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Weird Skin Issue

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River

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A couple of weeks back I noticed a lump on my guinea pigs backside around his hip area. It was obviously big enough that it was noticeable, it felt hard, and the skin around it was 'crumbly'. When I touched it it never seemed to bother him, but I took note of it and decided to keep an eye on it.

After about another week it started to feel bigger, so I took another look at it. Wondering if maybe there wasn't a tick or something in there. But when I went to look at the lump the entire thing, skin and fur, all lifted right up and reveled another layer of skin. There was nothing to be seen under it. And still, it didn't seem to hurt him.

I took him outside yesterday to eat some clover and when I lifted him up the skin flap came right off. There seems to be new fur growing up in the exposed area, and I've seen nothing strange, his behavior isn't different (no itching, scratching, or biting at himself), and as I said, it doesn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

I've been looking online trying to find anything that resembles what he has, but nothing so far has really matched up. The closest thing I've got is the possibility of mites, but I'm unsure about that.

The area:
tumblr_n8d9bqKdE71rjxjn2o1_500.png

The piece that came off:
tumblr_n8d9bqKdE71rjxjn2o2_500.png


He lives with a rabbit and I haven't noticed anything wrong with him (checked him over, looked at his skin and felt around), so whatever it is hasn't jumped ship yet, takes its time, or is exclusive to guinea pigs?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I am unsure of what this is so I advise going to a vet ASAP.

It could be an old bite, a fungal infection or a sign of mites. I would visit a vet to make sure.

Unfortunately a guinea pig and a rabbit should not be housed together as a rabbit can kill the guinea pig by kicking. The rabbit can also spread bordatella to the guinea pig and their diets are different. Guinea pigs require a source of vitamin C.
 
At this point I can't separate them (which is another worry I have for this, if I need to treat the guinea pig I'll probably have to). I've had to separate them before when the rabbit picked up mites and they both stopped eating, drinking, and even moving. They made themselves ill and I was forced to put them back together to get them to stop behaving that way. The rabbit grew up with the guinea pig, and the guinea pig is 6 yrs old, so they're really attached.

But I do make sure they at least both get their diet requirements.

I think tomorrow I'll contact the vet clinic and explain the situation to them and show them the photos, hopefully they'll be able to tell me something (they're not well experienced in small animals unfortunately).
 
When I kept rats and mice the abcesses that came up would crust over like this and lose their cap and hair but then there would be new skin underneath, I agree with a trip to the vets. Hope it's nothing too serious.
 
I agree a vet visit is needed, could be a bite that has scabbed over, fungal or mange mites.
 
You cannot keep these animals together I'm afraid. Rabbits and guinea-pigs don't communicate the same, they have different dietry needs and rabbits can seriously harm guinea-pigs. Aswell as the risk of the bordatella disease spreading.

Rabbits should be neutered and live with a companion of the same species, likewise with guinea-pigs (they don't have to be neutered).

I hope you resolve this skin issue x
 
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