Excessive shedding

[machuandpicchumummy]

We have just adopted 2 abyssinian girls and they are shedding really badly. You can just gently pull on their fur and it comes off really easily and they spread fur everywhere. I have checked their skin and they don't seem to have any lice/mites, dandruff or skin infections I can see and don’t scratch a lot or anything like that.

Is this just normal for an Abyssinian piggie at this time of year?

 

[Wiebke]

We have just adopted 2 abyssinian girls and they are shedding really badly. You can just gently pull on their fur and it comes off really easily and they spread fur everywhere. I have checked their skin and they don't seem to have any lice/mites, dandruff or skin infections I can see and don’t scratch a lot or anything like that.

Is this just normal for an Abyssinian piggie at this time of year?

Hi

Some guinea pigs can do a seasonal shed that doesn't lead to any bald areas even if you feel you could outfit a yurt from what is common out. This is nothing to worry about. It is an individually stronger genetic disposition that some piggies have while others dont.

Shedding happens usually in Spring (March/April) after a pronounced warming and around September after a pronounced cooling. It has become less common with a major shift to indoors guinea pigs but I generally still find noticeably more (cumulatively) hairs from all my piggies in the bedding around these times of year.

PS: Some guinea pigs can also shed hairs in a very stressful situation. This is however very short term and situational (like a vet visit or a failing/failed bond or intro).

 

[machuandpicchumummy]

Hi

Some guinea pigs can do a seasonal shed that doesn't lead to any bald areas even if you feel you could outfit a yurt from what is common out. This is nothing to worry about. It is an individually stronger genetic disposition that some piggies have while others dont.

Shedding happens usually in Spring (March/April) after a pronounced warming and around September after a pronounced cooling. It has become less common with a major shift to indoors guinea pigs but I generally still find noticeably more (cumulatively) hairs from all my piggies in the bedding around these times of year.

PS: Some guinea pigs can also shed hairs in a very stressful situation. This is however very short term and situational (like a vet visit or a failing/failed bond or intro).

Thank you. Would you say it’s nothing to worry about then? I suppose it could be to do with coming to live with us and adjusting to a different environment etc

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. Would you say it’s nothing to worry about then? I suppose it could be to do with coming to live with us and adjusting to a different environment etc

It is the time of year for the onset of shedding season; a change of home or an up and down of heat spikes can also serve to promote shedding. If you cannot find anything worrying, then please don't worry. Individual piggies can be strong shedders; once you know them then it is just a quirk of theirs.

 

[Freela]

Some pigs can shed an enormous amount a couple of times a year as seasons change... as long as you're not seeing any bald patches it's probably this. We recently washed a pig blanket and ended up with an enormous pig-sized clump of hair stuck to the side of the washing machine from our long-haired pig! It's truly amazing how much some pigs can shed- coat type seems to influence this too. I've had some more wiry-haired pigs who seem to shed less, the softer-feeling pigs I've had (usually sheltie and sheltie crosses) will seasonally shed an amazing amount of fur, to the point that just patting them can lead to you having a huge ball of hair!