I wrap my senior animals in
six sections - three on each side. Many people use a rump wrap as well
- again this is personal preference.
Use the comb to section of
the part you will be wrapping. I start with a rear wrap. Again,
check for tangles and then gently smooth the hair into a nice smooth section
with your comb
Now it is time to
actually start wrapping. The wrapping material should be cut to
approximately 3 times the width of the hair section - this generally works
out to a standard paper towel cut in half - and should be about two inches
longer than the section of hair you are wrapping.
Position the wrapper
underneath the section of hair and smooth the hair out flat in the
wrapper. The next part is kind of like making a burrito. Fold
one side of the wrap over the hair and smooth down. Now fold the
other side over this. You will now have the section of hair folded
neatly into a flat tube of wrapper.
Probably the trickiest
part is getting the position just right along the body. You don't
want it up so high that the wrap will stick up in the air and you don't
want it so low that is drags the ground. You will have to experiment
with the placement until you get the feel of where it should be.
Now, take the
"tube" of hair and fold it in half going toward the body.
The ends of the wrap should be pretty even. Take the wrap and now
fold it in half again - this time going up.
Secure the wrap with
two sets of rubberbands as shown. Be sure there are no hairs being
pulled and that the wrap is not too tight. If the cavy tries to
rip it out right away it is probably too tight.
When I start my young
animals in wraps I am always sure to give them a tasty treat to chew on
when I put them back in their cage. This distracts them from the
wraps for a while and gives them time to get used to them.
Youngsters are started with just the two rump wraps until they are used
to them. I begin wrapping when the hair starts to get tangled or
dirty - generally around age four months.
Here is Minute Man
all wrapped up for another day. It generally takes me about 10
minutes to fully groom a senior animal in six wraps.
Intermediates take around five minutes or so.
The grooming time is
when you are training your animals for the shows. Remember,
senior long hairs MUST be presented on a regulation showboard for
judging and they need to sit still. It is very difficult for the
judge to get a good picture of your animal if it is jumping all over
on the board. Practice is essential!
I wish you the best
of luck in the exciting world of showing long hair cavies. They
are a beauty to behold and in my opinion at least well worth the time
and effort it takes to bring one to the judging table in all its
glory. I have never been to a show where I didn't have at least
three or four people come over and ask questions about these gorgeous
animals. It is a great opportunity to share our wonderful cavies
with the public.
Once again - Thanks
Tracy for sharing this awesome cavy with me! He is a true
joy and a perfect gentleman.