Guinea pig eating its own hair! What is it?

[rufus]

My guinea pig is eating her own fur; I would like to know if it is a disease or what it might be and how to stop it so she can grow her hair back. Anyone with suggestions?

[Cazsamps]

Where is she eating it from? Is she actually eating it and digesting it or is she pulling it out? Is there any chance she is pregnant?

[Jennicat]

Pigs don't nest, so they don't pull out their hair when they're pregnant.

[rufus]

She is eating it off the sides of her abdomen. She has never even seen a male, so she is not pregnant. It has been going on for a couple of months or more. We have tried covering her cage to give her more security, and have a pouch in her cage to crawl into. Nothing seems to help. We have been feeding her dry hay thinking it might be a protein deficiency, but to no avail. Uggh.

[Jennicat]

Do you see her chewing her sides? She probably has mites -- a parasite, not any sort of deficiency. They're extremely common and easy to treat. Hay doesn't provide protein, it provides fiber, btw.

[Kendalle]

also they should always have as much hay as they want