Nails |
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Guinea pigs have four nails on each of their front paws and three on each back paw.
Guinea pigs over the age of 2-3 months need their nails cut at least once a month -- or once every two weeks if possible -- to keep the nails at a comfortable length (for them and you). Nails that grow too long become painful for the guinea pig. It keeps them from being able to place their toes on the floor. It would be like us, humans, having to walk on our heels constantly. Cutting their nails can be a tricky task, especially if your guinea pigs are squirmy worms. A trick I have learned is to not make a big deal about it. They can sense when you are nervous. Some guinea pigs do better with this when you place them on a flat surface like a counter or table and rest their paw on your finger while you clip each one. You may have someone hold them down while you work. Others do better held against your chest with their feet away from you as you or another person clips. If you're still having problems, wrap them tightly in a towel or blanket to help them feel safer (and to keep squirmy worms from moving too much). For white/pink nails, trim up to the quick (the dark pink or red parts closer to the paw). If the quick is cut, they will bleed. For darker nails that are hard to see the quick, I use the flashlight on my phone to see through the nail. I turn it on, place the phone face down so that the light is shining upwards, and hold their nail over it. You can see the darkest places are where the quick is. Click here for a great video. |
If you do cut the quick, don't panic!
There might be a lot of blood, but it looks worse than it is. Hold a bit of flour or corn starch on the bleeding nail. This will help stop the bleeding. If you have "quick stop" in your medicine cabinet, that works best. |
Bathing
Many guinea pigs do a good job of keeping themselves clean for the most part. They actually make a milky cleaning solution in their eyes to assist in cleaning themselves. They spread this solution over their face with their front paws and then use their nose to spread it on their back sides.
Usually a single bath per month is satisfactory, but some can benefit from a weekly "butt bath".
We recommend using a gentle hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner like baby shampoo or pet shampoo and conditioner. It is okay to use a blow dryer, but if you're still in the process of taming and getting to know your guinea pig, you may want to towel dry and cuddle with treats while they dry off.
Some guinea pigs are messier than others. For example, one might only poo and pee in a single corner of their cage away from their hut and food. Another guinea pig might poo and pee in their food, huts, and bedding where they sleep and give no cares about sitting in it for hours. Any guinea pig can be either of these two extremes or anywhere in between. So how often and how extensive to bathe them is totally up to you.
Usually a single bath per month is satisfactory, but some can benefit from a weekly "butt bath".
We recommend using a gentle hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner like baby shampoo or pet shampoo and conditioner. It is okay to use a blow dryer, but if you're still in the process of taming and getting to know your guinea pig, you may want to towel dry and cuddle with treats while they dry off.
Some guinea pigs are messier than others. For example, one might only poo and pee in a single corner of their cage away from their hut and food. Another guinea pig might poo and pee in their food, huts, and bedding where they sleep and give no cares about sitting in it for hours. Any guinea pig can be either of these two extremes or anywhere in between. So how often and how extensive to bathe them is totally up to you.
Grease Gland
Guinea pigs have what we call a grease gland. It is located just above the anus about where a tail would be if they had one.
This gland is what excretes their "smell" that they use to mark their territory. The greasy or waxy substance that is produced can build up over time and needs cleaning every month or so. You generally only have to worry about this with males.
We usually clean it when we give them their monthly bath. Coconut oil, Olive oil, or Dawn Dish soap will help in removing the buildup.
This gland is what excretes their "smell" that they use to mark their territory. The greasy or waxy substance that is produced can build up over time and needs cleaning every month or so. You generally only have to worry about this with males.
We usually clean it when we give them their monthly bath. Coconut oil, Olive oil, or Dawn Dish soap will help in removing the buildup.
Impaction
This is generally a male-only problem. Guinea pigs have a "pocket" just inside their anus. Some of their poos go there to furmate. These poos are the ones you see them bend over and eat straight from the butt. This may seem gross to us humans, but guinea pigs need these poos for their digestive system.
Impaction occurs when extra things in their cage like hay, dirt, poop, etc. get stuck in the pocket. For some, its a small amount and hardly noticeable. For others, typically older males or males with large testicles, a lot gets stuck. This can become painful if left to accumulate.
A good way to clean out the impaction:
Impaction is usually a white pasty substance mixed with poop, dirt, hay, etc. If it is another color like green, it could be an infection and a cavy knowledgeable vet should be contacted.
Impaction occurs when extra things in their cage like hay, dirt, poop, etc. get stuck in the pocket. For some, its a small amount and hardly noticeable. For others, typically older males or males with large testicles, a lot gets stuck. This can become painful if left to accumulate.
A good way to clean out the impaction:
- Place an index finger and thumb on either side of the anus
- Push back and open your fingers to open the anus
- Begin to close your fingers around the anus and pinch the skin a bit to squeeze it out -- be careful not to squeeze too hard
- If it does not come out easily, coconut oil or olive oil on a q-tip is a great lubricator
- Try pushing it out with a q-tip
- If it won't come out, or you are unsure, see a cavy knowledgeable veterinarian!
Impaction is usually a white pasty substance mixed with poop, dirt, hay, etc. If it is another color like green, it could be an infection and a cavy knowledgeable vet should be contacted.
