How often do you give your pigs a bath?

[silver73]

Just wondering....

When I want to lose a few layers of skin...

We've had the boys 6 months, they've had 2 baths (then kept indoors in a box of hay each after a towel-rub).
More regular greasespot de-gunking (GP1 worse culprit)

I cut their claws yesterday, GP2 bit me -not seriously but a warning.
Then when I tried to fluffy up their hay, he sat on his haunches and chattered his teeth at me.

Piggies are the best they really do know what they like/don't like. I can't get over how different all their personalities are. My girls love a bath but it takes such a long time to bath three of them and then dry them with a hairdryer....

I read they should have a bath once a month....

once a month hides thread from boys.

I've not tried a dryer TBH (I don't actually own one )

But back in the day when I used to ride horses, we dried them off with straw under their rug, in a stable, then a brush down.

My kitchen sink is large so I wash them in that, it's deep enough that they can't escape and I can adjust the mixer tap to rinse.

DD loves to wash the pigs, they don't share the sentiment.!

Do your pigs swim at all silver

I've not tried with this pair, but years ago, one of our guineas would go in the bath and swim back and forth.
Not cruel, there was a folded towel for her to step onto if she got fed up. But she swam on and on.

I wash my pigs in the bath but in a very small bowl. The water is deep and warm and they put their little paws on the side of the bowl to wait for me to massage in the shampoo. The shampoo has to be left on for 10 minutes so I put them in towels with one of the piggie hot water bottles underneath them to keep them warm. I then rinse them a couple of times, hand dry them and then blow dry them dry on the lowest heat setting. They adore that. Then I put them in their travel cage in a fleece as they like to rest in the dark and warmth while I make sure they are completely dry. They are the house goddesses and totally doted on. Love them to bits... Do this for each pig so it takes hours lol

Not tried the swimming but don't think they would as they are very lazy piggies

Aaaaaaawwww- your girls sound adorable, it sounds like they really love their baths.
What shampoo do you use?
I love the smell of them when they are washed and dried .

They are so cute when their fur is flat and clinging to their bodies but their face fur is still fluffed out -like little lions

Our GP2 is an Abyssian-esque.One rossette (well sort of) on his back and one on the top of his head. His fur is very fluffy too.So he looks pathetic when his fur is wet. I think, poor little soul, get him dried off ASAP.

I might try giving them a swim when it's summer.They might enjoy it

They are absolutely gorgeous but then again I think I'd be hard pressed to find a gp that is not wonderful. We got the girls for our children and the children love them but it is me and DH that adore them. DH even buys them Waitrose veg at lunchtime....

Sorry not got the bottle to hand at the moment but it is shampoo that I got from Vedra at Cambridge Cavy trust. I think it is called something like Flea or Die.

I'm thinking of going on a Cambridge Cavy Trust course in the summer. We have had GPs for years but two beloved pigs died. One from an upset stomach that the vet refused to give her antibiotics for and the other from heart failure.

I now have a first aid box with Critical Care, probiotics, syringes and all the human medication that is safe to give GPs just in case as they go down hill so quickly. I have also found a GP savy vet near me and never do anything without talking to Vedra at Cambridge Cavy Trust.

And I thought that after my heart was broken after my dog had to be put down at 18 years old that I'd be immune to these little furries...

Sorry forgot to say that your boys sound lovely as well and love the sound of the pighouse.

I measured up on one of the websites and area for area my outdoor pighouse is big enough for 6 piglets.

I wistfully think "I've got room for you at home" when I see baby pigs at Pets@Home.
Then mentally slap myself and step away from the baby boars.

My boars spread themselves out to fill the spaces, I honestly don't think I could put 6 in.

Would they shrink a bit, if I washed them more?

I really would like to see an end to animals being sold in pet shops. I know someone that adopted a tortoise and had to do exams but at least she knew how to look after her pet properly and she was vetted. When we were thinking of adopting some pigs from a rescue we had a home visit and interview plus we would have had to take them for a check up every 3 months to the rescue place.

When we got the boys the adoper asked us the email her to let her know how they are settling, because their fostermum would want to know.
My DD sent an e-mail and photo. We were told we could contact them if any problems, and if we couldn't keep them, then they were to go back to rescue. (As if DD would let them go )

They are going to the Small Animal Boarding when we go on holiday, but I'll need to make sure they are not put within sniffing distance too near any girl guineas.
It would be like American Pie meets What a Carry On crossed with Confessions of a...
Boys are not 'done' and have no dealings with girls.
(Look what happened to Alvin & the Chipmunks when they met The Chipettes! They went all unnecesary and forgot their male bond)
not real, not real, it's a cartoon

adopter not adoper. That sounds bad.Someone who dopes GPs

We washed the hogs in Gorgeous Gunieas "Just for Boars", they haven't got any fur issues, just DD wanted to wash them they got a bit grubby and their Grease-Spots were a bit clumpy .

They had a totter round in the bath with a towel on the bottom, but no swimming.

They've had a towel down and are now in a box of hay with a hot water bottle.

GP1 peed in the bath and poohed. Worse than children.

That is strange my girls had a bath today. Were languishing on the bed for hours with fleeces and hot water bottles....

I just wish all GPs were looked after I hate the thought of the ones that nobody can be bothered with that are left at the end of the garden with wet bedding and no food. It breaks my heart as these little critters are utterly gorgeous and would not hurt anything (except a vegetable).

I would love to start a GP rescue but don't think I could take the heartache...

We were out last week, there was a family in a petshop, the little girl (about 5/6 yo) was talking about GPs. Her dad said all her friends had GPs (but he didn't say they were buying one.There were no GPs there, not P@H)

I said to the girl "Oh do you like GPs? We've got 2, they're lovely. Do you know what I was doing this morning? Cleaning out their manky cage".
(I said it nicely ).
The dad asked if I kept my pigs inside or out . Mine are out in their pighouse/playhouse all night now. I said to the mum to be aware of just how much work they are.
The parents were really nice and thanked me- I'm not trying to put anyone off GPs ,honestly, but if I see someone looking in a PetShop, and I can tell them what it's really like... well it might stop some impulse buys.
It won't stop Pet Shops selling them, but that's another story.

My DD always says our hogs are spoiled (hmmm, ok, that's true). But we are following their Animal Rights to have food, adequate space,bedding,protection,company,supervision.
Ours have already been in rescue and although they weren't a cruelty case, they've been in Foster Care and now their home with us.

I am really when I see websites about how neglected they can be, they are the most gentle creatures and completely unable to defend themselves. Well, apart from GP2 Germ Warfare bottom. He had parsnip -that stunk-. Today they had watermelon for the first time.
I await tomorrows botty burps with dread.