Dry Skin Patches on Baby

[frankiethepiggie]

Hi everyone, i recently adopted a baby teddy pig from a local breeder around two-three weeks ago. I noticed about one week ago he was having dry patches of skin, first on the sides of his lower stomach, and now on the backside of his bum. There seems to be some hair loss on the areas too and the skin seems dry and flakey. I did my best to take some photos. I read that this is sometimes caused by stress, and I wonder if that is from being recently rehomed with me, or could it be ringworm? I know it’s hard to tell just from pictures but I would love some opinions. He has been eating and drinking normally which is relieving.

 

[Siikibam]

Is he living with another piggy? And has the other piggy shown any of these signs? Have the patches grown bigger? And how has his weight been?

It’s best for you to get piggy booked in with a vet. In the meantime, make sure you’re on top of hygiene just to be on the safe side.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone, i recently adopted a baby teddy pig from a local breeder around two-three weeks ago. I noticed about one week ago he was having dry patches of skin, first on the sides of his lower stomach, and now on the backside of his bum. There seems to be some hair loss on the areas too and the skin seems dry and flakey. I did my best to take some photos. I read that this is sometimes caused by stress, and I wonder if that is from being recently rehomed with me, or could it be ringworm? I know it’s hard to tell just from pictures but I would love some opinions. He has been eating and drinking normally which is relieving. View attachment 194540View attachment 194541View attachment 194542

Hi and welcome!

It is impossible for us to tell you just from pictures whether you are dealing with either ringworm (a fungal skin infection) or with mange mites without hands-on access. None of us is a vet nor can we replace any necessary vet visits. We can only tell you when you need to see one and support you during with the home care side during medical treatment.
The problem is that skin parasites and fungal need different treatment but your patches are not in the classic places and therefore make an identification more difficult. Ringworm and mange mites can look much more similar in the early stages than textbook pictures suggest.

Please use good hygiene like we recommend with ringworm in the meantime (so you have a head start) and be aware that you will need to treat all guinea pigs in contact with your baby.

Here is our information:
New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights
Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

I am very sorry that you have fallen for a neglect breeder. Sadly anybody can call themselves a breeder (or a rescue) without licensing or supervision, and the results can be accordingly. The increasing trend of purchasing pets online without a background check has made it even easier to mass breed pets in sub-standard conditions.
Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs (including what your customer rights and possible recourses are)

Here is the link to our comprehensive New Owners practical tips and information resource, which you may want to bookmark, browse, read and re-read at need: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[frankiethepiggie]

Is he living with another piggy? And has the other piggy shown any of these signs? Have the patches grown bigger? And how has his weight been?

It’s best for you to get piggy booked in with a vet. In the meantime, make sure you’re on top of hygiene just to be on the safe side.

He is living alone as of right now but I have another boar living beside him in another cage who thankfully is looking fine. The patches have gotten bigger and spread. They started only under his tummy and today I noticed them on his backside. His skin is very flakey and I plan on taking him to the vet to get everything sorted. Thankfully his weight has been good, he’s eating and drinking well. Would a topical anti itch cream help in the meantime until I get him an appointment booked?

 

[Piggies&buns]

He is living alone as of right now but I have another boar living beside him in another cage who thankfully is looking fine. The patches have gotten bigger and spread. They started only under his tummy and today I noticed them on his backside. His skin is very flakey and I plan on taking him to the vet to get everything sorted. Thankfully his weight has been good, he’s eating and drinking well. Would a topical anti itch cream help in the meantime until I get him an appointment booked?

Please do not put anything on it before seeing a vet. Doing so can hide the evidence a vet needs to make a diagnosis, and you could inadvertently make things worse.

 

[Siikibam]

I know it’s not what you asked. A lone young piggy (less than four months) needs guidance and company straight away. If you were planning to bond him with your other boar then please do so now rather than having them living as neighbours. If you already tried and it failed then ignore me.

 

[Wiebke]

He is living alone as of right now but I have another boar living beside him in another cage who thankfully is looking fine. The patches have gotten bigger and spread. They started only under his tummy and today I noticed them on his backside. His skin is very flakey and I plan on taking him to the vet to get everything sorted. Thankfully his weight has been good, he’s eating and drinking well. Would a topical anti itch cream help in the meantime until I get him an appointment booked?

PLEASE do not treat on spec until you have seen a vet because it is like wiping a crime scene for them. They won't be thanking you. Have a read of the links in this thread for all the necessary information and compare the patches with the pictures in our ringworm guide link.

If it is ringworm (and it sounds increasingly likely although ringworm is characterised by exudate crusts), then be aware that there is a gap of 10-14 days between infection and the actual outbreak. It would be good to give the companion a fungal bath during this period to stop any ringworm in its tracks and prevent an acute outbreak.

The key to treating ringworm successfully are your comprehensive hygiene measures.

 

[frankiethepiggie]

I know it’s not what you asked. A lone young piggy (less than four months) needs guidance and company straight away. If you were planning to bond him with your other boar then please do so now rather than having them living as neighbours. If you already tried and it failed then ignore me.

I already tried unfortunately and the bonding didn’t work out. They are now living side by side and I plan to try to find him a different cage mate. And then in the meantime he’ll have my older pig to interact with through the bars, but I know it isn’t the same.

My other pig is over five and a half years old and I heard the older+baby pig duo usually worked pretty well but unfortunately it was a bit of a disaster with my two. Thanks so much for the help though

 

[Siikibam]

I already tried unfortunately and the bonding didn’t work out. They are now living side by side and I plan to try to find him a different cage mate. And then in the meantime he’ll have my older pig to interact with through the bars, but I know it isn’t the same.

My other pig is over five and a half years old and I heard the older+baby pig duo usually worked pretty well but unfortunately it was a bit of a disaster with my two. Thanks so much for the help though

Sorry it didn’t work. In general it can but sometimes it won’t. If you can, take him dating at a rescue where he can pick his own friend. I hope you manage to get an appointment soon.

 

[Wiebke]

I already tried unfortunately and the bonding didn’t work out. They are now living side by side and I plan to try to find him a different cage mate. And then in the meantime he’ll have my older pig to interact with through the bars, but I know it isn’t the same.

My other pig is over five and a half years old and I heard the older+baby pig duo usually worked pretty well but unfortunately it was a bit of a disaster with my two. Thanks so much for the help though

Hi!

Unfortunately, any piggy bond relies on mutual liking and character compatibility - even with babies. A personality match comes long before age and even gender (although one party in a cross gender bond should be de-sexed).

In order to find a character match and avoid any further nasty surprises, see whether you can get to one of these good welfare standard rescues across California. All guinea pigs are quarantined, if needed vet treated and properly sexed. They are only put up for adoption when they totally healthy and ready for a new home. A number of these rescues offer dating sessions on adoption day so your boy can choose who he wants to be with. It is well worth going the extra mile to achieve a mis-match and any nasty surprises!
Here is the link to recommended safe to use Californian guinea pig rescues: Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations

You will however have to wait until you are on top of your current issue. If your boy has been in direct contact with your teddy, then there is a chance that he is infected, too.

 

[frankiethepiggie]

Hi!

Unfortunately, any piggy bond relies on mutual liking and character compatibility - even with babies. A personality match comes long before age and even gender (although one party in a cross gender bond should be de-sexed).

In order to find a character match and avoid any further nasty surprises, see whether you can get to one of these good welfare standard rescues across California. All guinea pigs are quarantined, if needed vet treated and properly sexed. They are only put up for adoption when they totally healthy and ready for a new home. A number of these rescues offer dating sessions on adoption day so your boy can choose who he wants to be with. It is well worth going the extra mile to achieve a mis-match and any nasty surprises!
Here is the link to recommended safe to use Californian guinea pig rescues: Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations

You will however have to wait until you are on top of your current issue. If your boy has been in direct contact with your teddy, then there is a chance that he is infected, too.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. There’s a shelter near by and I plan to find him a cage mate there, so much more helpful than trying to bond two boars alone. I’m going to get my teddy treated first of course. Thankfully my older boy hasn’t been in any direct contact with him since their failed introduction and I just gave him a thorough inspection and his skin is looking perfect. Thank you for the link I will definitely check it out!