Bathing Do you bath short hair guinea pigs?

piggielover200 said:

I have two Abyssinians and I only give them "soaks" every once in a while as in like 1 to 2 times a year. I do this mostly to clean their feet and bottoms. I do not use any soap just warm water and a wash cloth. I set a towel in the bottom of the sink, fill it with about 2-3 inches (just enough that when they stand in it the water reaches their bellies) of warm water (a good gauge would be the temperature you would bathe a newborn in or slightly cooler), then I rub their feet and bum to get any nasty stuff off. They then get a carrot as they sit in a small cage on a towel for a couple minutes to dry and then they are returned to their cage to popcorn.

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pigger123 said:

Any guinea pig can be bathed, you just don't want to do it too often. If you use shampoo just make sure it's safe for piggies.

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jaycriae said:

You can following piggielover200's instructions, but there's usually no reason to unless they get in a mess. In all my time working with my own pigs and shelter pigs, the majority being short-haired, I've only needed to bathe one, and she was in very bad condition. Usually you can just get a warm washcloth and wipe off any messes, no soap or soaking needed.

Also, be sure they are dried well and water doesn't get in their eyes or ears.

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bpatters said:

If you need to bathe them, get some guinea pig shampoo (kitten shampoo in a pinch) and be sure to rinse very well. Dry them thoroughly before putting them back in the cage, particularly if you've got air conditioning.

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