Query: Hair eating

[Jesse's pigs]

Hi guys, as many of you probably know Bellamy is my first longhaired piggy so is happily teaching me lots of new things lol. However I'm quickly seeing a behaviour I'm not too fond of witnessing.

Basically, on occasions Steve will pull a chunk of Bellamy's hair out and eat it! Now there's no bald spots and I've read barbering etc. Bellamy rightly so let's out a squeak when it happens and I'm not surprised that this probably hurts my little furry guy. Both get along perfectly fine other than that. No major disagreements- obviously I witness the odd mounting session or occasional biccer, but both allow one another to eat/ sleep etc so I don't believe it's because their an unhappy bonded pair.

Is there a way to stop this? They are in a big cage 140, I'd love a C and a C but due to my other pets I think it's safer having them in a ferplast etc style cage. Is it a case of space tho?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi guys, as many of you probably know Bellamy is my first longhaired piggy so is happily teaching me lots of new things lol. However I'm quickly seeing a behaviour I'm not too fond of witnessing.

Basically, on occasions Steve will pull a chunk of Bellamy's hair out and eat it! Now there's no bald spots and I've read barbering etc. Bellamy rightly so let's out a squeak when it happens and I'm not surprised that this probably hurts my little furry guy. Both get along perfectly fine other than that. No major disagreements- obviously I witness the odd mounting session or occasional biccer, but both allow one another to eat/ sleep etc so I don't believe it's because their an unhappy bonded pair.

Is there a way to stop this? They are in a big cage 140, I'd love a C and a C but due to my other pets I think it's safer having them in a ferplast etc style cage. Is it a case of space tho?

Hi!

Being barbered is pretty common for long-haired guinea pigs. Generally it stops after an initial orgy if it is social barbering. I have however got some husboars whose wives prefer a shorter look!

Some piggies can be rather rough and just pull out a bit from time to time to the protest of the barbered piggy.
My Iola was a dominance barber like you are describing; just initially and then every now and then without causing noticeable damage to the coat.

There is unfortunately nothing you can do short of ripping a happily bonded pair apart.

Here is more information on barbering and the different meanings it can have: Barbering ( Eating Hair)

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Hi!

Being barbered is pretty common for long-haired guinea pigs. Generally it stops after an initial orgy if it is social barbering. I have however got some husboars whose wives prefer a shorter look!

Some piggies can be rather rough and just pull out a bit from time to time to the protest of the barbered piggy.
My Iola was a dominance barber like you are describing; just initially and then every now and then without causing noticeable damage to the coat.

There is unfortunately nothing you can do short of ripping a happily bonded pair apart.

Here is more information on barbering and the different meanings it can have: Barbering ( Eating Hair)

Thank you very much for this reply! I'm glad it's nothing too serious because they are happy together I just feel guilty when poor Bellamy squeals -although I have to say he is quite a vocal piggy and if I even touch near his back end i get a squeak of disapproval.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you very much for this reply! I'm glad it's nothing too serious because they are happy together I just feel guilty when poor Bellamy squeals -although I have to say he is quite a vocal piggy and if I even touch near his back end i get a squeak of disapproval.

Barbering is not actual hair pulling, just biting. some piggies are rougher than others. The barbered piggy is often protesting loudly - but crucially neither moving out of reach or swiping at the other piggy, especially when it is a spot of dominance barbering.

 

[PigglePuggle]

Our Jezzy floof got barbered a fair bit when she first met our short haired younger piggies, the novelty soon wore off but still occasionally she gets her floofy face barbered by her friend Piggle when she gets a bit carried away during some friendly face grooming, and cheeky little boar Theo sometimes finds that taking a chunk of floofy bottom fur is the quickest way to get Jezzy out of a hidey house or hay tray he wants for himself!