Guinea pigs love to play around and sometimes when they do they can get really dirty and need to be cleaned off.
So because they can get so dirty that can make you want to wipe them down with something like baby wipes, but are baby wipes safe for guinea pigs?
Baby wipes are not really that safe for guinea pigs when used on them over time because it can clear away some of the natural oils that they can produce that they need.
So if your guinea pigs are dirty and you want to wipe them down then you’ll have to use wipes that are small pet friendly.
That way you’re making sure that you’re being as safe as possible about what you’re putting on to your guinea pig’s body.
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Why Are Baby Wipes Not Safe For Guinea Pigs?
Most baby wipes are not safe to be used on small pets like guinea pigs because they’re not specifically made for them.
Guinea pigs and other small pets have special needs when it comes to keeping themselves clean and baby wipes can mess that up.
Plus, some baby wipes can have a strong smell that might not seem all that bad for you but your guinea pigs will still be able to smell it when it’s used on their body.
This is especially the case when the baby wipes are scented so they’ll still be able to smell it on themselves even after it dries.
Also, some baby wipes can contain chemicals that might be okay for humans to come into contact with but it won’t be safe for guinea pigs to come into contact with.
So for example, humans don’t lick their skin so it doesn’t get in our mouths, but guinea pigs do lick themselves and any residue left behind by the baby wipes might get ingested by them.
So that can be bad for a guinea pig’s health especially when there are harmful chemicals that are in the wipes.
Why Can Baby Wipes Be Harmful To Guinea Pigs?
Baby wipes can be harmful to guinea pigs most of the time because they’re not made for wiping down small pets.
So one of the reasons why it can be harmful is that guinea pigs like most other pet rodents groom and clean themselves.
The baby wipes can clear away some of the natural oils that guinea pigs can produce and that’s not something that you want to happen.
So if too much of the oils that they produce are cleared away they can start to affect their skin in a negative way.
Remember guinea pigs are actually very clean animals and they mainly can keep themselves clean without needing to be wiped down.
So to make sure that you’re being safe try to stay away from using baby wipes directly on your guinea pigs.
It may not seem like it’s affecting them that much at the moment, but over time their skin can react in a bad way especially when the baby wipes contain harmful chemicals.
What Can You Use Besides Baby Wipes For Guinea Pigs?
If your guinea pig is dirty and you still want to use some type of wipes then there may be wipes available at the pet store in the small pet section.
The wipes that you’ll find at the pet store are made specifically for small pets and are safe to use on them.
Small pet wipes will usually factor in the fact that guinea pigs and other little pets have unique needs when it comes to cleaning them.
They won’t have much of anything in it that can be harmful to them and can do a better job than baby wipes when it comes to keeping them clean.
Small pet wipes like these ones on Amazon work well for wiping down guinea pigs and can do a good job of grooming them at the same time.
They’ll be able to wipe away some of the dirt that’s on them and can help them smell a little bit fresher as well.
Conclusion
So when it comes to keeping your guinea pigs clean you won’t really need to use baby wipes and you shouldn’t use them.
They can be harmful to their skin if used a lot over time and you wouldn’t want to put them through that.
Guinea pigs already do a good job of keeping themselves clean so you won’t have to do anything most of the time.
However, if your guinea pigs have become too dirty then there are other options available that work just as well and even better than baby wipes.
The wipes that you can get at the pet store are specifically made for small pets.
Because of that, they can do a better job of attending to a guinea pig’s needs when it comes to being clean.
So if you do decide to use these wipes then make sure that they’re small pet friendly so that you know that your guinea pigs are as safe as possible.