Long haired guinea pig losing hair

Question
I have two guinea pigs and one of them has long hair.  The long haired pig now has medium length hair and nobody in my house hold has trimmed her hair.  Would this be shedding or is this unusual?  I am worried that she is sick.  Do you have any ideas?

Thanks!  
Tabatha

Answer
Hello Tabatha,

It sounds like she is being barbered. If she lives with the other pig, this is likely your little hair stylist. Barbaring is when a piggy eats it's own hair or the hair of other pigs (or yours if you aren't careful). It's a normal part of dominance behavior. It's also a common learned behavior that becomes a habit. It's rarely a sign of health issues. If she lives alone she may be barbering herself and that could mean a problem. She may need more fiber (timothy hay) in her diet. She should see a vet though to make sure it isn't the beginning of an illness (such as mites, a fungal infection, etc.). Good luck.

-kkat
http://www.geocities.com/abyssinianguineapigs