Guinea pigs are awesome companions for children. They also live the longest in the rodent family around 7 to 9 years. Since they are small pets Guinea pigs are easy to care for. Furthermore, they are very entertaining, and kids can have fun with them. Guinea pigs also have different personalities making all of them unique. Read more Does PetSmart Groom Guinea Pigs?
If you are thinking of adding guinea pigs to your family, you have to think about how you’re going to groom them as well.
Let’s get into it.
Does PetSmart groom guinea pigs?
Unfortunately, PetSmart does not groom guinea pigs. Despite this being the case, Petsmart offers grooming products. For instance: brushes, clippers, and bath powders. With these grooming products, guinea pig owners can groom the guinea pigs by themselves. The other option is for the guinea pig owner to go to a veterinarian and pet groomer to get the guinea pigs groomed. The Grooming will cost you around $10 to $20.
What we will be discussing further
- How to groom your guinea pig by yourself
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
How to groom your guinea pig by yourself?
Grooming your guinea pig by yourself is much cheaper and is pretty simple because a guinea pig is a small pet. It includes brushing, bathing, and trimming their nails.
Grooming your guinea pig should be done every week, and trimming the nails should be done every month to ensure your guinea pigs are comfortable.
- How to Brush your guinea pig
You can brush your guinea pig once or twice a week. Brushing your guinea pig regularly helps you check on any skin diseases that the guinea pig might have or any infections. This helps you monitor the health of your guinea pig. If you come across any parasites or lumps visit a vet as soon as possible.
Additionally, the breed of your guinea pig will determine how often you get to brush it. Some breeds can be brushed once or twice a week. However, Guinea pigs that are hairier will require you to brush them more often to keep them neat.
Lastly, get yourself a narrow-toothed pet comb specially designed for guinea pigs at PetSmart or any pet store of your choice.
- How to Bathe your guinea pig?
It’s advised that you bathe your guinea pig every month during summer and twice during winter. There’s a particular shampoo meant for bathing guinea pigs that are available at PetSmart. Proceed to use a sprayer with warm water to rinse the shampoo. Lastly, dry your guinea pig with a towel or a hairdryer during the cold season.
- Tips on how to Nail trim your guinea pig?
The growth of the nails depends on the age of the guinea pig, how active the guinea pig is, and the diet of a guinea pig. You can trim the nails of your guinea pig using nail clippers used for trimming cats. Hold the guinea pig gently under your arm in a wrapped towel and start clipping the guinea pig’s nails.
However, if there are two people in the house, one person can gently hold the guinea pig, leaving the legs dangling, and then the other person can comfortably clip the nails.
Clip the nails one at a time carefully without coming into contact with the blood supply. The blood supply looks like a red line at the base of the nail. It is known as “quick”. However, if any nail accidentally bleeds, apply styptic powder or styptic pencil. You can find the styptic powder at PetSmart or any other pet store.
If you want your guinea pigs to be distracted during nail clipping, ensure you feed them their favorite food. If your guinea pig is very stressed during the clipping process, it’s wise to wait when they are much calmer to avoid any accidents. The more you trim the guinea pig’s nails with a treat that they love, the more they get used to it. It is a trick that works. As the guinea pig anticipates its favorite food, you get to trim its nails and keep them neat.
Conclusion
As much as PetSmart does not offer grooming services for guinea pigs, you can always look for specialized groomers to come and do it in your home. You can also enquire from your vet on whether they can groom your guinea pigs for you. Try and do it every month to ensure that your guinea pigs are healthy.
However, PetSmart sells guinea pigs. You can purchase guinea pigs in-store for between $10 to $50. Many guinea pigs are homeless at pet shelters as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What do guinea pigs eat?
Guinea pigs are herbivores that feed on fruits and vegetables. These include carrots, broccoli, kale, peas, spinach, tomatoes, watermelon, and many more.
- Can a guinea pig bite?
Rarely, Guinea pigs will bite only when they feel they are under attack as a defense mechanism. However, they tend to Mount their owners to try and find out if you are edible. The bites don’t hurt. Most of the time, guinea pigs are quiet and not aggressive.
- Do I need to hold my guinea pig daily?
Not necessarily. It all depends on how much you want to hold and pet your guinea pig. The more your guinea pig gets to know you, the more it will want to be held and be fed by you.
