Guinea pigs are meticulous groomers who take great pride in their work. They do, however, require human assistance in cleaning their bottoms because fecal matter can become stuck to a guinea pig’s bum. This is something that guinea pigs are sometimes unable to clean on their own.
A guinea pig with a soiled bum may be at risk of developing flystrike, which is a very unpleasant problem to have.
Another sign of an unhealthy diet and an unsuitable way of life is a dirty bum on the hindquarters of a guinea pig. All of these causes of a dirty bum should be addressed immediately in order to avoid a worsening of the situation later.
If there is dried poop stuck on your guinea pig’s bum, you should perform a dry wash on it, such as brushing it out.
In particular, some areas of the guinea pig’s back need to be cleaned with warm water and a guinea pig shampoo; however, human shampoo should not be used because it can dry your guinea pig’s skin.
Please keep in mind that we will not be discussing boar cleaning in this article. It’s all about cleaning the bottom of a guinea pig. Some long-haired guinea pig breeds have difficulty keeping their bottoms clean because fecal matter becomes entangled in their fur.
Are guinea pigs clean animals?
Guinea pigs are considered to be among the cleanest pets. They keep their appearances up to date. As a result, their fur should be kept clean and glossy at all times. Their bottom, on the other hand, may be the one and only exception.
The likelihood that your guinea pig’s bum will be filthy after eliminating feces should be considered.
Due to the possibility of health issues for your pet, this should be a major source of concern.
However, not all guinea pigs will experience these difficulties. Guinea pigs with mobility issues, digestive issues, or longhaired guinea pig breeds have a harder time adjusting to their new environment.
Why does my guinea pig’s bum smell?
When fecal matter gets stuck in the bottom of your guinea pig and is not removed for some time, then your guinea pig bum will start smelling.
Poor diet and ill-suited lifestyle can lead to this kind of problem in guinea pigs.
You should regularly clean your guinea pig’s bum using a dried or wet method, whichever is needed at a time of cleaning.
How to keep my guinea pig’s bum clean?
The reason for your guinea pig having a dirty bottom may be a poor diet and ill-suited lifestyle.
There are two options for cleaning your guinea pigs bum.
- Dry cleaning technique
- Wet cleaning process
Table of Contents
How to hold a guinea pig to clean its bum?
Holding a guinea pig while cleaning its bum is essential as guinea pigs resist having a bum bath.
Following this step will help you to hold your guinea pig while cleaning their bum.
- When you pick your guinea pig, make sure that your hands are clean, or you can also use medical gloves for cleaning your guinea pig bum and pet them until they feel calm.
- Get your guinea pig back against your chest.
- Hold your guinea pig in a way that your pet can’t jump away. But don’t hold too hard as they can harm themselves, though.
- Place one hand under your guinea pig’s front legs.
- Support your guinea pig bottom with the other.
Make sure that you don’t take much time cleaning your pet’s bum as they don’t enjoy this. Once you correctly hold your guinea pig, you can start cleaning their bum.
How to dry clean poop from a guinea pig’s Bottom?
The dry wash technique is used when your guinea pig’s bottom is a little dirty. A waterless wash will not be helpful if there are wet or moistened feces.
- Apply unscented flour across their bottom, make sure you are not using the powder that contains talc.
- Rub that powder all over the bottom of your guinea pigs and let it get into the fur so that it dries the feces.
- Take a comb and brush out the poop gently. Please don’t be harsh, as it can hurt your guinea pig.
- Clean your guinea pig’s bottom with a soft towel.
How to give guinea pig a bum bath?
Guinea pigs are not very fond of having a bath. It is necessary to clean your guinea pig’s bottom with water if it is coated by wet and moistened fecal, As the dry wash technique cannot clean it.
- Fill a sink with an inch of warm water. Make sure you are not using hot water as it may hurt your guinea pigs’ skin.
- Mix a required amount of shampoo in water. Use shampoo, which is only referred for guinea pig rather than human ones or other pets shampoo.
- Lower your guinea pig into the water. Gently massage the fur so that it gets clean.
- When the water gets dirty, and still, your guinea pig bottom needs to get clean, then repeat the above process.
- After cleaning, dry your guinea pig using a soft towel. You can also use a dryer on low heat if necessary.
Why would a guinea pig have a dirty bottom?
A bad diet can lead to a dirty bottom. Guinea pigs are scrupulous groomers as they clean themselves regularly.
Still, they need human involvement sometimes to clean their rear like they are not able to clean their cecotropes when they have arthritis.
Some more reasons include:
- Poor diet.
- Overweight.
- Limited movement.
If your guinea pigs are unable to clean their own bottoms, you should do so for them because a dirty base can lead to a dreadful fatal condition such as flystrike if left untreated.
Guinea pigs excrete two distinct types of feces. Cecal pellets, also known as cecotropes, are a type of pellet that you will find in your guinea pig’s cage. The first type of pellet is a common pellet that you will find in your guinea pig’s cage.
Guinea pigs consume cecotropes from the bottom of their stomachs because it contains a sufficient amount of nutritional value. The cecotropes are also referred to as “night feces” because guinea pigs prefer to eat them when they are alone and in the dark.
Some of this poop can become stuck in their coat, which can result in a dripping bottom. The bottoms of guinea pigs that are suffering from diarrhea may also contain traces of feces.
How can I improve my guinea pig’s diet?
Feeding your guinea pig with a healthy low-fat diet with sufficient nutrition is very important. A little carelessness towards your pet’s diet can harm their digestive tract.
Some essential components should be added to your pet’s diet.
- Feed your guinea pig high-quality grass hay.
- Fresh vegetables should be fed but moderately(1 cup daily) as overfeeding it can upset your guinea pig digestive system.
- Feed your guinea pig high-quality pellets each day as it is a good source of nutrition.
Foods such as vegetables and sugary fruit should only be given to your guinea pig as treats because they can cause weight gain in your guinea pig, which can lead to diarrhea, diabetes, and other health problems in your guinea pig.
Because it contains a sufficient amount of calories, high-quality grass hay is suitable for your guinea pig’s digestive system and will not upset its stomach.
The health of your guinea pig will improve if you follow this diet. The digestive system of your guinea pig will be healthy as a result of following this diet.
How do I know if my guinea pig is unable to move properly?
Guinea pigs are fond of hiding their pain and injuries as they are prey animals. Showing their pain can be an easy target for their predators.
The instability in a joint, which is known as arthritis, is typical in guinea pigs. This is an unavoidable result of aging.
While going through this problem, guinea pigs cannot clean their bottom on their own as they lose their flexibility to do that.
Some other common behavior or problem includes:
- Your guinea pig will sprint around their cage to remove cecotropes from their body so that they can eat them from the ground.
- Physical injuries like an injury in their hind leg can also make it difficult for your guinea pig to move freely.
Facing such an issue will make it difficult for your guinea pig to clean their bottom.
You have to help them here by removing cecotropes from their bodies in a very gentle way so that they can eat them as it contains a sufficient amount of nutrition, which is necessary for your guinea pig at that time.
Make sure to clean your guinea pig bottom regularly until they gain their flexibility back.
Medicine will also help your guinea pig to overcome the pain and to increase their mobility. Get your pet to the vet so your vet can recommend some supplements for your guinea pig.
How can I help my guinea pig lose weight?
An obese guinea pig will not be able to clean their bottom, thus it is important to keep your guinea pig fit and healthy.
Things which can get your guinea pig fat are:
- Feeding a high-fat diet with a lack of nutrition.
- Lack of exercise.
Rather than sugary fruits and vegetables, feed your guinea pigs high-quality grass hay to supplement their diet.
A raw vegetable is also beneficial to your guinea pig, but too much of it can make him fat. Sugary foods should be avoided because they can contribute to weight gain.
Exercise on a regular basis is extremely important for weight loss.
An overweight guinea pig may find it difficult to run and play, so you should figure out what your pet enjoys doing in the form of exercises, such as playing with some toys or doing other things.
Your guinea pig will become more interested in playing and exercising once they begin to lose weight. In addition, they will regain their flexibility and will be able to clean the bottom of their feet.
What happens if I don’t clean my guinea pig’s bottom?
Because of the uneaten cecotropes, the guinea pig’s fur becomes tangled around the bottom of the cage, which can be dangerous.
The uneaten cecotropes become lodged in their digestive tract, causing the skin to crack and become infected with bacteria.
Guinea pigs suffering from diarrhea may also develop fecal matter lodged in their intestines.
If the bottom of your guinea pig becomes stuck due to feces, you can wash it using either the dry wash technique or the wet wash process.
Keep in mind that you don’t want to end up damaging your guinea pig’s skin by washing it too harshly when cleaning the bottom of the animal.
If you notice that your guinea pig’s bottom has become infected, apply antibacterial cream to it. A soiled bum can result in a painful and potentially fatal condition known as flystrike.
What is flystrike?
Flystrike is a condition in which flies lay their eggs around a guinea pig’s anus.
Later then eggs hatch into larvae, and when it gets mature, it eats away the surrounding flesh.
You should always make sure that your guinea pig bums are clean so they will not have to face such an issue.
Flystrike is a very dreadful disease as it can harm your guinea pig skin, and also, your guinea pig may suffer a lot of pain.
Flystrike occurs when your guinea pig has a dirty bum, so making sure to clean their bum regularly can save them from facing such painful disease.
Immediately getting your guinea pig to the vet should be the first step in detecting such an issue.
How is flystrike treated?
Flystrike can only be treated by a healthcare professional. If you detect such an issue, the very first thing you have to do is get your guinea pig to the vet as soon as possible.
Don’t try to clean your guinea pig bum on your own as it is a fatal condition. Only the professional hands will be helpful in that situation.
Your vet will remove the maggots using tweezers, and once the larvae are removed, a vet will prescribe painkillers and such medicines for the recovery.
How can flystrike be avoided?
Two most important and only way to keep your guinea pig safe from flystrike is
- Keeping their cage and bum clean
- Make sure that your guinea pig has a healthy digestive system by feeding your pet a high-quality diet.
You should check your pet regularly to make sure that your guinea pig bum is clean.
Periodically clean your guinea pig cage. Guinea pigs are very conscientious groomers, but sometimes for cleaning their bum, they need human involvement. So, make sure that you help your guinea pig clean their bottom.
In summer, the risk of getting affected by airstrikes increases, so getting your guinea pig bottom clean should be a significant concern in summers.
Conclusion:
From the above information, we now know that there are two ways to clean your guinea pigs bum:
- Dry wash technique
- Wet wash process.
Even though guinea pigs are extremely conscientious groomers, they require human assistance from time to time to clean their bottoms. Obesity, a poor diet, and limited mobility are all potential causes.
When your guinea pigs are unable to clean their own bottoms, you should do so for them because a dirty bum can lead to a very serious and potentially fatal condition known as flystrike.
We have discussed in detail how to clean the guinea pig bottom using the two methods described above.
However, the dry wash technique cannot be used when the bottom of your guinea pig’s feces is wet or moistened, as this will cause it to become soiled and infected with feces.
A damp wash process must be used in the case of fecal that has become moistened and damp. When using the wet wash process, there are two things that you must keep in mind.
- Don’t use hot water as it can harm your guinea pigs skin
- Use a shampoo that is referred only for guinea pig rather than using human shampoo or the other pets’ ones.
Maintaining your guinea pig’s proper diet is also very important, as it can result in him having a dirty bum if not done properly. This should be included in your guinea pig’s diet chart to ensure that they have a balanced diet.
- The right amount of nutrients can be found in good quality grass hay, which should be fed to your guinea pig.
- Sugary fruits should be avoided. If it is given, it should be treated as a special treat.
- Vegetables should be fed in moderation because they can upset your guinea pig’s stomach if given in large quantities.
- Please do not feed your guinea pig high-fat food because this can result in obesity in the animal.
