loss of hair in my guinne pigs

Question
my guinne pigs are both losing hair behind their ears and use to have hair there. they seem happy and healthy and i just cant figure out the problem. i asked my friend about it and she said that when she had the pigs she put cat litter in the bottom of the cage and they lost hair.but i don't have cat litter in the cage but have something called oil dry. and had the guinne pigs in a room with my cats litter box was there but i moved them to my room without cat litter.could the oil dry make them lose their hair? oh ya and by the way the cage has a bottom where the guinne pigs aren't in the beding.please help me figure out the problem and tell me what i could do.
            thank you Allison

Answer
Hi Allison,

First of all ... if the only bald patches you have noticed are behind their ears, I don't think you have anything to worry about. All piggies have bald patches behind their ears and they usually enjoy it if you rub them or give them a gentle scratch there :o) It is a good place to give your pets a kiss, and the bald area can be quite large on white-haired guinea pigs.

However, I am concerned that you are using Oil Dry as a bedding for your guinea pigs. I've never heard of it before, but I looked it up, and I think it's probably an American thing (I live in England). Is this the stuff? http://www.alphasourceintl.com/sorb/oil_dry.htm If so, it doesn't sound like the sort of thing that should be used as a pet bedding. Never use cat litter in your piggies' cage as it will make your guinea pigs very poorly if they eat it.

The best way to line a cage for your guinea pigs is with newspaper, followed by a layer of Megazorb (UK) or Carefresh (USA) or dust-extracted wood shavings. Make sure the layer of Megazorb/Carefresh/shavings is quite thick, as the newspaper ink is toxic so you need to make sure your piggies don't eat too much of it. You can buy Megazorb/Carefresh from most good pet shops, and it is also available online. If you decide to use wood shavings, they MUST be dust extracted, and are available at most pet shops and also equestrian centres if you prefer to buy in bulk.

Remember to change your piggies' bedding every 5-7 days and to make sure they always have a supply of hay (not straw!) to nibble on, and to snuggle up in at night.

What do you mean, your cage has a bottom so the guinea pigs aren't in the bedding?!

If they have bald patches anywhere else, then it is likely that they have picked up mites. These little critters live in your guinea pigs' hair all the time, but sometimes an infestation can break out. You say your guinea pigs seem happy and healthy, but have a close look to see if you can spot any tiny mites (brown on white guinea pigs, white on dark-haired guinea pigs). If so, they might need you to give them a bath with an approved Insecticidal shampoo for small animals; never use anything that's meant for cats or dogs as the dose will too strong for your small pets.

If the guinea pigs feel very hot to touch, squeak in pain when scratching, and generally seem miserable then they probably have mange and you will need to take them to the vet immediately for treatment.

If it's just ordinary mites, remember that guinea pigs can't swim so they won't need a proper bath, just to be made wet with warm water, and have the shampoo gently rubbed in; it will tell you on the back of the bottle how much to use. You will need someone to help you do this as guinea pigs do not like to be bathed and will try to escape! Wrap your guinea pigs up in a towel for 2-5 minutes (again, check the back of the bottle) before rinsing them (I usually fill the sink up with water, and my boyfriend sits on the bathroom floor with lots of towels & one guinea pig at a time on his lap, and I gently squeeze water over the piggy using a flannel). They will need to be completely dry before you return them to their cage; be very careful if you use a hair dryer.

Good luck with your cute pets, and please, ask again if you have any other questions.

Jenny.