From Abyssinian guinea pigs’ rosettes to curly-haired Texels, long-haired guinea pigs have gorgeous fur. Before adopting a long-haired guinea pig breed, though, you may have questions about their care.
Do long-haired guinea pigs need haircuts or baths? How often do they need to be brushed, and how much more difficult is their upkeep compared to short-haired guinea pigs? Learn all about long-haired guinea pig care below.
How Do You Brush a Long-Haired Guinea Pig?
Long-haired guinea pigs need more grooming than short-hairs to stay healthy and clean. To groom your long-haired guinea pig, you’ll need a metal comb. You may also need a pair of scissors or pet grooming clippers.
Gently comb through your guinea pig’s fur using the metal comb once every couple of days. Never yank the comb through tangles or mats, as this can cause injuries. Instead, gently cut away any matting that you find.
If your guinea pig doesn’t like the brush, try distracting them with food. If they’re too stressed to eat, you may need another person to hold them while you brush their coat.
Be careful while brushing your guinea pig because some piggies will bite, especially if their fur is pulled or they’ve had bad experiences in the past.
Do Long-Haired Guinea Pigs Need Baths?
Guinea pigs don’t require frequent baths and should only be bathed when they’re noticeably dirty or for health reasons, such as mites. Some guinea pigs never need baths at all–but this is more likely for short-haired guinea pigs than long-hairs.
Try not to bathe your long-haired guinea pig more than a few times a year. You can also give them additional “butt baths” if their rear end gets dirty more frequently than this. Keeping their fur trimmed short so that it doesn’t drag on the ground will reduce their need for baths, as will keeping their cage as clean as possible so they aren’t sitting in urine or feces.
How Do You Bathe a Long-Haired Guinea Pig?
- Gather your supplies. You’ll need guinea pig-safe shampoo such as Davis Miconazole pet shampoo, a non-slip surface for the bottom of your sink, a small cup to pour water onto your guinea pig, a towel, and a blow dryer.
- Handle haircuts first, if needed. No reason to wash fur you’ll be cutting off anyway!
- Line the sink with a non-slip surface and fill it with a few inches of water. Enough to cover their feet works well.
- Use a cup to gather water from the bottom of the sink and soak your guinea pig’s coat. As we discussed above, you don’t have to wet their entire body if only part of them is dirty.
- Lather shampoo in your hands and gently work it into the coat and skin.
- Thoroughly rinse your guinea pig’s coat. Make sure all soap suds are removed to prevent skin irritation or dryness. If the water gets too soapy, you can gently hold them under a running sink, but check the temperature with your hand first.
- Dry your guinea pig with a towel and blow dryer on low heat before returning them to the cage. Guinea pigs may struggle to maintain their body temperature when wet, especially when it’s cold.
Please remember to monitor your guinea pig at all times, and don’t turn your back for even a minute while they’re in the sink. Most guinea pigs will try to crawl out of the water, and they may hurt themselves if they fall.
Should You Cut a Long-Haired Guinea Pig’s Hair?
Whether or not you trim your guinea pig’s hair is a personal decision, but it makes grooming their coat a lot easier. It can take you from brushing them daily or every other day to just giving them a trim every few weeks. Short hair is also less likely to get dirty, so your guinea pig won’t need baths as often.
However, some people like how long-haired guinea pigs look and prefer to keep their fur at its natural length. Others compromise by not shaving their guinea pig short but trimming around the edges so that it doesn’t touch the floor.
How Do You Cut a Guinea Pig’s Fur?
You can cut your guinea pig’s hair using either scissors with a rounded end or electric pet grooming clippers.
- Choose a time when your guinea pig is calm and set them on a table where you can reach them easily. You may want to provide food as a distraction or have someone else hold them if they tend to run or squirm.
- Gently cut or shave your guinea pig’s fur, making sure not to nick the skin. Consider trimming their backside shorter, as this fur is most likely to get dirty.
- Remove any mats or tangles very carefully. If they’re too close to the skin, you may want to contact a professional groomer or veterinarian who has more experience shaving small pets.
If you’re using clippers, keep the safety guard on and make sure they don’t get too hot. If needed, break grooming into multiple shorter sessions so that you can move slowly and carefully. Also, take breaks if your guinea pig becomes impatient, as you risk cutting them if they move around too much.
What Other Grooming Needs Do Guinea Pigs Have?
In addition to coat care, long-haired guinea pigs have the same grooming needs as other piggies. This includes:
- Trimming their nails monthly
- Cleaning their ears as needed
Remember to only trim the tips of your guinea pig’s nails, avoiding the pink located at the base of the nail. This can be more difficult to see in black nails, so you might want to have Kwik Stop or cornstarch on hand to stop the bleeding if you cut too short.
When cleaning your guinea pig’s ears, remember to only clean the outer part. Never stick anything into your guinea pig’s ear canals.
Nail trims can be done using either human nail clippers or those made for cats or small pets. Ears can be cleaned using a pet ear cleaning solution and a cotton ball or swab.
Do Pet Groomers Take Guinea Pigs?
If you’re struggling to groom your guinea pig, consider hiring a professional. Some groomers take small pets, but for shaving or nail trims, you may be better off asking your exotic pet veterinarian, as they’ll usually have more experience.
