Bum bath

[Whimsy]

My male guinea pig Melvin seems to get a sticky/wet bum quite often. I have to wash his butt once in a while, because it just gets to dirty and smelly, but how often should I do this?
I don't wash his whole body, but just his bum and since he has longer hair, I have also trimmed it a bit, so he doesn't drag it through his own pee.

[3piggles]

Hehehe, always call that a butt dunk! Most pigs need one from time to time. If he needs it a lot, look for why he's so wet.

If they pee too close to side of the cage or the house, it can come back on them and soak them.
If they aren't on really absorbent bedding, just being in the puddle can get them wet.
If they are too close to another pig that is peeing, that can get them wet.

As long as a dunk will do the job, that's fine. No soap or shampoo needed, just rinse his hind end thoroughly. You can do that as often as you need, because you're not using shampoo to remove any essential skin/hair oils.

[Whimsy]

Butt dunk..haha...that's a good name, because it's kind of what it turns into when I try to wash Melvin. He actually will jump out of the sink.

Anyway, I normally use shampoo, but it makes sense what you (3piggles) said about the oils, so from now on I will just use water and maybe I can give him a bum bath more often that way, if he needs it.
Thanks.

[3piggles]

If you think he needs a bit of shampoo periodically, that's fine, just not every time. I've had pigs that swam and loved the water, and those that tried to escape, and those that sat in the water looking and being as miserable as possible. I loved when two would sit on the island being miserable, and watching the third one swimming and having a grand time

[jolovespiggies]

On bless, I used to give our long haired piggy a but dunk ( it is a good name isn't it LOL?) as he used to get quite sticky depiste being groomed every day. Please let us know how u get on hun.

Hugs

JO xx