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piggie doesn't like being stroked on the hindquarters

  • Thread starter Thread starter newpiggies
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Piggies have no fur behind their ears if that's what you mean. Don't worry it's perfectly normal.
 
Hi, recently I noticed that 14 week old Pip doesn't like being stroked gently on her hind-quarters. She seems to flinch and is definitely unhappy if I continue, even butting her head against my hand to express displeasure. I've tried to check her over carefully despite this and can't see anything obviously wrong. I've noticed her scratching occasionally but am unsure what is normal level of scratching and what isn't. Scamper scratches occasionally too but loves being stroked from head to tail. Pip is otherwise a friendly piggy who is gaining in confidence with us since we got her five weeks ago.

I bought some insecticidal shampoo for small animals but have not used it yet seeing as it was not advised for use below 12 weeks and I wanted them to be more comfortable with being handled by us before putting them through a bath and dry. What do you think? I'm wondering whether to give them a bath today now that I am free of cold and can handle them again.

My piggy is the same scratching included. He is an Abyssinian guinea pig and I've noticed where his fur spikes out or sweeps about he doesn't like it. But now he is okay with me petting his hind quaters on the smooth part. It took me a while to get him used to it and now he's fine with it. Also I've noticed my piggy likes it when i spoke upwards on his nose!
 
None of my pigs ever liked being being tickled on their rump lol.
Wonder if anyone can shed some light on it as to why, do they have a cluster of nerves in that area or something.

Just thinking about it, in the wild I guess prey animals are sometimes grabbed in that area by predators perhaps it's harking back to then?

OP: The Gorgeous Guineas page has very good instructions on how to identify skin problems. In case you weren't sure on wether it is a fungal or mite problem or both. If they don't have either you could always use the general 4 oil shampoo smells divine.
 
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