Any special cleaning/ grooming/ issues for boars?

[Feylin]

Well, I've finally got my 2 boys now. Fred 6month old american and CJ a 8month old american. Just FYI These are the first cavies I have owned. Fred's been with me for 3 weeks and we've successfully made it through a URI, but I'm still trying to learn everyting.

I want to know about grooming related issues for boars. I read over at Guinea Lynx but I'm still a little unclear. I guess I'd like to hear from those of you who have experience.

How often should I clean out the grease gland? CJ is already starting to have some build up back there. People talk about using oil to soften it up. Do i need to let it sit? Will it just wipe off? Do i need to wash the area with something afterwards?

Second question is about their man bits. I have read about people checking, cleaning, oiling, ect. What is the general maintence I should be doing in this area?

Do you need to clean their ears? Both boys had a lot of white waxy material that came out with some gentle qtip wiping on the outer part of the ear.

I started thinking about this because we had to take a buddy bath last night! Every one gets along fine now, but it made me think about general maintence. We have a vet apointment (to check up on Fred's URI and to get a basline for CJ) and I'll ask there too, but I figured you guys would have more practical advice.

Thanks!

You can see both boys after their bath on my flickr www.flickr.com/feylin

[fourboys4now]

I just looked at your pictures and the boys are too handsome! Lois is a cutie too. I collect turtle knick knacks. What kind is she and how old is she? I never realized that a turtle that large would be able to free range in a house.

I have 6 boar piggies and I would recommend a monthly bum bum clean out. I use mineral oil and Qtips. Just be very gentle. I recently adopted 2 new boys and one has impaction issues and is so used to his weekly cleaning I don't have to have anyone else hold him while I clean him. If you do it on a regular basis it's not that bad. Good luck with your boys, mine are one of the best parts of my day!

[Feylin]

Thanks! Do i just gently wipe around in there? (this is such a bizzare topic of conversation!)

6 boars!!! How big is your cage! Do they have issues with dominance? I'm new to this but I just love my boys and I'm already thinking that another one would be a good idea.

Lois is a SouthAmerican Redfooted Tortoise. She's 16 and I've had her since I was 12 (26 now). She's only free range in the evenings! I teach high school and she travels back and forth to my classroom with me each day. For some reason, redfoots will pee and poop in warm water if you give them the chance. So I soak her in the morning and in the afternoon. I only get the occasional accident.
She sleeps in her own mulch Filled house at night, but she's wildly jealous of the boys C&C. I've caught her spending a lot of time inspecting the outside and whistling at the house when the boys arent in there. So I think she'll get one here sooner than later!

[BilliesMine]

whoa, whoa...

I gotta do what?

heehe - ok, Totally new, and my GP is a boy. So ... could this be why the cage is so stinky, even after I just clean it?

[fourboys4now]

Ha ha. I know I got 2 of my boys before I realized eventually you have to clean the butt area. I'm thinking this is why a lot of people pick girl piggies. It's really not that bad.

I've read several places that recommend doing it once a month. I just put a little mineral oil in a shallow bowl then I have my husband hold a boy on his back (the guinea pig's back)*wink*, and I dip the Qtip in mineral oil and gently insert in bum bum. You just gently swipe around in there. Just don't stab or do it really fast, I just slide it around gently, kind of in a circular motion and around sides. Usually there is just a little poop residue and sometimes a little hair and when I used pine shavings in the past there would be a little of that in there.

The main reason I changed over to fleece bedding is so that would not be in their little bums anymore. I know I wouldn't want that in my bum. I've also read fleece helps them keep from getting impactions. Good luck!

[Char-x]

I got a male a few months ago and I didn't know you needed to do this, where is the place you have to clean out ?! Is it the bottom hole or another or what? My male is very agressive and will go for you badly if you try and handle him too much (he bit into my face once when trying to check his bottom area), so is this vital?

[pigsforlife]

It is recommended to clean out the perineal sack on a regular basis no matter what the age, and whether or not they are/get impacted. This is a quote from this article Guinea Lynx :: Impaction on guinealynx.

A Regular Routine (no matter what age)
The perineal sac is a collecting place for all sorts of debris (hair, cage shavings, hay) and should be cleaned out on a regular basis. Mineral oil, warm water soaks and/or flushes, and Q-tips work well for this procedure. Make sure you retract the folds of the anus enough so you can see right into the sac (it is quite deep). Your guinea pig won't like this procedure but it doesn't hurt though the smell can sometimes be quite strong! It's possible, in some boars that haven't been cleaned regularly to develop an anal plug - basically a solid mass of debris and grease which is stuck to the anal wall. This can be worked out using liberal amounts of mineral oil to release the edges of the plug without tearing the skin - this takes time and a lot of patience. See your vet if you are unsure!

Good thing I have girls

[Char-x]

My pigs about six years old, so I will try and give it a go. Whats a Qtip?? I really am at a total loss about this even after reading GL.

[pigsforlife]

He is a senior pig so he may be impacted. I am not a whiz on this topic cause I have girls and have only ever had girls but I will try and help you.

A google search of qtips brought up what I call cotton buds - http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thu...210_q_tips.jpg

Being an older pig he will definitley need to be cleaned (a process which I believe is stinky). I hope someone with boars can come along and help you out more. It may be a good idea to go to your vet and have him show you how to do it to get you started.

[Char-x]

I questioned lots on here about impaction and was told that if they are impacted they won't poop, or they wont poop as much. So I dont think he is impacted yet.

*shudders* I have a phobia of cotton wool ! Those bud things I'm usually okay with though. I will try and give it ago tonight, but it would definatly be useful if anyone with a boar could explain it in idiots guide.

Thanks, I have thanked you!

[clotho]

Hi there! I have five boars at the moment, so I've done lots of bum cleaning! I do it once a week when I clean their cage. I think it's important to do regularly. It keeps them clean - allows you to see if there are any problems developing - and gets them (and YOU) used to the process. It's really not that difficult. Once you have done it a few times, you'll be a pro. It's yucky, it's really smelly, but someone has to do it! It's much better than allowing your piggie to get impacted!

At first, I think it's important that you have a helper to hold the piggie. Just get your helper to flip the boar on his back with his bum resting on the floor (or table or counter or whatever surface you're working on). This allows the boar to feel safer because his legs aren't dangling in midair.

Just below the boar's penis is the area you will be cleaning. I put a finger and thumb on each side of the opening and sort of roll it open (it's kind of like rolling up a pair of socks inside each other - that's the best way I can describe it). The area will open right up and usually have smelly boar gunk in there and possibly some debris.

I make sure I have Q-tips liberally soaked in mineral oil sitting nearby on a newspaper so they are ready to use. I take the Q-tip and very gently run it around inside - pulling out any debris - changing Q-tips as they get soiled. Once I have all the debris out, I protrude the penis and check it for any problems and put a light coat of mineral oil on it with a clean Q-tip.

If you've never protruded a boar penis before, it can be a bit tricky. You kind of have to push down and out - just above the penis - to get it out.

The first time I realized this needed to be done was when my oldest boar, Stripes, started smelling REAL bad. I checked it out on GL and discovered I should be cleaning all the boys out regularly. I was nervous too, but with a helper holding him, I was clumsily able to clean him out. He wasn't quite impacted, but it was very nasty. However, since I'm doing it regularly now, it doesn't smell as bad and he's getting used to it, so it's much easier.

You can also have a helper hold the boar right at the edge of a sink and use a large syringe (10 mL works) with warm water. Then you'd squirt the water up inside the boar's sac and flush it out. I personally found this method difficult. I managed to spray myself with yucky water and the yucky stuff inside my boar just doesn't come out well with water. I much prefer the mineral oil and Q-tips. A couple minutes, a few swipes, and we're all done!

Good luck!

[Feylin]

Thanks for your help! I'll try it this weekend when I do the weekly fleece swap. I had read guinea lynx but I think i need to hear it in plain english from someone who's been doing it.

Is this more of an issue in older boars? Mine are 8months old and when we went to the vet (for other issues) she checked and said that they are not impacted and probably wouldn't be until they are older.

[AneesasMuse]

I know this is slightly old, but I was searching some stuff and this thread came up... although unrelated to the original inquiry. I guess we really do learn something new everyday! LOL I had no idea whatsoever that I needed to be cleaning Giorgi this way. All I can say is, "Wow!!!"

Guess we'll be getting better acquainted here very, very soon. Poor boy!

[Feylin]

I just wanted to update. I've got 3 boys now and this is much easier than it sounds! It's not nearly so stinky either. The boys protest having their man-bits violated, but I bribe them with carrots and they are fine.

[Luvmyboarz]

Sounds like my three guys. (We got another pig last March: he's 1 year old now) NONE of them like having their butts cleaned out! No squealing, but they do 'bicycles' with their hind legs when they struggle (and my right arm bears the evidence!) I always have to apologize to them with food afterward for this indignity.