How to Bathe a Guinea Pig
By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors
Most guinea pigs don't like water. Trying to bathe them may frighten them, and their reaction may lead to an injury[source:
SimplePetCare]. Fortunately, you shouldn't need to bathe your guinea pig more than once every few months unless it gets really dirty or has a medical necessity.
For day-to-day hygiene, you can use one of these alternatives instead of bathing your guinea pig:
- Apply guinea pig or rabbit dusting powder to your pet's fur and then brush it with a stiff brush.
- Spot clean its fur with warm, soapy water and a washcloth [source: SimplePetCare].
When you do need to bathe your guinea pig, you'll need:
- A washcloth
- Shampoo for guinea pigs, kittens (not cats) or rabbits
- Towels
- A blow dryer with a gentle or low setting
- A brush
To bathe your guinea pig:
- Place a washcloth at the bottom of the sink or bucket you're using so your guinea pig won't slip and slide.
- Gently pour warm water on the guinea pig's back, or use slow-flowing, warm water from the faucet.
- Thoroughly wet all of your pet except for its face, which it can wash itself.
- Work a little bit of shampoo into your guinea pig's fur, following the instructions on the bottle.
- Rinse your guinea pig well and make sure you've gotten all the shampoo out of its fur.
- Wrap your pet in a towel. If the water soaks through the towel, change to a dry one. Shivering is normal, but keep towel drying your guinea pig until it stops shivering. While towel drying your guinea pig, brush its fur periodically to prevent tangles.
- Finish drying your guinea pig with the blow dryer on the coolest temperature and lowest speed, continuing to brush its fur [source: Petco]. //]]]]> ]]>
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