Lunkas

[Nenharma39]

Am I right in thinking I dont need to groom my Lunka? Her hair has gone completely wild recently so when I made an attempt to brush her she went nuts....I was only doing it really gently and she started whizzing round and round in a circle and kicking me with her back legs..she looked like she was kick starting a motorbike....it was actually really funny...she's a feisty little thing anyway but I got the impression she wasnt too enamoured with the idea.....rolleyes

 

[Juniper]

Am I right in thinking I dont need to groom my Lunka?

Yes, you DO need to groom (and trim) your Lunka just as with any other long haired breed.
What you may have heard is that unlike the other L/H breeds they are shown in a...um...’tousled’ state. But that does not mean knotted and tangled. Your lunka is probably uncomfortable as she needs a trim; it may be that she has knots but it may also be that she is getting hot and sweaty as the weather warms up.

 

[Juniper]

PS

...she looked like she was kick starting a motorbike....

= irritation. May have been irritated with you or she may have lice/mites. Check her for those.

 

[MemberX]

Twinkle who is half Peru acts like this we have to keep his fur down at the back because it pulls on him. I would keep the fur trim, she could be narked because she has all this hair going on. Twinks was like that but since keeping it short on him his behaviour hasn't half mellowed.

 

[Tracyxx]

Dear me, sounds like you have a drama queen on your hands. One of my Shelties is like this. Keep her as short as possible as they need daily grooming with longer hair, sheared fur won't need to be combed through as often.

 

[Nenharma39]

thanks everyone..
she's only little so ive not been neglecting her and she definately doesnt have lice either.....however she will be getting a haircut when she comes in from the run later. And she IS a diva anyway....tangles or no tangles

 

[Tracyxx]

Longhaired pigs are always divas, you're so right there p

 

[Wiebke]

As she's young she's not used so much to being groomed. Most youngsters don't like it at first (with some notable exceptions), but with time and repetiton, she'll get used to it.

My first own piggy was a coronet and he was playing trampoline on my belly whenever he was up for a groom!

Although I have to admit that I don't know what a "lunka" is - can you post a pic, please?

 

[Juniper]

thanks everyone..
she's only little so ive not been neglecting her and she definately doesnt have lice either

Nenharma, I wasn't suggesting that you were neglecting her....just the possibility that you may have received incorrect advice based on showing rather than general care and welfare.

Also, it is incredibly easy to miss lice if you do not specifically check for them (again, if you know that you have definitely checked for lice this isn't the problem with your pig)

I have seen lice in the most unexpected of places including in a very well run rescue centre (the owner was mortified when my partner pointed them out to her). It happens!

 

[Juniper]

Although I have to admit that I don't know what a "lunka" is -

A longhaired breed of Swedish origin.
Has the appearance of a 'soap dodger' if you know what I mean.

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

It does indeed happen and the long curly coated breeds hide things very well - often think birds could nest in there!

 

[fi.cantillon]

I currently have a long haired piggie in the rescue who when she gets yucky around her bum and hates to be groomed. If we wash her in the gorgeous guineas shampoo and conditioner she loves it and is very easy to groom.

Might be worth a try

 

[Laura-CCC4]

The full name for the Lunka is Lunkarya. Gorgeous fluffy, long curly coated breed.

I too had a total "Mariah Carey" of a guinea pig in Tuppence. She too would kick, jump and scream if you so much as got the hairbrush out. And if it had to be done, well then for goodness sake don't scrimp on the parsley bribes!

 

[daisyd]

Twinks was like that but since keeping it short on him his behaviour hasn't half mellowed.

I know what you mean! My girlie Feather used to go nuts when I tried to trim/ brush her too. For ages I was paranoid that she had a fungal infection (she also had dandruff). Then after weeks of washes and finally dipping her in imaverol, I figured out she didn't have anything physically wrong, just hated her long hair!

I now keep it short and have sorted the dandruff symptoms by not keeping her on wood shavings (which I had always used since I was a kid as I didn't know any better) - I think she was allergic.

She is now sooooo much more chilled out and has no more phantom fungal symptoms