bristly fur / fluffed up, what could be the reason?

[naguya]

Just wondering, sometimes (rarely, I just saw it three times) my boar (8 months old) has his fur bristling. He did this yesterday's night when eating. Other than that, everything is normal. Is there a reason for him to make this with his fur? I took a picture and it looked like a little ball.

These pictures were taken the same night, he's not fat! But the fur makes it look like he is! What could be the reason he does this to his own fur? There is also his boar friend but they get along very well, at the time, both were eating without any signs of vocal communication of aggression.



This is the normal him, the photos were taken from the same night (yesterday):

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

I am very sorry.

He looks in pain; something internal in either the body or head he cannot get at.

 

[naguya]

Hi

I am very sorry.

He looks in pain; something internal in either the body or head he cannot get at.

What should I do? I can look for a vet around here but I already know they won't give properly service like always...

He did it once after I gave him a bath (first week with him) because he was full of mites. He did it second time once he was in the transport cage with his mate friend (last month). And he did this yesterday's night when he was eating next to the other boar.

His poop and urine are normal, he urinates frequently, drinks plenty of water, and does not vocalize pain, he also is eating normally and making exercise running. Should I start some medication or observe? Or try again for a vet?

 

[Wiebke]

What should I do? I can look for a vet around here but I already know they won't give properly service like always...

He did it once after I gave him a bath (first week with him) because he was full of mites. He did it second time once he was in the transport cage with his mate friend (last month). And he did this yesterday's night when he was eating next to the other boar.

His poop and urine are normal, he urinates frequently, drinks plenty of water, and does not vocalize pain, he also is eating normally and making exercise running. Should I start some medication or observe? Or try again for a vet?

 

[Wiebke]

What should I do? I can look for a vet around here but I already know they won't give properly service like always...

He did it once after I gave him a bath (first week with him) because he was full of mites. He did it second time once he was in the transport cage with his mate friend (last month). And he did this yesterday's night when he was eating next to the other boar.

His poop and urine are normal, he urinates frequently, drinks plenty of water, and does not vocalize pain, he also is eating normally and making exercise running. Should I start some medication or observe? Or try again for a vet?

Thank you for supplying situational context. It could be a stress reaction with him rather than pain?

If it is only very on and off instead of more regular, then I would wait and see whether you can get more observational material to take to your vet.

 

[naguya]

Thank you for supplying situational context. It could be a stress reaction with him rather than pain?

If it is only very on and off instead of more regular, then I would wait and see whether you can get more observational material to take to your vet.

The fur returned to normal after the other boar left his side. I am not sure, but the other boar sometimes picks food from his mouth, and since they were eating very close this time, I was thinking it could be he wanting to look bigger and intimidating? (I was just reading about this topic now in some threads on this forum and I read someone talking about this).

Besides this, they get along very well, they are just sleeping besides each other now.

Thank you! I will keep on eye on this!

 

[MnJ]

I hope everything will be going well with him. I think I read somewhere on this forum that they might fluff up when in pain/discomfort, if it is cold and when they eat veg. When mine was sick he was fluffed up siting in a corner in his hidey.

I noticed that both of my piggies fluff up if I give them cold veg- straight from the fridge. One of them almost doubled in size.

 

[naguya]

I hope everything will be going well with him. I think I read somewhere on this forum that they might fluff up when in pain/discomfort, if it is cold and when they eat veg. When mine was sick he was fluffed up siting in a corner in his hidey.

I noticed that both of my piggies fluff up if I give them cold veg- straight from the fridge. One of them almost doubled in size.

He was eating veg at the time, it came from the fridge, celery stalk (they never ate that) but I saw it is good in moderation?

So I gave it to both of them, and they were both eating side by side. They have separate bowls but the healthier boar (Bijou) always comes to eat by Momo's side (he has tilt head which I talked in another thread, but he seems healthier now), they don't fight or argue for food, just sometimes Bijou picks food from Momo's mouth against his will.

Momo (the fluffed one) doubled his size like you said when he was eating eating them, but returned to normal once Bijou (the other boar) left his side. But they ate together again today and everything went smooth, just Bijou again sometimes picking food from him.

 

[Piggies&buns]

One of mine puffs his hair up but only when it’s veg time - he does not do it with hay or their rare treat of pellets or at any other time.
I have been assured that it is his way of making himself looking a bit more intimidating and protecting his food. There is nothing medically wrong in my boy’s case, he is just very territorial about everything.

I do not use any bowls for my boys. Instead I scatter food around their cage to make each meal more mentally stimulating and to encourage them to use their natural foraging abilities

 

[Wiebke]

Some - usually older piggies - can fluff up a bit when eating but usually not quite as strongly as that. However it doesn't sound like it is a growing pain issue if it is that off and on.
Fluffing up can also be a more unusual response against a hostile intruder or a failed bonder after a fight; in this context it is about making themselves look much bigger and more threatening.

You will find that many issues cannot be properly evaluated without situational context. Since pain is the most serious possibility, it needs to be ruled out first and foremost before you are looking for other aspects when there is no further information.

You may notice that I often work my way down the more information and feedback I get. It rarely like 1 symptom = 1 possible solution or illness. When you look more closely, guinea pigs are very complex in their body language and it always has a situational context. They also graduate from mild to full on with everything they are doing.

He was eating veg at the time, it came from the fridge, celery stalk (they never ate that) but I saw it is good in moderation?

So I gave it to both of them, and they were both eating side by side. They have separate bowls but the healthier boar (Bijou) always comes to eat by Momo's side (he has tilt head which I talked in another thread, but he seems healthy now), they don't fight or argue for food, just sometimes Bijou picks food from Momo's mouth against his will.

Momo (the fluffed one) doubled his size like you said when he was eating eating them, but returned to normal once Bijou (the other boar) left his side. But they ate together again today and everything went smooth, just Bijou again sometimes picking food from him.

Mine get a small chunk of celery about three time a week. I haven't had a stone problem for years on end.

 

[naguya]

One of mine puffs his hair up but only when it’s veg time - he does not do it with hay or their rare treat of pellets or at any other time.
I have been assured that it is his way of making himself looking a bit more intimidating and protecting his food. There is nothing medically wrong in my boy’s case, he is just very territorial about everything.

I do not use any bowls for my boys. Instead I scatter food around their cage to make each meal more mentally stimulating and to encourage them to use their natural foraging abilities

I think this was the case, he was like protecting his food. But I will keep a close look if he does this again and in which situation.

Hmmm, that's a great idea! I will try this tomorrow on their next veg+leaves meal time, I am currently doing this with treats weekly. But they will soon eat corn husks, I will put them around the cage besides the bowl!

 

[naguya]

Some - usually older piggies - can fluff up a bit when eating but usually not quite as strongly as that. However it doesn't sound like it is a growing pain issue if it is that off and on.
Fluffing up can also be a more unusual response against a hostile intruder or a failed bonder after a fight; in this context it is about making themselves look much bigger and more threatening.

You will find that many issues cannot be properly evaluated without situational context. Since pain is the most serious possibility, it needs to be ruled out first and foremost before you are looking for other aspects when there is no further information.

You may notice that I often work my way down the more information and feedback I get. It rarely like 1 symptom = 1 possible solution or illness. When you look more closely, guinea pigs are very complex in their body language and it always has a situational context. They also graduate from mild to full on with everything they are doing.



Mine get a small chunk of celery about three time a week. I haven't had a stone problem for years on end.

Maybe it's a leadership stabilization? When Bijou arrived, Momo made him understand that he was the leader, he lifted Bijou's head and mounted him. But nowadays, Momo tries to lift Bijou's head but fails everytime, and from what I'm seeing, Bijou is tending more towards leadership. But like I said, they don't fight, they respect each other, just sometimes (rarely, like picking food against his will or kicking him out of somewhere) bullying comes from Bijou.

That's great to know! I've been researching about foods, and this was one of the foods I was in doubt how many times per week I could give them!

 

[Wiebke]

Maybe it's a leadership stabilization? When Bijou arrived, Momo made him understand that he was the leader, he lifted Bijou's head and mounted him. But nowadays, Momo tries to lift Bijou's head but fails everytime, and from what I'm seeing, Bijou is tending more towards leadership. But like I said, they don't fight, they respect each other, just sometimes bullying comes from Bijou.

That's great to know! I've been researching about foods, and this was one of the foods I was in doubt how many times per week I could give to them!

Please, please, please do not call dominance behaviour 'bullying'. That is human political correctness getting directly in the way of understanding normal guinea pig behaviour and social interaction. Real bullying in guinea pigs is something entirely different.

It is perfectly normal and frankly very mild dominance behaviour; food snatching is very common. In groups I usually have one item more and I tend to have a little more to ensure that the bottom piggy is getting their fair share.

Bijou is inevitably going to take over sooner or later but he clearly cares for Momo and will do so as gently as he can when he is a teenager. If his hormones are taking over in terms of nonstop mounting, just put in a divider for the short term in order to protect Momo. It is not going to break their bond.

But please do not freak out at the first submission screaming from Momo - it is not painful and a very effective way of saying: 'I am no rival to you.' And it is the correct response to a challenge he cannot meet.

 

[naguya]

Please, please, please do not call dominance behaviour 'bullying'. That is human political correctness getting directly in the way of understanding normal guinea pig behaviour and social interaction. Real bullying in guinea pigs is something entirely different.

It is perfectly normal and frankly very mild dominance behaviour; food snatching is very common. In groups I usually have one item more and I tend to have a little more to ensure that the bottom piggy is getting their fair share.

Bijou is inevitably going to take over sooner or later but he clearly cares for Momo and will do so as gently as he can when he is a teenager. If his hormones are taking over in terms of nonstop mounting, just put in a divider for the short term in order to protect Momo. It is not going to break their bond.

But please do not freak out at the first submission screaming from Momo - it is not painful and a very effective way of saying: 'I am no rival to you.' And it is the correct response to a challenge he cannot meet.

Oh sorry! My bad!

I am still learning a lot about guinea pigs, sometimes things get confusing! They are very complex, as you said.

Thank you as always for the great advices and explanations, It's always good when things become clearer! There is always something new to learn about them, so I always check the threads around here to learn and improve their lives.

These are photos I just took now from them

 

[naguya]

He fluffed up again right now once eating his veg! I watched him all day yesterday, eating hay, eating pellets, running, drinking water, pooping, interacting with the other boar and no fluff up happened. It just happened now with the veg.

Watching him all day yesterday I also noticed that sometimes he is rumblestrutting.

 

[fluffysal]

Reading this made me realise that Mischievous Master Boris puffs up when he's eating his veg too!

 

[Wiebke]

He fluffed up again right now once eating his veg! I watched him all day yesterday, eating hay, eating pellets, running, drinking water, pooping, interacting with the other boar and no fluff up happened. It just happened now with the veg.

Watching him all day yesterday I also noticed that sometimes he is rumblestrutting.

View attachment 254786

Hi

There is a little boar in there and he seems to have woken up - in the mildest possible way. I wouldn't worry about pain. It's behavioural.

 

[naguya]

Hi

There is a little boar in there and he seems to have woken up - in the mildest possible way. I wouldn't worry about pain. It's behavioural.

Also, yesterday, Bijou was running around the entire cage and popcorning. Momo saw this, stopped him and nibbled his ear and after that licked his fur, tried to lift up again his head but failed, then he started running and popcorning too. It is like you said, sometime Bijou will take the leadership! I'm relieved it's behavioral and not pain!

Thank you again!

 

[Wiebke]

Also, yesterday, Bijou was running around the entire cage and popcorning. Momo saw this, stopped him and nibbled his ear and after that licked his fur, tried to lift up again his head but failed, then he started running and popcorning too. It is like you said, sometime Bijou will take the leadership! I'm relieved it's behavioral and not pain!

Thank you again!

Momo is asserting his authority in the mildest and friendliest way (ear nibbling), tells Bijou that he loves him (licking) and that he is happy with him - running and popcorning together is the playful guinea pigs share their happiness and celebrate their bond.

 

[naguya]

Momo is asserting his authority in the mildest way (ear nibbling), tells Bijou that he loves him and that he is happy with him - running and popcorning together is the way guinea pigs share their happiness and celebrate their bond.

Yes!! They were running and popcorning together! This is great news! I am happy they are getting along very well!

 

[RosieLily]

What a cute pig! One of my first pigs would also fluff herself up during veg time. She looked like a little fur ball.