Barbering

[GigisGuineas]

Hi! I have read the barbering thread, but would like a more personal solution.
I recently introduced a 2 month old short hair guinea to a 8 month old long haired guinea. They seem to get along well, other than the occasional rumble struting- but the little one is barbering the older one. It isnt too bad, no skin, but i dont want it to get worse. He has nibbled off the fromt left side pretty short, and his little swoop up front off, into bangs. The long haired one does nothing, just allows it to happen. Any tips to stop it before it gets too severe, or why it is happenning? Attached photos show the damage so far.

 

[DM030819]

Barbering ( Eating Hair)

You could try keeping your long haired pigs hair trimmed shorter to see if that puts him off.

 

[AllieMJ]

Hi, we have the exact same problem, two girls, similar ages. How did things work out for you in the end?
Thanx, Allie

 

[Deleted member 131797]

I had a barbering pig before, she barbered my long haired pig and if I wasn’t careful at cuddle time (she liked sitting under my chin) she’d have a chunk of my hair too (happened a few times, first time I was like “what is she chewing” as there wasn’t any food then I realised it was my hair) then one day she just stopped doing it. She didn’t do it all the time or to the extend there was any serious problem, she just did for a while. And then didn’t and never did it again, just like that.

I have no idea if there could be any more difficult/warning reason behind it, hopefully someone else will know.

 

[Wiebke]

I had a barbering pig before, she barbered my long haired pig and if I wasn’t careful at cuddle time (she liked sitting under my chin) she’d have a chunk of my hair too (happened a few times, first time I was like “what is she chewing” as there wasn’t any food then I realised it was my hair) then one day she just stopped doing it. She didn’t do it all the time or to the extend there was any serious problem, she just did for a while. And then didn’t and never did it again, just like that.

I have no idea if there could be any more difficult/warning reason behind it, hopefully someone else will know.

Hi, we have the exact same problem, two girls, similar ages. How did things work out for you in the end?
Thanx, Allie

Please see my guide on barbering. You can also find it at the top of the behaviour section. It discusses all the very different aspects of barbering and its reasons. Barbering ( Eating Hair)

 

[Deleted member 131797]

Please see my guide on barbering. You can also find it at the top of the behaviour section. It discusses all the very different aspects of barbering and its reasons. Barbering ( Eating Hair)

Thanks Wiebke, very helpful! The second to last picture on that thread, of Meg with her bald side, often in case of hormonal issues and ovarian cysts I’ve seen once before as my first guinea pig (Willow) had Cushings disease which is either really rare or just not diagnosed often at all, there was only one other case on guinea lynx and we took her to a specialist in Reading after having her sprayed because we were so sure it was ovarian cysts. Perhaps worth adding for the rare case this happens again? She was about a year old when this happened.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! I have read the barbering thread, but would like a more personal solution.
I recently introduced a 2 month old short hair guinea to a 8 month old long haired guinea. They seem to get along well, other than the occasional rumble struting- but the little one is barbering the older one. It isnt too bad, no skin, but i dont want it to get worse. He has nibbled off the fromt left side pretty short, and his little swoop up front off, into bangs. The long haired one does nothing, just allows it to happen. Any tips to stop it before it gets too severe, or why it is happenning? Attached photos show the damage so far.

Hi!

Just let them get on with it; you cannot stop it short of a totally upsetting separation. The hair will grow back. As described in the guide, it is a friendly and socialising act that is not at all uncommon when younger piggies are introduced to older long-haired ones. Hence why the long-haired piggies are not bothered. Things will eventually settle down.