

Cleaning up after your Guinea Pig
Cleaning up after your Guinea
Pig is a pretty straightforward job. They need to have their cage,
dishes, bottles, and themselves cleaned at least once a week.
You should clean out your Cavy's
cage every day by scooping out the old bedding and putting in some
fresh bedding. Putting old newspaper under the bedding will make this
job easier. (Be sure to change the paper also!) Once a week, you have
to spray the cage down with water and a non-toxic soap.
Clean your Guinea Pig's food bowl and
water-bottle every day as well, using a non-toxic bleach and water. Be
sure to rinse it out very well.
If your Guinea Pig begins to
look itchy or dirty, you might need to give it a bath. For the most part, Guinea
Pigs keep themselves clean, so if it's fur looks patchy, overly dirty,
dull, or peaky, you might need to take it to a vet. Long-haired Guinea
Pigs will need to be bathed more frequently, as well.
To give your Cavy a bath,
prepare a tub of lukewarm water (a bathroom sink works nicely), and
don't make it too deep. Put your Guinea Pig into it, and massage some
baby shampoo into their coat. Keep your Guinea Pig's face out of the
water, to prevent soap from getting into its eyes. If you see a
whitish liquid in your Guinea Pig's eyes, don't worry; that's just a
type of tear they use to wash away the water in their eyes. Use a
blow-dryer set on a very low setting to help dry your Cavy off; they
are very susceptible to colds, so avoid bathing them in the winter
altogether. Remember, don't bathe your Guinea Pig if they don't need it!
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