarly, you should see a vet if your guinea pig has serious skin issues that seem to be the root any strong odor.
How to Give a Guinea Pig a Bath
Now you’ve decided that a bath is really necessary or your vet ordered one. What’s the best way to bathe your guinea pig?
Giving your beloved pet a bath shouldn’t be an issue if done right. It’s important to be prepared and remain calm to avoid putting your guinea pig through unnecessary stress.
There are various preparation steps you can take to make sure the bathing goes as smoothly as possible. You’ll need the following:
- Cloth
- Container filled with water
- One cloth/towel for your pet to stand on (anti-slip mats work great too)
- Guinea pig shampoo
- Dry towel
- Blow dryer (optional)
- Brush
You can easily wash your guinea pig with a warm cloth and add the appropriate shampoo if desired.
The container should be large enough for your guinea pig to turn around in, but not too big as it could cause them to panic once they splash around and the water runs loudly around them.
Choosing the right anti-slip mat can be quite important as many pets h