Guinea Pigs Chewing Their Hair

Let's talk about guinea pigs chewing their hair. You may be alarmed if you notice your pet guinea pig chewing it's hair. However, this can be quite common. This article will discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatment of guinea pigs chewing their hair.

Barbering is one reason for your guinea pig to chew it's hair. It's actually a common behavior that occurs because of conflict between guinea pigs. If you have more than one guinea pig they may bite their own or another guinea's pig hair. This is most common between an adult guinea pig and a young one or between two male guinea pigs.

Symptoms of barbering or a guinea pig chewing its own hair off are quite obvious. The signs include hair loss, bite marks, and skin inflammation. The hair loss is typically patchy. You will probably be able to diagnose this condition, however you will still want to consult your veterinarian. A veterinarian can give you insight into why your guinea pig is doing this and how you can treat it. It your guinea pig has bite marks and other injuries that occurred during barbering, they may need to be treated to prevent any infections from occurring.

Your veterinarian will probably want to know about any changes in your pet's behavior, when the barbering or self-barbering started, also your guinea pig's dietary and health history. They may be able to discover the underlying cause for the issue. Conflicts and stress are the most common causes, however they are not the only causes. Your veterinarian may diagnose the barbering or self-barbering to dietary deficiencies, genetic problems, or health issues such as metabolism problems.

Once you have a proper diagnosis, proper treatment can occur. Without the proper diagnosis, treatments won't always be effective. Make any changes your veterinarian recommends to stop your guinea pig fro barbering.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.