Weird flaky skin on hairless guinea pig

[Rat and guinea winnie]

I got some hairless guinea pigs about two months ago from a seller who breeds them and one of them came with what looks like toilet paper skid marks if that makes sense on its back, I thought i wiped it off with a damp cloth but it returned one it dried but this time it was flaky I looked it up and I think its ringworm. I assumed it would go away on its own if I just kept an extra eye on it because I looked it up and it said it would resolve on its own. I quarantined it and it still somehow spread to my other guinea. I got some coconut oil rub for my first one since it has anti inflammatory and anti fungal properties. I cant tell if its helping or not. I just cant afford to take them to the vet rightnow, is there anything else I can do to help them? I'm 99% sure its fungal. I feel so bad for letting this happen.

tl:dr guineas have flaky skin that might be ringworm, I'm too poor to take them to a vet

https://twitter.com/x/status/1507631450769698816

idk if i did this picture thing right this website is my last resort and first time using it

 

[Piggies&buns]

Your piggies do need to be seen by a vet for diagnosis and treatment.

Should they have ringworm, then any home treatments or coconut oil will not cure it. As you have put home products on it, then it wipes the scene of evidence and can make diagnosis harder. Ringworm does not cure itself if left alone either. The spores will continue to be shed into the environment and will cause re infection for up to two years. Quarantining a piggy without treatment or strict hygiene will not prevent spread.
Piggies with ringworm need a course of prescription strength oral fungal treatment along with strict hygiene (both of the cage and of your clothes etc) to stop it from spreading. It’s highly contagious and will also spread to humans and other animals.
It’s so important to treat ringworm properly and effectively right from the beginning to stop it from becoming an ongoing problem.

Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

I full agree - if your piggies are found to have ringworm, then only a combination of proper treatment and strictest hygiene will do to get on top of it. Please accept that no online place can diagnose reliably just from a picture and that none of us can replace any necessary vet visit anmd hands-on examination or further testing needed for a correct diagnosis. We can only tell you when you need to see a vet, help you to ask the right questions to get the most out of it and support you during the recovery with practical tips.

Please take the time to read our Ringworm guide; it contains all the necessary information as your hygiene measures need to go much further than a little cage cleaning and hand-washing and a bit of creaming. Unless you are prepared to really throw the kitchen sink at it and get on top of it, it will remain a never ending battle with you risking to catch (and spread) it yourself. Invisible spores are shed in their thousands and will live for up to around two years or even a little more being able to cause a new outbreak at any time. Ringworm may not be fatal but it is the most contagious species jumping problem you can deal with.
We've had 15 years of dealing with ringworm issues on this forum and longer with our own piggies to trial every possible treatment and to work out in just how many ways ringworm can be transmitted and what can be done to stop each angle. That is why the practical advice in our ringworm guide REALLY works when you follow the advice fully. Coconut cream will definitely not heal ringworm or kill any spores; it is very much a waste of money.
Here is the link again: Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

Please see whether you are still within the time limit to reclaim any vet fees from the seller or whether you have missed the deadline with your DIY treatment. Here is the necessary information: New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

Could you please change the location that appears with every post you make to your country or - if you are in the USA - your state. The first is for your own protection but adding your wider area helps us massively to tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are, so we can take in climate, general background, vet and rescue access, common brand names etc. into our considerations straight away. Our forum is UK based but we have enquiries from quite literally all over the world and from very different conditions. The more we can tailor our advice, the better we can support you through any treatment.
Click on your username on the top bar, go to account details and then location. Thank you.