Please please please help. Guinea pig.

[HisKittyBoton]

I posted this on guineapigcage and I haven't gotten a single reply yet and I want an answer soon as possible so here it goes: (Copy and pasted)

I'm so bad at this whole pet thing that I didn't even realize the one I got from her was male, we both assumed female. I never saw a p***s and thought what I now know are balls to be just a big squishy...v****a. So I went and bought a mate from petsmart, and now I'm stuck with a male and female. They live in the same cage but with a divider, but he spends a lot of time trying to chew through to get to her. It's quite funny. I just hope that isn't stressing him out?

I do plan to get a bigger cage for them and maybe breed them later. She's just a baby though, and the male, Jiji (formerly known as Gigi) is fully grown now but isn't a year old even.

ANYWAYS, TO THE POINT,
I was told to use kitten shampoo to bathe them and to bathe them once a month, so I've been using Hartz kitten and cat shampoo.
I noticed some scratching after use but I assumed that's because the dogs had fleas, and so many they had fleas. Or maybe he was just itchy sometimes.
I kept trying to pull the fur apart to search for fleas, but never any luck because he squirmed so much. So I looked up if flea shampoo was safe for them and I was told it was okay. I used puppy flea shampoo, very little. That was last month, and just tonight, I was bathing them both, I finished with Kiki (the female) and then went to bathe Jiji. When I finished and was holding him, feeding him a carrot and drying him, I noticed patches of hair missing behind his ears. Two separate patches. They are also dark colored patches I'm guessing from irritation. Because since behind the ears is where I see him scratching.
I'm super scared and worried I'm doing everything wrong with them. I love them so much and I just want to be a good owner. I feed them hay and dry food, and veggies and fruits all day long, I take them out once a day if not more for playtime in my lap, and they even play around with our small dog. I don't wanna be using the wrong stuff to bathe them with or stressing them out. So please, please, help.

Um, also, Kiki doesn't bite me like Jiji tries to. I heard maybe it's just that teenager stage, or it could be because he's got mites?!

[q2k]

Go to a vet.

[Saphira_lights]

It's normal for guinea pigs to have bald patches behind their ears. They all do. Nothing to worry about.
http://www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html#baldspots

But they don't need bathing once a month, if they're short haired then they dont' really ever need bathing unless they're physically dirty and can't be wiped clean. If they're long haired then still not more often then every few months.
Bathing too often strips the oils from their coats and can cause things like dry skin.

It's also a really bad idea to breed them. Don't do it.
http://www.guinealynx.info/breeding.html

[Nurse Kipsie]

Medicated shampoos for one species can sometimes be toxic to another animal of different species.
smile

Yes, it's best to go to a vet.

They're not really that expensive. I'm nearly sure your bill will be under $70 for that itching issue alone, unless the vet finds some other underlying issue. You did say your cavy was itching, right? I did not understand you completely.

[Pit Bull Kisses]

1. Throw out the Hartz. Do some research on the brand and you will find that it's pretty awful and potentially dangerous depending on what products you are using.

2. Don't breed them. Just. Don't.

3. If you suspect fleas use Dawn soap. Just the blue stuff. You can normally pick it up for like $1 for the small bottle, BUT it's very drying. DO NOT bathe them often with it.

4. You don't need to bathe them that often anyway.

5. If you think something is wrong take them to the vet.

[linx1]

Used the exact same thing on my two pigs. They had the same scratchy problem and the blonde one had dandruff/dry skin. As stated above I was told they need a bath like once ever three months or I did it when they had poo clods stuck to there nails. Overall they only need a bath like every now and then. Also do t forget to dry them till they are fluffy dry. One died of pneuma due to not being dried fully. I blame my siblings for this.

[linx1]

Oh and my pigs had patches of hairissing behind their ears. One LOVED getting that spot rubbed sooo much. Take ur thumb and index finger and moved them at the same time in a circular motion. Sundae would stretch out yawn and chill when I'd do it.

[Srintella Tiagara]

Watch it. Genie pigs can carry ringworm.

[Barnbrat]

HisKittyBoton

I posted this on guineapigcage and I haven't gotten a single reply yet and I want an answer soon as possible so here it goes: (Copy and pasted)

I'm so bad at this whole pet thing that I didn't even realize the one I got from her was male, we both assumed female. I never saw a p***s and thought what I now know are balls to be just a big squishy...v****a. So I went and bought a mate from petsmart, and now I'm stuck with a male and female. They live in the same cage but with a divider, but he spends a lot of time trying to chew through to get to her. It's quite funny. I just hope that isn't stressing him out?

I do plan to get a bigger cage for them and maybe breed them later. She's just a baby though, and the male, Jiji (formerly known as Gigi) is fully grown now but isn't a year old even.

ANYWAYS, TO THE POINT,
I was told to use kitten shampoo to bathe them and to bathe them once a month, so I've been using Hartz kitten and cat shampoo.
I noticed some scratching after use but I assumed that's because the dogs had fleas, and so many they had fleas. Or maybe he was just itchy sometimes.
I kept trying to pull the fur apart to search for fleas, but never any luck because he squirmed so much. So I looked up if flea shampoo was safe for them and I was told it was okay. I used puppy flea shampoo, very little. That was last month, and just tonight, I was bathing them both, I finished with Kiki (the female) and then went to bathe Jiji. When I finished and was holding him, feeding him a carrot and drying him, I noticed patches of hair missing behind his ears. Two separate patches. They are also dark colored patches I'm guessing from irritation. Because since behind the ears is where I see him scratching.
I'm super scared and worried I'm doing everything wrong with them. I love them so much and I just want to be a good owner. I feed them hay and dry food, and veggies and fruits all day long, I take them out once a day if not more for playtime in my lap, and they even play around with our small dog. I don't wanna be using the wrong stuff to bathe them with or stressing them out. So please, please, help.

Um, also, Kiki doesn't bite me like Jiji tries to. I heard maybe it's just that teenager stage, or it could be because he's got mites?!

1st. All guinea pigs have bald spots behind their ears. This is common. Bald spots in other places might mean nutritional problems like scurvey.

2. I've owned 3 piggys. Never bathed them. Books in things tell you to but its not a requirement for a healthy piggy.

3. matinging guinea pips is easy...birthing less so. Complications can happen the older the female gets. Ask a vet if your female is healthy enough to breed before you do it.