Cleaning a matted guinea's bum

The guinea pigs I rescued Sat are looking pretty rough, having never been groomed in their year of life at the breeders - the long haired girls are thick with matts around their bums - They're all very nervous after travelling here and being somewhere new - what's the least stressful way of cleaning them up? Their claws are also curling under so I've got to clip them first I guess - Hopefully I'll have their permanent accomodation sorted out this afternoon when 3 new cages are delivered, as they're getting stressed from being moved from one cage to another, to a cat carrier etc - One is in a cardboard box at the mo because she wouldn't stop fighting - and she's the most matted of the lot - no wonder she's in a bad mood poor thing

If I dunk her in water will the matt loosen or just get worse? Should I cut it off first? Totally at sea here and dreading getting bitten, having seen what look like rat's teeth but much bigger :shock:

I would cut the matt's off cos soaking them can make them worse + harder to get rid of. We had a really badly matted bunny come into us, so we just cut all the matts out as best we could and groomed him over the next few days.

I wouldn't do too much to them at once i.e. cutting, grooming + bathing, as they will already be very stressed. Try cutting some of the matts out one day and stop if piggie is getting stressed. It may take a few days to a week of short daily sessions of clipping + grooming to remove them. After all knots + matts are out you could bath them if they are smelly, but I would wait a few weeks if they aren't too smelly as bathing is very stressful!!

I used to dread getting bitten by dogs, cats, rabbits etc but now having worked in rescue for a few years I'm resigned to the fact that it does happen!!! It will hurt for a bit but won't last long is what I think to myself. Have you got an extra pair of hands who can help you?

Nicola

Oh goodness elve you are a star! I would try to carefully cut the matt out and then give them baths. But i am def not well up on long haired piggies! mine are all short haired. Good luck XXX

Hiya,

Yes I would defiantly cut or comb out the worst, but if they aren't easy to handle then cutting them is so much easier. Soaking them will make them harder to get out. I have 3 long haired and 3 shorthaired, 2 of which are merino which are long with curly coats, they came to me with big knots and they had to be cut out.
I wish you luck, you are a star taking on so many with such problems.

Rachel x

My long haired piggie sometimes gets knots round her bum i just cut them out,you should be safe with piggies ive never been bitten by one,just dont put your fingers near there mouth they sometimes mistake them for food :lol:

Piggies are extremely good natured and it is rare for them to bite. When Gizmo's grease gland manked up all his hair I used a bit of swarfega to dissolve the grease then gently combed the hair and the mats came loose. Some of them pulled out though and he sqeeked so I think it hurt. Cutting them out would certainly be a lot kinder.

Caz

hi

Thanks for all that brilliant advice
They are very stressed, especially since I put half of them in new cages yesterday - they're all swathed in blankets so the telly doesn't freak them out even more - I'll def leave the bathing if you think it's OK to wait - more important to settle them in I guess, then cut nails, then cut matts, then bathe - if they haven't cleaned themselves up already by then -

They are looking slightly better now they're out of knee deep sawdust and shavings...Abigail's cough/sneeze seems to have cleared up now she's on megazorb - hopefully!

The heavily pregnant one fought like crazy yesterday when I tried to get her out of her black hole near the floor - it was such a pit down at the bottom of the breeder unit I couldn't leave her there though, not with babies too - I've now emptied the bottom tier of that thing - I couldn't even see them without lying on the floor!

I've seperated Charlotte from her 4 week old boys too - really heartrending listening to them squeaking for her now, and she chews the bars to get to them again

The alpacas do have a woolly coat - just like sheepskin - it's kind of coarse and greasy feeling - not sure what merino's like - softer?
Charlotte's long haired but seems quite unmatted although I've not had a thorough look - maybe she's not as old as Delores (the white long-haired piggy - pregnant and majorly stressed poor girl)

Tracy at rngp rescue has offered to take them - I think I'll be letting half go to her, and someone on forum has offered a home to Charlotte - if they can prise her out of my hands :lol: