guinea pig bathing

Question
QUESTION: I just got a guinea pig and this is my first time. i was wondering can i give my guinea pig (Green Bean) a bath in the winter? if so how do i dry him off? and how do i get him to stop being so afraid of me and so jumpy? Please help me.

ANSWER: Congratulations on your new pet.  Green Bean is an adorable name!

Most guinea pigs need about a week to get used to their new surroundings. Don't try to hard to handle him just yet. He needs to be familiar with the new sights and smells of the household, then he will settle down and become used to you.

When you pick him up be careful not to just grab him from the top and squeeze his delicate ribs. They are easily injured by grabbing that way. Try to use both hands and always be sure you have one hand underneath him so he feels safe.

Sometimes just wrapping a small towel around his body makes him feel secure and he will quiet down more quickly.

As for the bath, there's really no reason you need to bathe him unless he gets really dirty. But if you do need to give him a bath be sure to rinse him well, then wrap a towel around him. Hold him for a few minutes as the towel soaks up most of the water. Then you can use a hair dryer to dry him.

But be extremely careful to keep moving the dryer back and forth so that he doesn't have hot air blowing just on one spot. He can get a burn that way. Most guinea pigs don't need a bath too frequently. Keeping his cage clean and dry will also help keep him clean as well.

Best of luck to you, and if you are able I would love to see pictures of him.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Green Bean   QUESTION: Thank you. I also have another question, how often am i suppose to feed him i started twice a day and am now only feeding him once. and i was also afraid that i hurt him when i pet him on his back he sounds almost like purring or growling and when he walks he always cry. And if i were to change from bedding to fleece would it affect him in anyway?
Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions.

Answer

Roan Abyssinian   Now that I can see Green Bean I can tell you why he acts the way he does when you're petting him. His is an Abyssinian (breed). His hair grows in little rosettes all over his body. And he's adorable by the way!

Guinea pigs don't like their coat petted in the wrong direction. They want to be stroked in the direction of the hair growth. With Green Bean his hair grows in all different directions. So it's a bit irritating to him if you run you hand from his head to his rear.

Imagine if someone were to stroke your head softly from the front to the back. It's very soothing and affectionate. Now imagine if they started at your neck and stroked you toward the top of your head to your forehead. That doesn't feel good and is irritating.

When grooming Abys most exhibitors use a toothbrush. You gently brush each rosette from the center outward. When I groom my Teddies I brush from the back to the front because that's the way the hair grows. The smooth coated pigs like the Americans are brushed from head to rear.

I think his jumpiness is just because it's uncomfortable when you pet him. So from now on just try holding him in your lap and if you don't have a toothbrush to groom him with then just use your finger and pet the way the hair grows. I bet you'll find that he enjoys that.

Abys have long been known as the smartest of all the cavy breeds. When on a show table it's always the Abys that manage to get out of their coop and run down the carpeted ramp.  Judges will always say, "that's just an Aby."  We've always called them the "Jack Russell Terriers" of guinea pigs, because they're always busy, busy, busy.