Guinea pigs are generally clean animals and spend a lot of their time cleaning and grooming themselves. Nevertheless, they will occasionally need a helping hand from their piggy parents to give them a bath.
However, bathing your guinea pig is not as simple as following the same shower routine us humans use. In fact, bathing guinea pigs in the wrong way could cause them unnecessary stress or even end up harming them.
This guide is here to show you what to do and what not to do, so you know how to bathe your guinea pig safely should they need it.
How Often Should I Bathe My Guinea Pig?
The short answer to this question is: rarely. As you will have noticed as a piggy parent, guinea pigs naturally wash themselves, and most of the time do a great job at this!
Guinea pigs have sensitive skin and giving them a bath can upset this. Washing them strips their skin and fur of their naturally protective oils, putting their skin at risk of drying out. Therefore, it is best to limit washing them to only when it is necessary.
Your guinea pig will only need you to give them a bath if they are dirty or begin to smell. If your guinea pig begins to smell, it could be a sign of an underlying health issue, and you should take them to the vet to be checked.
As a rough way of measuring whether they need a bath or not, check their coat. Your guinea pig’s fur should feel soft when you stroke it and it should not smell badly as they are generally extremely clean animals. If they are in need of a bath your hands will feel a bit grimy after touching their coat and they may smell.
Of course, exceptions to this rule exist. Older guinea pigs, those with special needs and long haired pigs may need more bathing than the average pig.
Other reasons for a bath include needing to treat guinea pigs who are carrying fleas or mites on their skin and fur. If you are in doubt about whether to bathe your guinea pig, contact your veterinarian for advice.
What Do I Need to Bathe My Guinea Pig?
So you’ve decided your guinea pig really does need a bath? It’s time to gather together everything that you will need for the bath:
- A sink or container. This will be used to fill with water – a guinea pig sized bathtub! A dishpan or a plastic tub works well for this purpose.
- Guinea pig safe shampoo/soap. This can be found easily in most pet shops, vet clinics or with a quick search online.
- A wash cloth or soft sponge can be useful to give your guinea pig a proper clean but it is not essential.
- Towels. Have a few towels on hand to gently dry your guinea pig after their bath and to provide a non-slip surface for them.
- Hairdryer (optional).
- A few snacks for your guinea pig. Bath time can be stressful for guinea pigs despite your good intentions. Relax (or distract!) your guinea pig with a few of their favourite treats to show them bathtime isn’t scary!
How Do I Bathe My Guinea Pig?
Step 1: Prepare the bathtub
Place a towel in the bottom of your container. This will act as a non-slip base for your guinea pig’s feet while they are in the bath, decreasing the stress of a bath for your piggy.
Fill your container with 1-2 inches of clean, lukewarm water. There is no need to fill your container with any more water than this. The temperature of the water should be between 90oF – 95oF (32oC – 35oC) – too hot and you’ll burn your pig’s delicate skin. A thermometer can be helpful to test that the water is this temperature or you can test the temperature with the sensitive skin on your arm, as you would with a baby’s bath water.
Step 2: Set up your other items
Make sure the other items you will need for the bath are close by and ready before you begin so your guinea pig’s bath can be as fast and as seamless as possible. For example, lay down a clean dry towel next to the container to easily transfer your guinea pig to after you have washed them.
It can also be a good idea to give your guinea pig a cuddle on your lap and perhaps a small treat before you bathe them, so they are nice and relaxed.
Step 3: Place your guinea pig in the bath
Gently place your guinea pig into their bath, giving them time to get used to the new situation.
Step 4: Wet their fur
Once settled, use your hand or a small cup to scoop water over your guinea pig’s body. Avoid getting water near your guinea pig’s eyes, ears, nose and mouth as excessive amounts of water in any of these places can lead to serious health issues such as infections or respiratory problems.
Step 5: Shampoo
Work your guinea pig safe shampoo to a lather on your pig’s body using your hand. Move your hand in slow, small circles, giving your guinea pig a gentle, relaxing massage. You may want to focus on their butts, bellies, legs and feet as these are generally the areas that get the dirtiest.
Step 6: Rinse
Rinse the shampoo from your guinea pig’s fur with clean water. Use your hand or cup to scoop water the the right places rather than placing your guinea pig under a constant stream of water such as a running faucet.
Step 7: Dry
Once rinsed, gently lift your guinea pig out of the bath and onto your pre-prepared towel. Use a second towel to wrap up and dry your pig – you may need to do this step quickly as they may try to run off at this stage!
Towel-dry your guinea pig, making sure you are not doing this too vigorously. Microfiber towels are great at absorbing a lot of water and drying your guinea pig quickly. If your towel gets too wet, switch to a fresh, dry one.
If you are going to use a hairdryer, put it on its lowest setting and keep it a good distance away from your guinea pig – hair dryers can burn guinea pig skin if too hot and kept in the same place for too long.
Make sure your guinea pig is sufficiently dry before returning them to their enclosure. Never return a damp guinea pig to a cold hutch.
How To Deal With A Wriggly Guinea Pig During Bath Time
If your guinea pig is nervous about having a bath, it may help to stop every so often and allow them to settle and relax before continuing.
To make sure the bath environment is relaxing, ensure it is calm and quiet. Talk softly to your piggy, doing each action gently and calmly. Having one hand underneath their belly and one hand on their back can help them to feel secure.
However, if you have a really nervous, wriggly pig, it can be helpful to have an additional person to help. One person can hold your guinea pig, while another is in charge of shampooing and rinsing.
How To Prevent Your Guinea Pig From Needing A Bath
As we have mentioned, although you can bathe a guinea pig, this should not be needing to be done on a regular basis. Guinea pigs should only need a bath 2-4 times a year, if that. The best practice is to help your guinea pig from needing a bath by maintaining a clean environment for them.
You should be fully cleaning their enclosures every week and spot cleaning the small messes they make every day.
Additionally, trimming your guinea pig’s fur to ensure it doesn’t get too long can help to keep them clean. Long hair, especially around the butt area, can drag through dirt and poop making them dirtier than they should be.
If you follow these steps we have set out, your guinea pig should stay looking and smelling sweet for longer.
