Can guinea pigs be bathed?

Guinea pigs, especially smooth-haired ones, are animals that do not require bathing. They are creatures that are great at taking care of their fur themselves, as long as you take proper care of their cage, not forgetting to change the bedding frequently and remove leftover vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, there are situations when the animal is sick or gets dirty in a place that it cannot clean itself. Then we have no choice but to organize a bath for our pet. However, it should be remembered that washing too often can dry out the delicate skin of the animal. Incorrectly selected cosmetics can also have a negative effect on the condition of the skin and the formation of irritations. So how should a bath be carried out so that it brings only benefits to our pet?

At the beginning it is a good idea to prepare all the necessary accessories so that during the bath the guinea pig is not additionally stressed by running around and frantically searching for the necessary things. The items that you need to prepare include:

• a place for bathing, i.e. a clean and flat sink where the pet will not slip,
• two towels,
• a properly selected shampoo for guinea pigs,
• a soft brush for combing the fur,
• hair dryer.

A very important stage before bathing is to calm the animal down by rocking it on your lap. The help of another person is useful here, who can prepare warm water at this time. It should be remembered that guinea pigs have a slightly higher body temperature than us, so the water must be warm, not hot. The stream should also not be too strong. We can spread a small towel on the bottom of the sink, which will cushion the paws and prevent the animal from slipping, thanks to which it will feel safer. The next step is to gently place the pig under the sink. My pig likes water and baths, so she enters the sink herself and lies down, stretching out her hind leg, which means she is relaxed and ready to be washed. Once the pig is in the water, gently moisten its fur, avoiding its eyes, nose and ears. You should also always remember not to leave the animal alone and constantly monitor the water temperature. If the animal seems to be restless or stressed about the whole situation, you can give it previously prepared treats.

What cosmetics should you use to wash your guinea pig? The answer is: a specially designed shampoo. It does not contain any perfumes or substances that may irritate the animal's skin. However, it contains agents that prevent the formation of mycosis and unwanted enemies in the form of skin parasites. We gently massage such a cosmetic into the animal's fur in circular motions and then rinse it off very thoroughly. If our guinea pig was very dirty, we can repeat this action, but we should check whether we have thoroughly rinsed the cosmetic from the sensitive skin of the guinea pig. When it comes to ears, we should clean them with cotton pads or cotton buds for children.

During bathing, it is very important for the guinea pig to have constant eye contact with the person bathing it. This will allow it to feel safe and not be stressed by the whole process. You can't forget about the health of the animal either, so special attention should be paid to the delicate spine of the guinea pig, which can be damaged by too sudden movements.

The next step after rinsing the shampoo is to transfer the guinea pig to a towel and gently dry it, remembering to keep our movements calm and gentle. My pet likes to feel the warm air of the dryer on itself during this time. I set it to the lowest speed and place it about 40 cm from the guinea pig. After the bath, we put the dried animal in a clean, freshly lined cage.

When taking care of a guinea pig, however, you need to remember that bathing should be a last resort for us and should only be done when absolutely necessary. This is an event that is very stressful for the animal, especially if it has only been with us for a few days. We also never pour too much water into the sink, because guinea pigs are animals that tend to avoid swimming, and water that is too deep can cause the animal to drown. If we follow these rules and remain calm and composed, there is a good chance that our pet will like bathing and will want to participate in it, and the process will be great fun for it.

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