Naughty piggy, help please.

[emma1]

I have three girls who have been together happily for three years. The past few weeks Roxy has started to chew the fur on Hatties back. They aren't fighting and nothing has changed in their set up but i can't seem to stop her and poor Hatties back gets sore, thenRoxy will stop until the fur grows back then today she started again.
I don't really want to seperate them and the third little pig is fine. Anyone with any suggestions? I will be grateful for any advice.

 

[zombieprincess]

Sounds like Roxy has begun barbering, this is a behavioural issue that no one really seems to have answers for! One theory is that they do it if they feel that they are missing some thing missing from their diet. So it might be worth seeing if it can revised. It could bee boredom, try delivering their food in new ways, giving them paper forage bags, hay racks/balls, hiding it in places, removing the bowl and scatter feeding. Giving her little toys to push about and nibble in like toilet rolls and small flower pots might help to keep her distracted. I had a piggy who used to barber his friend, and he was worse in the winter months when he didn't get outside so much and had to spend more time in his cage, now he has a bigger hutch and more to do he is much better.

 

[emma1]

Thank you so much for your reply. They are indoors now obviously because of the weather . I will look into the diet thing, Roxy is a lot older than the other two so maybe she needs something extra.
Thanks again, I keep saying it but I love this site. Nobody understands like other guinea pig owners.

 

[VeggieChompers]

I'd never heard of barbering before now! I'm glad to have learned something new
Anyway - I agree with zombieprincess; distraction! Give her new treats, huts, fleece (if that's what you keep them on), and LOTS of floor time! I find with my two boys, that if I let them run around my room for a while, they get tired, and tend to sleep when they are in their cage again versus rumblestrutting each other.
Also - try seperating them during floor time. Let piggy 1 and 3 run around, and then piggy 2 and 3. Just giving them a little time apart may help - maybe they are getting on each others nerves!
Best of luck
VeggieChompers
(Guinness and Rumplewicks)

 

[Anya]

I will give them loads of different kind of hay to chew.

 

[Zorro]

One of mine is chewing the others fur, they have plenty of hay and I try as often as possible to bring them down to indoor run. Have put a cardboard box in which they do chew so hoping that may help. it is the dominant one doing it so maybe that is the issue. I give then lots of different veg so not sure that is the problem diet wise. Anyone else got suggestions?

Sounds like Roxy has begun barbering, this is a behavioural issue that no one really seems to have answers for! One theory is that they do it if they feel that they are missing some thing missing from their diet. So it might be worth seeing if it can revised. It could bee boredom, try delivering their food in new ways, giving them paper forage bags, hay racks/balls, hiding it in places, removing the bowl and scatter feeding. Giving her little toys to push about and nibble in like toilet rolls and small flower pots might help to keep her distracted. I had a piggy who used to barber his friend, and he was worse in the winter months when he didn't get outside so much and had to spend more time in his cage, now he has a bigger hutch and more to do he is much better.