Dried ear (picture below)

[Alaroche]

I’ve had my Guinea pigs for about a month now and I’ve just noticed that one of them has a very dry and crusty ear. As a New Guinea pig mom I have no idea what could of caused this. Do you guys have any idea of what it could be/at home treatment to help his ear get better. Or do you think it’s something more serious which we should take him to the vet? Like I said I have multiple piggies so if this is caused by mites for example wouldn't my other pig get it too?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

Please have your piggy vet checked for ringworm, a highly contagious fungal skin infection that can also jump species. It is sadly rather common in mass-bred pet shop piggies.

Please accept that we cannot diagnose (nor is any online place qualified to!) just from a picture. Do not treat on spec without a proper diagnosis; you can easily make things worse and spend a lot more money in the end.

Here is our information on your customer rights in addition to the most common new piggy pet shop and breeder issues as well as our ringworm hygiene guide. We have over a decade of experience with thousands of piggies passing through to find out the hard way how to get on top of the invisible and very long lived spores reliably and once and for all.
Good hygiene to cut out all potential transmission angles, a vet grade disinfectant (recommended brands for several countries are in the guide) and also tips on how you and any companions can be prevented from coming down with it are all in the guide, including pictures of how an acute outbreak typically runs. It is usually getting worse before it gets better as the affected area is much larger than the scabby spot at first.
If you can, please ask your vet for an oral antifungal as the ear is a very sensitive organ and any topical treatment not quite easy to apply. Creams will not reach the wider area and cannot prevent the spread of spores and secondary infections.

Here are the information links which you will hopefully find very helpful:
What to check for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites, ringworm&URI)
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

Our complete new owners guide collection (worth bookmarking as we are specifically addressing all the areas we get the most questions and concerns about): Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Swissgreys]

I agree about getting your piggy vet checked.
Hopefully it is not ring worm, but if it is then with the appropriate treatment and careful handling you should be able to get it under control.
Just remember not to try and treat it yourself with anything first - this just makes it harder for the vet to make a proper diagnosis.

Beautiful piggy by the way.