Page 8 - Caring for guinea pigs indoors

Grooming

Brushing fur

Brush your guinea pig while it’s relaxed. A soft baby brush is the best type of
brush to use. Long-haired guinea pigs need brushing once a day to make sure
their fur doesn’t tangle. You should brush short-haired guinea pigs once a
week. Don’t tug on any knots because you might pull out their fur of tear their

skin. If there’s a knot that won’t come out, then cut the hair to get the knot
out. Offering them vegetables while you brush their fur might help them get
used to being groomed.

Trimming nails
At first, get your vet to show you how to trim your guinea pigs’ nails. Some

guinea pigs don’t like getting their nails cut. The video link shows different
techniques to hold your guinea pig while cutting their nails. You can use a nail
clipper to trim their nails. If you are going to cut their nails by yourself, make
sure you only cut the tips and avoid cutting the other toes.

Cutting the nail too short can cause bleeding. If this happens then apply
pressure until the bleeding stops. Put some Vaseline or cornstarch on the

8