Keeping Up Appearances – Guinea Pig Style Part 1

Guinea pigs are very good in keeping themselves groomed. But there are a few instances where they might need some help. The first area of concern is their fur.

There are short hair and long hair guinea pigs. The former need very little help with keeping their fur full and shiny. Just keep an eye on them to ensure that their fur does not become matted, especially in areas that are most likely to come in frequent contact with water, such as the belly and the behind. Brushing your short hair guinea pig is not necessary, and in fact, guinea pigs do not enjoy being brushed. They remain still and most likely make a little humming noise as a form of protective mechanism, not because they are comfortable. Keeping the fur well groomed is a much more involved matter where long hair guinea pigs are concerned. Before you decide on a long hair guinea pig, you should be aware of the amount of daily grooming that is involved. Guinea pigs like things to be clean — their cages, their food bowls, their fur. Dirt and other particles that stick to their fur make long hair guinea pigs very unhappy. To avoid fur that is matted and dirty, you should regularly trim the hair of your long haired guinea pig. Cut its hair to about a centimeter above the ground to avoid being tracked through the mud, so to speak. A long haired guinea pigs butt is the area most prone to matting and should thus be kept as short as possible to avoid urine and stool collecting in it. Here is another tip: in the summer, it is sensible to give your long haired guinea pig a trendy short haircut to make the hot and humid summer months more bearable. And yes, long haired guinea pigs need to be brushed regularly. As mentioned above, guinea pigs do not like to be brushed. To make it as painless as possible for your guinea pig, use a soft baby brush or a special guinea pig brush; and only brush with the grain. Do not try to brush out badly matted hair; be consequent and cut the patch out. And never every use a comb!

Guinea pigs are also not fans of being bathed, so try to avoid it if possible. If you find yourself with a dirtied guinea pig, use a warm wet wash cloth to rub out spots in the fur.

Keep this few tips in mind, and your guinea pig should be happy and healthy for many years to come.

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