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Guineapigs4life

Guineapigs4life

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I mentioned this problem on the forum before, but the problem has grown. One of my guinea pigs Butterscotch is now almost constantly eating my long haired piggies fur. Whenever she sees the long hair she pulls it out, and eats the fur. This has really upset my merino breed Maisy, she used to loves cuddles and squeak away all the time so cute. Now she hates her fur being touched and squeals when Butterscotch comes near her.
Maisy is the baby of the group and my other long haired is Rose she is the boss and the oldest of the group. Her fur is getting eaten to.:... There is six of them altogether, I was thinking of separating Butterscotch from them. But I'm not sure what that would do to Butterscotch without the other piggies.....
I need help here guinea pig people, what would you do? It used to only be once in awhile, but now my long haired piggies squeal in pain, surely they can't stay together.:(
 
Butterscotch would probably need a friend, could you not split the group in two? Or at least take two away from the group? My pigs live happily in pairs and if Butterscotch is becoming that much of a problen it might be best...
 
Have you tried keeping your long haired piggies' hair cut really short? Otherwise, I would separate them into a 4 and a 2 (or 2 3s, depending on the dynamics of the group) - so let Butterscotch live with 1 or 2 of your other short haired girls.
 
The eating of the fur is called barbering. Unfortunately some piggies like to barber their longer haired cagemates, some piggies will put up with this happening, others - as it sounds in your case do not appreiciate it.
Unfortunatley if it is upseting the other piggies it may be worth looking at seperating them and getting Butterscotch a shorter haired friend, many rescues offer piggie dating or maybe pair them up with a shorter haired member of your group?
Sometimes this behaviour had been known to just cease on it's own, but obviously if it causing distress to your other piggies then it's not fair on them.
 
sport_billy said:
The eating of the fur is called barbering. Unfortunately some piggies like to barber their longer haired cagemates, some piggies will put up with this happening, others - as it sounds in your case do not appreiciate it.
Unfortunatley if it is upseting the other piggies it may be worth looking at seperating them and getting Butterscotch a shorter haired friend, many rescues offer piggie dating or maybe pair them up with a shorter haired member of your group?
Sometimes this behaviour had been known to just cease on it's own, but obviously if it causing distress to your other piggies then it's not fair on them.
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Thanks for everyone's replies. I could split butterscotch up with cookie, as she is shorthaired and isn't bothered by Butterscotch. Then keep the other 4 together, except they all live together free to roam in a shed built for them, to keep them warm. The only place I could put butterscotch and cookie would be the outdoor hutch, doesn't sound appealing now that the warmer weathers coming.:...
 
primrose said:
Have you tried keeping your long haired piggies' hair cut really short? Otherwise, I would separate them into a 4 and a 2 (or 2 3s, depending on the dynamics of the group) - so let Butterscotch live with 1 or 2 of your other short haired girls.
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She squeals if we cut her fur even a little bit now, I don't think cutting it short would be possible at the moment.
 
Could you build a raised area in the shed? or does the hutch have legs, then you would put this in the shed. The floor piggies can still roam around and under the hutch and they are all together but separate?
 
Guineapigs4life said:
Thanks for everyone's replies. I could split butterscotch up with cookie, as she is shorthaired and isn't bothered by Butterscotch. Then keep the other 4 together, except they all live together free to roam in a shed built for them, to keep them warm. The only place I could put butterscotch and cookie would be the outdoor hutch, doesn't sound appealing now that the warmer weathers coming.:...
Click to expand...

Depending on how big your shed is you could separate off a minimum of 4x2feet for them and keep them in sniffing contact with the others. Or, you can build a 4x2 or bigger platform on legs (essentially a short table), put it in the shed and make it into a pen by putting sides on it. That way you don't take floor space off the others but can keep the offending piggy and her friend in the shed. Something like that shouldn't cost a great deal because obviously it doesn't need to be as substantial as a hutch would be - as long as it has a play area and an enclosed bedding area (a wooden box would do!) then it would be suitable for your piggies.

Hope that helps, and I'm sorry you're having to do this. I too have a barber and I'm considering taking one of her victims (a peruvian) out of the herd with a friend and giving her a quieter life...
 
There is already a part raised area in the shed, perhaps I could block that part off from the other for and put the two in there.
 
ghostbusterbunny said:
Depending on how big your shed is you could separate off a minimum of 4x2feet for them and keep them in sniffing contact with the others. Or, you can build a 4x2 or bigger platform on legs (essentially a short table), put it in the shed and make it into a pen by putting sides on it. That way you don't take floor space off the others but can keep the offending piggy and her friend in the shed. Something like that shouldn't cost a great deal because obviously it doesn't need to be as substantial as a hutch would be - as long as it has a play area and an enclosed bedding area (a wooden box would do!) then it would be suitable for your piggies.

Hope that helps, and I'm sorry you're having to do this. I too have a barber and I'm considering taking one of her victims (a peruvian) out of the herd with a friend and giving her a quieter life...
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I felt really bad for my merino and even considered finding the barber a friend and a new home. But I will try all I can first to separate her from the others and see how they get on. Also just to say I would never dump her on a rescue or anything like that, if I really had to rehome her it would be a home I know is going to look after her and give her the best life possible.
 
Guineapigs4life said:
Thanks for everyone's replies. I could split butterscotch up with cookie, as she is shorthaired and isn't bothered by Butterscotch. Then keep the other 4 together, except they all live together free to roam in a shed built for them, to keep them warm. The only place I could put butterscotch and cookie would be the outdoor hutch, doesn't sound appealing now that the warmer weathers coming.:...
Click to expand...

make a shelf on part of the shed and male the 2 seperated ones a space up there that way they can all still speak to each other etc , is what i had to do :)
 
If * have a c and c cage why not seperate butterscoth into her own area but she will still be able to smell and see her cage mates through the bars or pair her with a short haired piggy
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
If * have a c and c cage why not seperate butterscoth into her own area but she will still be able to smell and see her cage mates through the bars or pair her with a short haired piggy
Click to expand...

They are not in a c&c cage, free roam in a shed.
 
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