Chunk of hair came off?

[Kyogre386]

I was cleaning my guinea pigs' cage when I found this near the side of the cage:


I'm not certain what it is but it looks like a clump of hair. There's really no way anything that looks like that could get in the cage that I can think of, so I can't think of anything else it could be. It's a large clump, though, and seems like it's still held together somehow.
These are my two guinea pigs:


The first one is Napoleon, the second one is Snowball. Based on the coloration, it looks like it could only have come from Napoleon. But I have no idea how it would have happened. I don't think Snowball could have taken it off, Napoleon is the boss and Snowball never really challenges it, and there's only occasional dominance behaviors (entirely from Napoleon), and nothing like the kind of fight it would take to do that. And when I found it they were perfectly calm and normal around each other. The only thing I can think is it came off some other way, and the only way I'd imagine that happening is something like mites.

Unfortunately, if it is hair from Napoleon, I am unable to determine where it came from. His entire top, sides, head, everywhere is smooth and looks perfectly normal, with no spots with less hair. I tried to look at his underbelly, but he was very much not cooperative with that and I had a hard time getting a good look for long. Still, I did see everything and couldn't find a bald/rough patch there either.

Can anyone confirm whether the clump is indeed guinea pig hair? If so, should I take him to the vet? And should I book an emergency appointment, or just soonest available?

 

[A Guinea Pig]

Does it feel like guinea pig hair? It could have come from their hay. Your piggies are gorgeous by the way

 

[Truffolo]

Sometimes they pull their own fur out (barbering) for various reasons. If Napoleon is scratching all the time, it could be worth going to the vet to see if he has anything wrong. Using mild detergent on his bedding and keeping the area where he likes too sleep as dry and clean as possible should help. Someone with lots of experience with this should be along soon with more in depth advice. They are beautiful piggies

 

[Piggies&buns]

Rather hard to tell from a picture but I’d be more inclined to think perhaps it could have come from hay?
It looks quite big ie you’d notice a lump like that missing from a guinea pig and also looks a bit too fluffy to be hair from a short smooth haired piggy

 

[Wiebke]

Rather hard to tell from a picture but I’d be more inclined to think perhaps it could have come from hay?
It looks quite big ie you’d notice a lump like that missing from a guinea pig and also looks a bit too fluffy to be hair from a short smooth haired piggy

I agree with @Piggies&buns .

If it is a clump of hair, then it comes from an animal with grey, fluffier hair than your two boys and there would be too much skin attached to not result in a large sore or bald patch. Neither of your boys has hair like that. So please take a deep breath.
It is more likely from a vole or a mouse and has most likely come with the hay which is a natural product and a living environment for many other animals, so stuff can happen.

PD: I would however recommend that you gently train your boys - if necessary with treats and plenty of praise - to hold still and to allow their genitalia to be inspected during our recommended life-long weekly weigh-in and body onceover health monitoring check.

Thread 'Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths'

Mar 15, 2016

1 How do boar genitalia look like?
- Babies, boars with descended testicles and neutered boars (pictures)
- Nipples
- Sexing Guide link
2 Bums
- What is normal
- How to keep clean
- Impaction
3 Bits and Pieces (Penis and semen fluid)
- What is normal
- Removing smegma and dirt from the penis
- Penis prongs...

• MerryPip
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Grooming Care & Health Monitoring

• 

 

[Rinoa]

Several bags of hay i got from petco/petsmart had "hair in a lump" which didnt belong to my guineas. Fortunately i always check the hay outside the cage before i put any inside for them to eat. I do this to get rid of any brown hay (or unknown objects) n make sure they only eat green hay as the hay lately has been bad batches.

 

[Wheekallweek]

Looks almost like rabbit fur, I would agree and say it came from your hay

 

[Kyogre386]

Does it feel like guinea pig hair?

I couldn't really tell, it did feel like some kind of hair but not a specific kind.

Sometimes they pull their own fur out (barbering) for various reasons. If Napoleon is scratching all the time, it could be worth going to the vet to see if he has anything wrong. Using mild detergent on his bedding and keeping the area where he likes too sleep as dry and clean as possible should help.

He hasn't been scratching at all, I haven't noticed any unusual behavior.

I agree with @Piggies&buns .

If it is a clump of hair, then it comes from an animal with grey, fluffier hair than your two boys and there would be too much skin attached to not result in a large sore or bald patch. Neither of your boys has hair like that. So please take a deep breath.
It is more likely from a vole or a mouse and has most likely come with the hay which is a natural product and a living environment for many other animals, so stuff can happen.

Yeah, it seemed like there was skin attached since it was somehow held together. I've never seen something like that in hay before, but it does seem to make the most sense.

PD: I would however recommend that you gently train your boys - if necessary with treats and plenty of praise - to hold still and to allow their genitalia to be inspected during our recommended life-long weekly weigh-in and body onceover health monitoring check.

Thread 'Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths'

Mar 15, 2016

1 How do boar genitalia look like?
- Babies, boars with descended testicles and neutered boars (pictures)
- Nipples
- Sexing Guide link
2 Bums
- What is normal
- How to keep clean
- Impaction
3 Bits and Pieces (Penis and semen fluid)
- What is normal
- Removing smegma and dirt from the penis
- Penis prongs...

• MerryPip
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Grooming Care & Health Monitoring

• 

I've always had trouble picking them up. They are very difficult to catch, I've tried the advice of picking them up in a hidey hut but usually they see it coming and get out too quickly. Chasing them into the hut is hard too, at first I could chase them into it through a tunnel but they figured that trick out quickly. And they absolutely hate it. I pretty much only do it when I clip their nails. They're pretty squirmy while doing that too, even with food, it isn't easy. I'm not sure how I could ever get them to sit still like that. I have a door on the cage, which is on the floor of a large pig-proofed room, so usually I just let them out for floor time on their own by opening the door and putting in a ramp. I weigh them by putting the scale on the floor, which I've trained them (well enough anyway) to climb on and stay so I can weigh them weekly. They will let me pet them at least, and aren't shy about coming up to me when I sit on the floor while they're out.

Several bags of hay i got from petco/petsmart had "hair in a lump" which didnt belong to my guineas. Fortunately i always check the hay outside the cage before i put any inside for them to eat. I do this to get rid of any brown hay (or unknown objects) n make sure they only eat green hay as the hay lately has been bad batches.

If other people have seen this, that must have been it. I would have thought I'd have seen it when pulling the hay out of the bag and putting it in the cage, but I guess somehow it slipped by.

 

[Sue and Smartie]

I have ponies here and one of them left some hay once. I went to see what it was he hadn't liked and found half a mouse in it. Never did find the other half...

 

[fluffysal]

I have ponies here and one of them left some hay once. I went to see what it was he hadn't liked and found half a mouse in it. Never did find the other half...