Barbering in guinea pigs is sadly widespread, and usually occurs attributable to underlying well being issues or poor dwelling situations. Guinea pigs could chew their very own fur or that of one other piggy, and can usually eat it as nicely.
On this article, we’ll talk about all the pieces there’s to learn about barbering in guinea pigs, the way it’s identified, and easy methods to cease it.
What’s Barbering in Guinea Pigs?
Barbering in guinea pigs is once they chew on their very own fur or that of one other guinea pig. This may end up in patches of shorter hair or bald spots, also referred to as alopecia.
The pores and skin beneath barbered fur will normally seem wholesome and freed from bites. In any other case, your piggies’ alopecia could have one other trigger resembling an infection, ringworm, or combating between cage mates.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Barber Every Different?
When guinea pigs barber each other, it’s usually the dominant pig munching on the fur of the extra submissive guinea pig.
Barbering is usually seen in domesticated animals dwelling in unsuitable situations. This consists of crowded environments, small cages, having predator species lurking across the cage, improper food regimen, and extra.
In case your guinea pigs beforehand lived in a neglectful state of affairs, they may proceed barbering even as soon as they’re in an appropriate atmosphere.
Can Guinea Pigs Barber Themselves?
Guinea pigs can barber themselves. Self-barbering is usually brought on by stress or ache. Though we must always usually assume barbering is being carried out by a cagemate, barbering that avoids areas a guinea pig can’t attain by themselves, such because the again of the neck and head, can typically level to self-barbering.
Guinea Lynx notes that guinea pigs could barber attributable to gasoline, bloat, and even tumors below the pores and skin in that space. Typically, piggies received’t cease barbering themselves as soon as they get into the behavior.
In case your guinea pig barbers themselves, it’s necessary to get them into the veterinarian. It may very well be attributable to underlying well being issues. Typically, house owners misdiagnose barbering and a piggy is definitely shedding fur for an additional purpose.
In case your veterinarian determines your guinea pig is wholesome, they might be stressed. Stress will be brought on by lack of a cage mate, too small of a cage, or predator pets like canines and cats coming too shut.
How is Barbering in Guinea Pigs Recognized?
Step one in case your guinea pigs are barbering, both themselves or each other, is to deliver them to the veterinarian.
Your vet will start prognosis by getting your guinea pig’s historical past. They might ask the place you adopted your piggy from, what their atmosphere is like at dwelling, and if you happen to’ve observed another signs or behavioral adjustments.
Then, they’ll work to rule out underlying sicknesses. This consists of different causes of alopecia aside from barbering, resembling parasites or fungal infection. It additionally consists of causes your guinea pig may very well be barbering, resembling bloat, ache, or tumors below the pores and skin.
They’ll carry out a primary examination and any vital testing earlier than offering a prognosis. In the event that they decide your piggies are probably barbering, they’ll then suggest remedy choices.
How Do You Deal with Barbering in Guinea Pigs?
Therapy will fluctuate relying on the reason for the barbering. If there are underlying ailments, your veterinarian will recommend drugs or different therapies.
In case your guinea pig is barbering attributable to stress or insufficient situations, remedy could embody any of the next (or a mix):
- Fixed entry to contemporary hay. Fiber deficiency has been proven to trigger barbering in rabbits, and guinea pigs is likely to be comparable. In case your guinea pigs don’t have fixed entry to giant quantities of contemporary, clear hay, this must be mounted instantly.
- Enrichment. This consists of at the least one disguise per guinea pig, secure picket objects to chew, toys, a cage mate, and ample house to run and train within the cage.
- Reevaluation of cage mates. Guinea pigs could self-barber attributable to bullying by a cage mate. Piggies are additionally extra more likely to barber in overcrowded conditions, which may imply holding too many piggies collectively and even holding two in a small house. Being alone may also set off self-barbering, as guinea pigs are social animals and should stay with companions.
- Maintaining different pets away from the cage. Many people discover it cute when piggies spend time with their canines, cats, or different pets–however for guinea pigs, it’s normally very annoying. It’s additionally extremely harmful, irrespective of how docile your different pets are.
- A quiet atmosphere. Loud, chaotic environments can stress guinea pigs out, resulting in barbering.
It’s greatest to offer all that your guinea pig wants earlier than barbering begins, as a result of it may be troublesome to cease as soon as it begins. All the time do your analysis and arrange a correct house for any new pet earlier than bringing them dwelling.
Whereas barbering is generally aesthetic with regards to fur loss, it could actually trigger issues for the piggy doing the barbering as we’ll talk about under.
Keep away from punishing your guinea pigs for barbering or making use of bitter sprays to the sufferer. Bodily punishments aren’t understood and are abusive. Bitter sprays hardly ever work, and may cease piggies from grooming themselves.
Is It Harmful for Guinea Pigs to Eat Fur?
Some guinea pigs do find yourself with well being issues from consuming fur whereas barbering. They will develop intestinal blockages or the fur can get caught of their tooth or gums.
In case your guinea pig is barbering, pay additional consideration to their digestion. In the event that they cease consuming or pooping, deliver them to the vet immediately.
You ought to be checking your guinea pigs’ tooth routinely anyway. For barbering piggies, look additional carefully for any fur caught within the tooth or gums. In case your guinea pig stops consuming or their urge for food adjustments in any approach, this may very well be brought on by unseen fur caught behind the mouth.
Guinea Pig Barbering vs Mites
Your veterinarian may help you establish whether or not your guinea pig is being barbered or has mites. As a result of each require a visit to the vet, I like to recommend not worrying an excessive amount of about which your guinea pig has.
However to assuage your nerves if you happen to’re stressing about it earlier than your appointment, listed here are some variations between the 2:
- Mites may cause thick, yellow, crusty pores and skin
- In case your guinea pig is itching within the affected areas, it’s probably mites (or one other pest or pores and skin difficulty)
- Weight reduction is widespread in guinea pigs with mites
- In case your guinea pig’s fur is brief however there aren’t bald patches, it’s extra probably barbering
- For those who can really feel brief, prickly fur round a brand new bald patch or the fur is uneven, it’s extra probably barbering
Your veterinarian will look at your guinea pig for mites and should carry out testing to both diagnose them or rule them out as a reason behind alopecia.
Mites on guinea pigs aren’t seen to the bare eye, so each you and your vet will depend on observing signs in addition to testing to get the suitable prognosis.
In Conclusion
The easiest way to cease barbering in guinea pigs is to stop it earlier than it begins. This implies giving your guinea pigs the perfect lives doable, and watching newly-bonded guinea pigs carefully.
Common vet appointments may also typically assist to diagnose well being situations earlier than they trigger your guinea pig to self-barber.
Nonetheless, barbering isn’t all the time preventable. We are able to’t all the time cease our piggies from getting sick, and we are able to’t management the place they arrive from or how they have been handled up to now.
In these instances, offering a low-stress atmosphere, treating underlying well being situations, and ensuring they’re nicely cared for is all you are able to do. These items would possibly cease the barbering, or it is likely to be recurring and far more durable to do away with.
