I'm going to end up with a bald boar?

[Abi_nurse]

I know ive posted about this before but i need to know if piggies will grow out of barbering? Little 3 month old Merlin is still eating Polo's hair but hes giving him a bald patch. They love each other and i dont want to seperate (and dont intend to) a lovely bonded pair, especially as my older boar Polo was so hard to pair up. Any tips? They have plenty or room, hay, attention, chews and hides.

Poor Polo and his bald patch...

Look how cute a pair they make. I love them to bits.

x.

 

[Connie]

Have you had him checked for skin problems? Just its very unusual for barbering to go that close to the skin. :/ Or maybe I'm wrong. *shrugs*

 

[Abi_nurse]

Hes not got any skin issues at all, hes been back and forth to work a lot recently. But thanks for asking. I just dont know what to do. lol.

x.

 

[Connie]

Sorry, :/ I cant help, but good luck

 

[Abi_nurse]

Its ok, thanks. Naughty little Merlin.

x

 

[JanexxM&L]

it may not be your other guinea pig causing that, my past guinea pigs when they were about 2ish had bald pacthes on there back and it turned out to be fleas, they were fine, just given some cream and it all went away! i would get checked by the vet just incase, better to be safe than sorry! x

 

[flintstones]

I have known Guinea pigs to self barber to I know he's been back and forth to the vet but I would seriously think something else is going on.

Bitter apple is meant to discourage barbering - not to sure if it works.

 

[piggyfan]

Have you had him checked out by a vet?

 

[aalur]

wow! thats some hardcore barbering!

I think you should get Polo a toupee ! |)

 

[Abi_nurse]

Have you had him checked out by a vet?

Yeah, hes been checked. But i might retake some samples and have a look under the microscope again tomorrow. I might just ivermec just in case. But honestly yeah, its Merlin, ive watched him doing it even if you all think hes got some sort of skin condition. Thank you for all your replies.

x.

 

[flintstones]

Just throwing this out there - I know of a piggy who used to groom her partners ears, all very cute but it turned out the piggy had ear mites and the other pig was grooming because of this for whatever reason I'm not sure. Perhaps it's similar, I have watched Esme barber when she was young but what your little pig is displaying seems quite extreme - IMO.

Make sure he has plenty of hay in case it's boredom maybe give more than one type anything to encourage him not to eat his friend.

I don't believe everything shows up under a microscope, perhaps it'd be worthwhile getting a culture at the lab?

 

[Amanda1801]

You need to stop using the fruity shampoo

As others have said, there must be a reason for barbering to this extent...either medical, environmental or behavioural.

Hope you work it out soon!

Just an after thought... Where did you get the barber piggy from and how long ago? Could it be a nutritional deficiency making him eat hair, caused by either a previous owner or a medical condition?

 

[Poppy'sMum]

He's not scratching at all? If he is itchy then it could be mange mites, which I guess you have already ruled out? They don't always show up on a skin scrape though

 

[Abi_nurse]

Just an after thought... Where did you get the barber piggy from and how long ago? Could it be a nutritional deficiency making him eat hair, caused by either a previous owner or a medical condition?

He's just a rescue, his mum was dumped and pregnant when i took her, he was born at my house this September.

x.