shedding 🐹

[Zorro1]

Hello,
My 18 week old male piggy is starting to shed a lot lately and I'm wondering if this is normal. It is winter time in my part of the world and shedding now seems odd. I would think he would shed in the Summer time to keep cool and not shed as much in the Winter to keep warm. He's not getting bald patches, or scratching a lot, but his bedding is full of shedded hair. Is this excessive shedding normal?
-Thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

Shedding hair is normal to a certain extent, some more than others, but if you’re worried and consider it excessive then having a vet check for any potential skin issues is a good idea

 

[Zorro1]

I've looked at his skin through the fur and he looks fine to me. But I'm unsure whether his shedding is classified as "excessive". His bedding is covered in hair, is that bad?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m afraid we couldn’t determine anything from a description. Some piggies do shed more than others so what you are seeing may be absolutely fine but we wouldn’t have any way of knowing. If what you are seeing is worrying you or appears to different to what is normal for him then we can only advise that a vet check would be a good idea.

 

[Zorro1]

Thank you. I doubt he has any conditions but I'll still keep a good eye on him.
-thanks again

 

[Kat2745]

My 4 girls are shedding lots too. I am from Australia too and I think for mine it is because they are mostly inside for now and having the house warmer, with heating. They are all healthy, just needing more regular brushing to remove the excess hair.

 

[Zorro1]

They look gorgeous!

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,
My 18 week old male piggy is starting to shed a lot lately and I'm wondering if this is normal. It is winter time in my part of the world and shedding now seems odd. I would think he would shed in the Summer time to keep cool and not shed as much in the Winter to keep warm. He's not getting bald patches, or scratching a lot, but his bedding is full of shedded hair. Is this excessive shedding normal?
-Thanks

Hi!

Not all piggies shed very noticeably but those that do moult twice a year, once when the weather turns warmer in spring for a thinner undercoat and once in winter for the thicker hair to come in once it turns colder.
Moulting piggies typically shed lots of single hairs without developing bald patches. If you notice any of those, please see a vet.

 

[Freela]

Some pigs do shed more than others... especially when seasons change. One of my pigs is now in 'pat a pig and get a pig-sized ball of hair free' mode. So a decent amount of shedding can be very normal. However, you shouldn't be able to see thin or bald patches in the coat, little clumps of fur joined at the root by a skin tag... those are indications of an underlying skin problem. But lots of single hairs and a coat that still looks healthy is probably within the range of a seasonal shed.

 

[Zorro1]

His coat and skin looks very healthy it was only his shedding in Winter that concerned me. But a thicker undercoat coming through makes sense. Thank you.