How do I stop her...?

[Dawn - Admin]

Please can anyone help, Lily-Belle is either nibbling herself or losing her hair for some reason on her belly. It can't be her cage mates as it is under her belly.

She hasn't got anything like mites and that there are no scabs so I am sure it is self inflicted.

When she was pregnant with her pups she barbered herself quite badly so do you think she is just going back to this habit for some reason?

How can I stop her doing it?

Here are some pics.





Dawn

[guineapigjude]

Sometimes it can be stress related. Has she gone through anything stressful lately or had a change in enviroment or cage mates? Is there a chance she is bored or lonely?Also, this could be a sign of something happening internally, such as a cyst. These types of hair loss are usually more to the sides, though, but it's worth keeping an eye on.

[Niki]

Hi Dawn,
I'm sorry i don't have an answer but i found some info on guinea lynx
here's the link www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html#barbering

I hope it helps

Niki x

[rayfay]

Lily - Belle darling your worring mum. Is her skin pink or anything? It might be that her skin is a bit itchy but not really dry. You can mix some water with lotion in a spray bottle and spray that on her once or twice a day.

[Dawn - Admin]

Thanks guys,

She can't possibly be bored or lonely so that is definitely out. She must by now be used to new arrivals hehe so that couldn't be stressing her out surely.

I am at a loss as to know what it is, maybe I should get some bitter Apple like is suggests on guinea lynx and see if that deters her.

I will keep you all updated, and if she doesn't improve soon I will be off the the vets with her.

Dawn

[Niki]

I hope she stops Dawn,
Do you think it could be a habit, like when some birds pluck their own feathers?

Is she a highly-strung piggy or laid back?

I'm thinking if she's highly strung it may be stress as Jude said.

Just thought of something else; alopaecia caused by a hormone imbalance?

Niki x

[rayfay]

I wouldn't use bitter apple spray as that might irratate it. Try putting some lotion on her instead.

[Dawn - Admin]

nikinakinooo said:

I hope she stops Dawn,
Do you think it could be a habit, like when some birds pluck their own feathers?

Is she a highly-strung piggy or laid back?

I'm thinking if she's highly strung it may be stress as Jude said.

Just thought of something else; alopaecia caused by a hormone imbalance?

Niki x

Thanks Nik,

No she is a very laid back piggy aways has been but she does love to nibble anything and everything. I think it might be just habbit but how do I break the habbit?

It could be alopaecia caused by a hormone imbalance but how can I tell?

Dawn

[Dawn - Admin]

rayfay said:

I wouldn't use bitter apple spray as that might irratate it. Try putting some lotion on her instead.

Thanks Rach, but woulds it be ok if she nibbles it with lotion on

I think I will make her a vet appointment on Monday, just to be on the safe side. I will let you knwo how I go.

Dawn

[rayfay]

yes just to be on the safe side. We put lotion on our dog when he's itchy and he licks it and it doesn't make him ill. Mix the lotion with water though.

[Dawn - Admin]

Ok thanks Rach I may just try that with the E45 I have for Aimees skin when it gets dry, that had no additives

[Niki]

admin said:

nikinakinooo said:

I hope she stops Dawn,
Do you think it could be a habit, like when some birds pluck their own feathers?

Is she a highly-strung piggy or laid back?

I'm thinking if she's highly strung it may be stress as Jude said.

Just thought of something else; alopaecia caused by a hormone imbalance?

Niki x

Thanks Nik,

No she is a very laid back piggy aways has been but she does love to nibble anything and everything. I think it might be just habbit but how do I break the habbit?

It could be alopaecia caused by a hormone imbalance but how can I tell?

Dawn

Well she's not a lonely unstimulated piggy so it can't be boredom. How to stop her? Short of putting a vest on her....... the E45 cream is a good idea, she might not like the taste (like bitter ellers for nail biters) & stop by herself.
I think hormone induced alopaecia would need a vet to confirm/deny & you're taking her. I'm intrigued to know what it is too & if it is a habit, what advice they give you to stop her.

Niki x

[Dawn - Admin]

Thanks Nik well I am hoping to get her donw to the vets Monday night so I will let you know how I get on.

Dawn

[rayfay]

I hope she does better soon. Asia and Mimi send her their greetings as do I.

[Dawn - Admin]

Thanks Rach, Asia and Mimi I hope so too

[Niki]

admin said:

Thanks Nik well I am hoping to get her donw to the vets Monday night so I will let you know how I get on.

Dawn

I hope all goes well & they give you an answer Dawn
Give her a from me
Niki

[Dawn - Admin]

Thanks Niki I will do and I too hope they find out what it is and that is nothing to worry about.

Dawn

[heatherjhenshaw]

hmmmmm how do I put this Dawn, well make sure Lily Belle isnt looking at the computer ok and I will whisper

Most cavies lose hair on thier belly cos..........they are too fat lolol, honestly the fatter the cavy, the barer the belly, when you judge you see it all the time, some say its because they are lazy and just lie on thier belly all day and wear it off hehehe, some say they nibble it cos they sweat via thier belly, anyway there isnt really any problem, or any cure unless she loses some weight

If you want me to come over and look at her Dawn just say so, but from the pics thats what it looks like to me

[rayfay]

oh good grief! I will keep my piggies in shape so they don't get too fat. lol

[Dawn - Admin]

heatherjhenshaw said:

hmmmmm how do I put this Dawn, well make sure Lily Belle isnt looking at the computer ok and I will whisper

Most cavies lose hair on thier belly cos..........they are too fat lolol, honestly the fatter the cavy, the barer the belly, when you judge you see it all the time, some say its because they are lazy and just lie on thier belly all day and wear it off hehehe, some say they nibble it cos they sweat via thier belly, anyway there isnt really any problem, or any cure unless she loses some weight

If you want me to come over and look at her Dawn just say so, but from the pics thats what it looks like to me

Oh Heather, well she is very lazy hehe every time I look at her she is slumped in the litter tray or with her head propped up against her cuddly toy.

I think you could well be right about her and that funnily enough does make me feel better.

I think maybe I should give her more floor time and see if I can't get her a bit fitter

Thanks so much for your advice, I will show her to you next time you come over. I knew it was nothing serious as it isn't red or anything and it doesn't really look like nibbled more like rubbed.

Dawn

[rayfay]

I think some more floor time woud be good for her! lol!!

[Niki]

Oh Dawn bless her, little chubster that she is! That really does make sense Heather & what a huge relief for you Dawn.

You'll have to get her doing some laps round your run

Niki x

[Niki]

rayfay said:

oh good grief! I will keep my piggies in shape so they don't get too fat. lol

Me too Rachel, think i'll be joining them too

Niki x

[josie]

lol I'm sure Heather is right. Thank goodness it doesn't look to be anything serious. I wonder if they do piggy treadmills?

[Dawn - Admin]

hehe yes thanks everyone
Dawn

[heatherjhenshaw]

To be honest I prefer a cavy with a few pounds when they are ill they lose weight so quickly, a chubby cavy has so much more to lose before they get into real trouble

Of course the one exception is if I want to breed with a sow, then chubby is a no no, but all my retired sows are rather on the chubby side heheheh, who cares about a bit of a bald belly

One thing you may find is when they get chubby they also sometimes get fatty eye ( a pinkish bulge on the lower eyelid), coronets arent really prone to this but some breeds are. Its NOT dangerous and not something to worry about, its just one of those things, but it means you cant show them

When I last saw Timmy , your agouti Hannah, I thought maybe, just maybe, he was starting with a little bit of fatty eye, which was why I was so flabbergasted when the judge said he was thin hehehehehehe. As I say its nothing to worry over, quite a few of my older cavies that have put on a few pounds have it

[Dawn - Admin]

Oh dear we don't want Timmy to get fatty eye. Yes we were very suprised that he was called thin, none of our piggies are thin as you know Heather

Dawn

[heatherjhenshaw]

hehehe no thin they are not heheheheh

Try getting Timmy to do more exercise, the usual way breeders deal with it is to put them with a sow, but obviously thats not an option for you, so just try and getting him to .........well move would be a start lolol, as Timmy came from me I know what an utter couch potato he is. One of the best ways I have heard is you put the food inside something, say a toilet roll tube, or you can buy 'puzzle toys'. They have to work to get the food, or hang it up so he can just reach it by stretching , it wont do Max any harm to have to work for his food as well. It may help with the biting the bars problem as well as it will take him longer to munch it all and so keep him busy

If you want to diet a cavy you have to be careful , so decrease dry mix, and increase hay and veggies, cut out most fruit, dont just cut down on everything. Most of the calories come from the dry mix, whereas veggies, well celery is said to take more calories to eat than it gives hehehe. Fruit is sugary so sugar = inches (dont I just know it sigh)

[Dawn - Admin]

Thanks Heather, I think I will try and make them all work harder for their food

Dawn

[rayfay]

Yes my girls have to work for their food. They spend most of their time on their bottom level so I put their food on the top! Food on top = across the bottom, up 2 ramps, and to the far end of the second level. They do have pellets on every level though.