guinea pig stress

Question
My guinea pig,Blaze has two bald patch's behind his ears.Any ideas what has caused this and what could i do to help ,could stress have caused this? thanks

Answer
Hi Sari,

A bald patch behind each ear is a completely normal, so don't worry! This is a good place to check for mites and lice, and your guinea pig will enjoy being tickled and kissed in this place.

A bald patch anywhere else is however a cause for concern, so do make sure you perform a daily health check on your guinea pig. Bald patches (other than the normal, healthy ones behind the ears) can be caused by stress, bite wounds from mites, fight wounds, skin conditions and allergies.

Hope this helps!

Jenny.