[Gpdd] RE: [CARE] <help>

[Lauren Cordeiro]

Generally guinea pigs should not have much of an odor. How often do you clean the cage? Generally, the more often you clean it the less ammonia odor will build up. I would say from my experience I can't go any longer than 5-7 days without a complete cleaning. Also, what type of cleaning product do you use? I use an enzyme-based small animal cage cleaner that works really well that I got at PetsMart. Also, what kind of bedding do you use?
 
I remember that when my GPs were young and they were eating alfalfa, when the alfalfa got peed on or was left in the cage for too long it would really stink! Fortunately now the pigs are older and they are eating grass hays which smell much more pleasant! I do notice that when they scatter too much of their hay around and leave it on the cage floor it does tend to stink sooner... so I try to keep the hay in a feeder in one corner of the cage.
 
It should not be necessary to bathe your pig to eliminate odors. I know with ferrets people have to give them baths on a regular basis, but pigs generally should stay odor-free. I do give my pigs occasional baths every few months in part to prevent parasites, but too much bathing can actually be detrimental to their health.
 
I hope this helps a bit. You'll probably have to do some detective work to figure out what could be the cause of the odor. Best of luck!
 
Lauren, Pooh Bear and Piglet


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