Grooming Guide

Our grooming guide is not intended to be a comprehensive “how to” on grooming your pet, but rather a helpful list of tips on grooming for those “do-it-yourself-ers” out there. Many pets don’t enjoy the process of being groomed, so we suggest helpful tips to make DIY grooming more manageable and comfortable for you and your pet. There are many ways you can make grooming a more therapeutic experience for your pet and it all starts with a little patience. Grooming involves a lot of handling that your pet may be uncomfortable with so providing a positive experience for your pet in ways that relate to the grooming process will go a long way. For instance, massaging your pet’s paws will acclimatize them to having their paws handled when you need to trim their nails. These kinds of activities and behaviors contribute to the standard of care and comfort that is essential for your pet’s well being.

Please select your pet below:


Birds	Cats	Dogs	Ferrets

Gerbils	Guinea Pigs	Hamsters	Hedgehogs

Mice	Rabbits	Rats	Reptiles

Birds

Grooming-
It is highly recommended that you contact a veterinarian or professional when your bird needs grooming. New feathers, beaks, and nails all have blood supply that may cause bleeding when grooming so it is safest to have a professional routinely trim and shape your bird’s beak, nails, and wings.

Clipping nails-
A bird will frequently be wrapped in a towel during wing trims and visits to the veterinarian, so it is important to play towel games with your bird and teach it to be comfortable in a towel. Reward your bird with treats.

Cats

Bathing-
If your cat doesn’t like water, introduce it slowly by running your hand under the water and wetting their front paws and continue until their entire body is nicely coated with water. Use caution not to get water in their ears. It may be helpful to use a cat harness so you have something to hold onto if your cat begins to squirm. Remember to be gentle with your cat and monitor their level of comfort. We don’t want them to be traumatized.

Grooming-
The FURminator is a great way to brush away large amounts of excess cat fur in one fell swoop! Check out more info on the FURminator.

Clipping Nails-
Many cats may have an aversion to getting their nails trimmed, but if you try reinforcing positive experiences by playing with your cat and massaging its feet, your cat will become more comfortable with having its paws handled during trimmings. Treats also work well while clipping nails.

Cat Litter-
Try not to use clay based, clumping litters. If you must, use one without sodium bentonite, which produces dust particles that may harm your cat because it expands up to 15 times its size when it becomes wet after it has been accidentally breathed in or ingested. World’s Best Cat Litter is an all natural and organic (made from whole kernel corn) alternative to clay based litters. It controls odors naturally and is flushable and completely biodegradable.

CAT GROOMING FAQs-
For more cat related questions and answers, please visit our Cat Grooming FAQs page!

Dogs

Grooming tables-
Bending down to groom your pet can cause significant stress on your back. Try using an old table or plywood supported on a sturdy surface as an alternative. Always be sure to provide a non-slip surface (e.g., yoga mat or Miracle Coat non-slip mat) for your dog to stand on while grooming.

Grooming-
Before wetting and shampooing your dog, brush the fur thoroughly with a dog brush to detangle any patches of fur. This will ensure an easier and smoother hair drying process afterwards.It is recommended to take your pooch to a veterinarian or professional groomer when it comes to grooming their face for the first time. Ears, eyes and mouth are sensitive areas that require special attention and careful handling. The FURminator is a great way to brush away large amounts of excess dog fur in one fell swoop! Check out more info on the FURminator.

Hair Dryers-
It may take a considerable amount of time to dry double-coated dogs with a regular hair dryer. Consider investing in a professional quality dryer like the Double K Airmax if you have a dog with a double coat. If the sound of the hair dryer bothers your dog, try the Crazy Dog Pet Hair Dryer, which is 90% quieter than standard dryers.

DOG GROOMING FAQs-
For more dog related questions and answers, please visit our Dog Grooming FAQs page!

Ferrets

Litter Box-
Ferrets can learn to use cat litter and the litter box, although they may have the occasional accident. Patience and taking the time to clean up after your ferret are important qualities to have when toilet training your pet.

Clipping nails-
Ferrets need to have their nails clipped every 3-5 weeks. If you are uncertain how to go about this procedure, please call your veterinarian or professional pet groomer and observe their methods first. If you haven't chosen a groomer yet, make some calls to find one and always ask if they have any experience or training in grooming ferrets.

Healthy gums and teeth-
Using gauze or a toothbrush made specifically for ferrets or cats, brush your pet's teeth once a month to prevent tartar build up and tooth decay. Dry foods are great for cleaning their teeth and promoting healthy gums. Ferrets are high-energy pets and will feed often throughout the day so you will have many opportunities to add dry foods to their diet.

Grooming-
Like cats, ferrets are natural groomers and will usually keep themselves clean on their own. It is recommended to give them baths only if they happen to get especially dirty because constant bathing will strip away the natural oils in their fur and may cause dry skin. In order to keep fur from clumping or causing your pet to get hair balls, brush their fur often and check for loose fur every once in a while to monitor how much they are shedding each season.

Hamsters, Gerbils, Mice, and Rats

Grooming-
The great thing about hamsters, gerbils, mice, and rats is that they are natural groomers. They spend a lot of time grooming themselves and do not require water baths, which would strip away the natural oils on their coats.

Cage cleanliness-

Buy quality bedding material with minimal dust. Carefresh or Cell-Sorb are two great bedding products that are super absorbent and control odors well or use good old fashioned recycled newspaper shredded up in small pieces.
Avoid using cedar or pine bedding (wood shavings in general may cause irritation because of the oils in the wood), which can cause respiratory problems, allergies, and infections.
Bedding should be about 2 inches deep and kept dry at all times to avoid health issues such as respiratory problems. A corner mound of shredded toilet paper or paper towels is great for nesting material because your pet can shape it to his/her own liking and is not harmful if accidentally ingested.
Perform a quick cleaning of the toilet area everyday by scooping out the wet and soiled bedding and clean the entire cage with soap and water once a week to maintain a hygienic environment for your pet. Don’t forget to clean their wheel and other accessories they may have in the cage.

Guinea Pigs

Cage Cleanliness-
It is not recommended to use cedar or pine shavings as bedding materials in their cages as they can cause health problems or rashes due to the irritating oils in the wood. Follow the bedding material recommendations outlined in the Hamsters, Gerbils, Mice and Rats section above.
Guinea Pigs will expel certain compounds and minerals from their body through urine so it is essential to keep the bottom of their cage clean as well. After removing everything from the cage, soak the bottom of the cage in vinegar for five minutes before washing it off. Some scrubbing with a toothbrush may be required to remove all spots and stains. Clean the cage once a week.

Note: Enclosed/Aquarium cages are not recommended because they restrict air circulation in the cage which may promote ammonia build up and bacterial growth.

Teeth-
Give your guinea pig a piece of untreated wood to chew on to maintain short and healthy teeth. Just make sure it is not ingesting any pieces of wood.

Bathing & Grooming-
Guinea pigs need to be bathed every 1-2 weeks and have their nails clipped once a month. Clipping nails can be a stressful experience (for both you and your pet) that requires patience and education. Contact your groomer or veterinarian to properly clip nails until both of you become comfortable with the process.

Hedgehogs

Grooming-

Hedgehogs groom themselves regularly by coating their quills with saliva. This is a process commonly referred to as “anointing”.
Bathe your hedgehog only twice a year in lukewarm water with baby shampoo if they develop a strong odor or get dirty and cannot clean themselves. Add a couple drops of shampoo in a sink filled with an inch of lukewarm water and scoop the water onto the hedgehogs back (be careful not to get its eyes wet). Using a toothbrush, lather the quills in a circular motion and remove your hedgehog from the water and refill the sink with an inch of clean lukewarm water. Scoop the clean water over your hedgehog until all the soap is gone, then towel dry

Clipping nails-
Wrap your hedgehog in a towel to avoid getting stuck with quills and use pet nail clippers. Clipping a hedgehog’s nails is just like clipping cats’ nails. Squeeze its paw to expose the nails and trim just the tip of the nail being careful not to cut into the quick. If this is your first time trimming your hedgehog’s nails, we suggest taking it to a professional and learning the process before trying it at home.

Litter box-
Provide a small litter box filled with dust free, non-clumping cat litter for your hedgehog if you plan on toilet training. Place the box in the corner of their cage with some of their own droppings so they will recognize an appropriate place to go to the bathroom.

Rabbits

Warm weather concerns

Keep your rabbit out of the sun during summer months or brush out excessive fur to keep it cool.
Placing a ceramic or marble tile in the cage or around their favorite hangout spot will provide a cool place for them to lie on.
Rabbits dissipate heat through their ears, so keep a spray bottle handy to mist their ears when they get overheated and a bowl of water nearby to keep them properly hydrated.
Flies ted to lay eggs in warm incubation areas such as an open sore on your rabbit or a patch of urine-soaked fur. Keep a watchful eye out for your bunny or any flies in the house and make sure its fur is always clean and dry.

RABBIT GROOMING FAQs-
For more rabbit related questions and answers, please visit our Rabbit Grooming FAQs page!

Reptiles

Terrarium Cleanliness-
Maintaining a clean environment for your pet reptile ensures that they live a happy and full life. Start by de-chlorinating the tap water used in their terrarium. Reptisafe is an effective and inexpensive choice for removing chorine and ammonia from tap water and also provides essential ions and electrolytes to hydrate your reptile.