Guinea pigs shed like any other animal with fur. Depending on the breed they shed more or less. Besides natural shedding, there are also a few reasons that can cause your Cavy to shed more.
Guinea pigs shed and it can be a sign of an illness that requires treatment, Vitamin C deficiency, or just seasonal shedding. In some cases, guinea pigs even cut their own fur with teeth (barbering).
If you want to know what is normal shedding what symptoms are a signs of health condition that should be treated and what to do please keep reading.
Table of Contents
What is Normal Shedding in Guinea Pigs?
Guinea pigs are types of animals that shed and the same as with humans it is a natural process. They shed daily and new hair grows. During spring guinea pigs shed more than usual to remove their winter coats to prepare their bodies for warmer weather.
This helps them control their body temperature and makes it easier to cool themselves down selves. This goes especially for the long-haired guinea pigs that shed more than other breeds. So do not worry if you find more hair than usual in the cage during spring even in early summer it is quite normal.
Short Haired Guinea Pigs
They shed moderately and requires brushing once or twice a week. Their hair does not get tangled up so no worries about spending too much time with brushing their hair with a soft brush is sufficient.
Long Haired Guinea pigs
This breed sheds a lot and requires daily brushing, and owner has to use both soft brush and guinea pig comb. Their hair gets tangled and brushing can be a bit tricky because you have to untangle it, but also not to hurt your pet in the process, so additional attention is needed.
Hairless Guinea pigs
Also known as skinny guinea pigs do not shed at all so in case shedding is an issue for you this is the right breed for you. Just be aware due to lack of hair their skin is more sensitive and they require more care.
What can Cause Guinea Pigs to Shed?
Besides normal shedding, guinea pigs can have certain conditions that can lead to hair loss. It can go from having a few bold patches to excessive shedding all over the body. It can be caused by stress caused by lack of space, vitamin c deficiency, to more serious conditions like mites, ringworm, ovarium cists.
There are symptoms for each condition and bellow you can read more about it to be able to recognize the symptoms.
Mites
Mites are tiny parasites that can cause a lot of trouble for your furry friend. Mites burrow into the skin of guinea pig and cause itching and pain. If you do not catch the symptoms on time it can cause severe pain and in some cases even death.
In case you catch the symptoms on time and start with treatment on the time it will prevent any serious pain and discomfort that your Cavy could experience.
Guinea pigs get mites in two ways:
- Directly from infected guinea pig.
- Indirectly trough bedding or clothes that were infected (tained) by infected guinea pigs, also they can get infected trough hay and grass.
When it comes to mites do not worry you are safe you will not get it, also cats and dogs are safe as well.
Diagnosing
We are not able to see the mites with our own eyes but not to worry you can identify it by the symptoms:
- Irritation of the skin
- Hair Loss
- Triggering Scripting
- Pain when handled ( touched)
- Dandruff
In case you notice any of the symptoms (or multiple) visit a vet for proper diagnose and treatment.
Treatment
Vet will walk you trough the process and here are just steps you can expect.
Mites have to be treated first with Ivermectin (cca 5 $ per treatment) . Ivermectin is safe for guinea pigs but be aware that one treatment is not enough and the vet will advise at least 2 treatment because Ivermectin do not kill the eggs of mites.
After 2 or 3 treatment usually next step is puppy and kitten Revolution that is applied behind the ears ( 1 drop per ear) and after a few weeks of Revolution, you can start with bathing. For shampoo, you should get shampoo for mites and lice for a weekly bath till symptoms get better.I have read that neem oil or coconut oil applied to open sores to help with pain.
Prevention
It is fairly easy to prevent mite infections, there is oral treatment with Ivermectin once in three weeks or one drop of Revolution for puppies and kittens behind each ear once a month.
Ringworm
Another disease in guinea pigs that can cause hair loss among other symptoms. This disease is caused by different types of fungus but the most common is Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Infected guinea pig starts to have bald patches starting from the head and then spreads in V shape down the back.
Symptoms:
- Bald red patches
- Crusty skin
Guinea pigs get infected by ringworm directly from infected guinea pig or indirectly by contaminated objects (bedding).
Prevention
Good hygiene is vital in prevention. Sanitizing cage, replacing contaminated bedding, cleaning all items inside the cage will prevent guinea pigs get infected. Besides guinea pigs, other pets and even humans can get infected so make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning the infected cage or handling infected pet.
I suggest visiting a vet to confirm that it is ringworm and to get proper treatment. Your vet will most likely prescribe anti-fungal creme like Clotrimazole and miconazole creams and shampoo for 10 days.In case of more severe infection oral medication for a 6 weeks treatment.
Ovarian Cysts
Ovarian cysts are pockets filled with fluid inside female guinea pig ovaries. Female Cavies are mostly affected by this disease but in some cases, even males can be affected. As for all diseases, it is vital to diagnose it on time because if the cyst is not treated it will grow and eventually it could burst that will cause life treating situations.
Symptoms and Types
- Hair loss on or around the abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of weight
- Pain in the abdominal area
- Sensitivity to touch
- Mounting and other sexual behaviors
- Vaginal bleeding
Causes
There is no exact reason for developing ovarian cysts but some experts believe there are at least 2 reasons for it:
Disturbance in the levels of reproductive hormones
Ovarian follicles fail to burst and release the eggs, resulting in the formation of cysts
Diagnosis
Symptoms are the first step in identifying the disease,vet will try to feel the cyst with hands (abdominal palpation) and for confirmation, abdominal ultrasonography has to be performed.
Treatment
The most effective treatment is to surgically remove uterus and ovaries from the guinea pigs’ body.
In case this procedure can not be performed due to other medical conditions or the age of guinea pig, the vet will prescribe hormonal therapy. In most cases, hormonal therapy does not help except in the case of follicular cysts that react well to treatment. In any case, an experienced vet will suggest proper treatment taking all facts into consideration.
After surgery treatment
A Guinea pig that had surgery has to be placed isolated from other cagemates in a clean cage with minimum noise. Also, you will have to prevent guinea pig grooming the area where surgery was performed to let the wound heal
Ask your vet for advice on how to handle your cavy after the surgery, how to treat the surgery wound, what diet should they have and how often should you clean the cage…
Hormonal Causes
Most of the Cavy owners will not face this issue especially if they have same sex Cavies but it is good to know.
Female guinea pigs can experience loss of hair (or just thining) in the last trimester of pregnancy. If the same guinea pig gets pregnant again in a short period of time it will cause even more hair loss.
It is “thought to be due to reduced anabolism of maternal skin associated with the rapid increase in fetal growth. Nutritional and genetic factors are also involved and affect degree of alopecia.”
(VetPath)
Vitamin C deficiency
One of the reasons for hair loss is vitamin C deficiency.Guinea pigs are not able to produce Vitamin C on their own so their daily diet have to include suficient amount of vitamin C.
The best sources of Vitamin C are veggies and fruit. There are also Vitamin C supplements for Cavies that can help when a deficiency is diagnosed to make sure that they are getting enough of this vitamin. For more severe conditions vet will administer vitamin C shots at the clinic.
Why Guinea Pig Babies Shed ?
Guinea pig’s babies also go through the change of their hair. At one moment they will shed their babies fur so their adult fur can grow. This adult fur is noticeable thicker and sharper than babies have so this is one of the signs that they are becoming adults.
There is nothing special you have to do at this period just maintain the cage hygiene and provide enough food(nutrient) and water.
What is Barbering in Guinea pigs?
In some cases, guinea pigs chew their own or other cagemate’s hair. When it comes to self-inflicted barbering it is caused by pain or stress. If it is done by other cage mates it means that there is some dispute or guinea pig is getting bullied.
Causes
It can be caused by stress, artritic pain in older Cavy s, gas, bloat, a dispute between younger and older cavies,bulling.
Symptoms
- Bite marks
- Hair loss(patches)
- Skin inflammation
Diagnosis
Barbering is diagnosed by visible bite marks and inflamed skin in that area. There are several conditions that have similar symptoms so you should consult the vet for an exact diagnosis. This is important because you will get a proper diagnosis with proper treatment for that diagnosis. During the exam, the vet will most likely ask you about your pet’s diet and behavior to get the full picture.
Treatment
For adequate treatment, you have to know the cause. For example, if any guinea pig is bullied you have to separate it from the rest of the herd. Also, you should add more hiding places like tubes so guinea pigs can hide. Try to make the habitat less stressful, maybe the cage is too small and you have to provide more space.
Reduce noise pollution to a minimum and provide enough water and food for all cagemates. Also in case, your Cavie has babies, weaning baby guinea pigs from their mothers as early as possible is good prevention.
In case there is bite wounds they have to be treated and observed till healed.
In any case, if you recognize any of the symptoms listed above you will need a help from your vet to get the proper treatment so you can heal your pet.
Are Bald Spots Behind Guinea Pig’s Ears normal?
When you are new with guinea pigs and start to inform your self about diseases and loss of hair you will most likely start checking if your Cavy has any of these symptoms.
During this checkup, you will notice that your furry friend has bold spots behind the ears and you will assume the worst. Do not worry it is perfectly normal for your cavy to have bold spots behind its ears. These spots are usually 1/2 inch in size and there can be also a few hairs growing.
Just make sure to check the skin in that area for any change to keep your pet healthy.
How to Reduce Shedding
Brushing (grooming)
To reduce natural shedding throughout the year and especially during springtime you can do several things.
First and most important is brushing your guinea pig twice a week, in case you have long-haired Cavy daily brushing is advisable. During brushing make sure to be gentle especially over the areas without hair because it can cause them discomfort and even pain. Always use a soft baby brush for short haired breeds
With longhaired, you will have to get de shedding tools, generally, a guinea pig comb that helps to catch loose hair. Also, a bristle brush is a great tool for tangled hair.
Clean the cage regularly
Cleaning the cage regularly is vital for keeping your furry friend healthy. Dirty cage can cause several illnesses in guinea pigs that can trigger the hair loss.
Just make sure that you use guinea pig friendly cleaning solutions to avoid harming your pet. And do not put your pet back in the cage till the cage is completely dry.
Choose proper bedding
Make sure to avoid bedding made of cedar shadings. It has a great smell and controls the odor well but it can be harmful for guinea pigs.It can cause skin issues and excessive shedding.
The oils found in these shavings can cause respiratory and liver damage. To be sure that it is safe for your pet you can use paper bedding and just clean it regularly.
Take your guinea pig to a vet regularly
A regular visit to the vet is very important to keep your cavy healthy.Vet will be able to see the symptoms that you are not able to see and with proper treatment that is done on time you will avoid any serious health conditions. Beside illnesses, a vet can diagnose vitamin or nutrients deficiency and suggest you proper diet for your pet.
How to Keep Your Home Clean (hair-free) when Having a Guinea pig?
Brushing your pet regularly will help reduce the amount of hair, but still you will have hair all over your home.
So the best solution is regular vacuuming and cleaning of the house. There is no magic potions to make the hair disappear but there are few tips that can help
- A strong quality vacuum cleaner that will deal with all the in the carpet or other surfaces
- Damped mop for the tiles area
- Ruber broom helps with removing the hair from the carpet
- Use a rubber glove to collect the hair from furniture and clothing
- Microfiber cloth dry or dampened will do the trick
- A dry sponge is also good for furniture and clothing
- Matching the carpet with your pet (hair is still there just not visible )
Final tought
Shedding is not a big issue especially if you properly take care of your pet. Providing a healthy diet, regular grooming and visits to a vet will significantly reduce the shedding, not including natural /seasonal shedding.
So take care of your pets and enjoy your time with them. I hope we were able to help you with this topic in case you want to find more information about your pet you are welcome to read more of articles about Guinea pigs
