Combing

Question
QUESTION: Hey, I was just wondering, does combing your guinea pig's hair (not long haired piggies, just short smooth haired) reduce the hair shredding? And dandruff? The hair shredding really seems to be a pain now, since I have 6 piggies and all of them shred their hair! The shredding doesn't leave bald patches or anything. Please help! Thank you!

ANSWER: Hi Emma,

What do you mean by shedding? Are they simply losing their hair when you brush them, or more often? It's unusual for a guinea pig to lose a lot of hair, unless it is part of an illness and results in bald patches.

General tips to keep your piggy's coat healthy are to brush them regularly (daily for long-haired breeds, and once or twice a week for others), feed them a diet high in vitamin c (carrots and brocolli) and bath them once every six months (I can advise what shampoo to use and how to do it). Also give them fresh parsley from time to time as this is a natural conditioner.

Guinea pigs do not tend to suffer from dandruff. Are your guinea pigs scratching and nibbling themselves? The most common kind of mite that piggies suffer from looks like dandruff; tiny, pale flecks on dark guinea pigs, and dark flecks on pale guinea pigs. If this is the case, they either need a trip to the vet for a painful injection, or a home remedy; just let me know and I can explain.

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions; just ask!

Jenny.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your help but what I mean by shredding is that they're hair keeps coming out! I let them sit on my lap, and when I remove them, theres always so much hair left from the piggy!
Also, is it okay to bath your guinea pigs in less then 6 months?

Answer
Hi again,

Guinea pigs (like all pets) will lose a certain amount of hair when you get them out for a stroke, just like when you brush your hair! So if you haven't noticed their hair looking thin or any bald patches, then don't worry. The weather is getting warmer so they will need less hair to stay warm.

You can bathe your guinea pigs as often as you like once they are 6 weeks old. Once every 6 months is recommended for short-haired breeds, and more often if they suffer from mites or other skin conditions. I only tend to do mine when they have mites and just before the outside season (my boys live indoors, but I bath them to scare off mites before I start putting them on the grass to play). Guinea pigs don't tend to enjoy baths, so it's a hassle and not nice for them to bath them very often!

Jenny.