We all want the best for our beloved pets.
If you’ve noticed a bald spot on your long-haired guinea pig, you probably have many questions about what caused it and what to do.
Guinea pigs experience bald spots for various reasons, including nutritional factors, genetics, pregnancy, disease, and more. They do not start to bald with age. It grows throughout their life, so treating the root problem usually leads to the bald spot growing back over time.
It can seem alarming when you see bald spots on your guinea pig.
Keep reading to learn what can cause this and learn some advice on the bald spots you notice on your little friends!
Table of Contents
Will a Guinea Pig’s Hair Grow Back?
Yes, typically, your little friend will regrow their bald spots! Like any other animal, you have to give them time.
It takes about a month for a bald spot to start to fill in, and you start to see less bare skin.
It often takes a few more weeks for the bald spot to fill in completely.
Naturally, you’ll likely notice short-haired breeds fully growing their coat back sooner than the difference in a long-haired breed’s coat is completely even again.
In some cases, growth may not start right away.
You may need to treat the root cause of the problem before regrowth can effectively start.
If a bald spot comes from a problem like mites or injury, it’s good to talk to your vet about treatment options.
They can help treat any physical problems and give you advice on hair growth promotion.
Is It Normal for Guinea Pigs to Lose Their Hair?
If you have a breed with a coat, there’s still a chance they’ll experience balding at some point.
For instance, they aren’t uncommon in albino guinea pigs, and skinny pigs are a mostly bald breed.
Related: How common are albino guinea pigs?
For breeds with a full coat, bald spots are often a sign of another problem.
Excess Saliva
Drooling can cause thinning and bald spots, for example.
Drooling isn’t always concerning – sometimes, it comes from a bit of excess eating.
If you notice a loss of appetite, excessive drooling, or weight loss, it’s good to check in with a vet for treatment.
Fungal Infections
Fungal infections like ringworm can lead to bald spots and itchy skin too.
This cause can spread from animal to animal and even animal to human, so work carefully.
You’ll usually notice this on the skin of your pet’s face.
Parasites
Parasites are another culprit which can spread easily if you aren’t careful.
This includes problems like mites or fleas and usually comes from unhygienic conditions.
These are less likely to affect activity with the hair cycle directly but can cause itching.
Check out our article on gnats and guinea pigs for more help in this regard.
Barbered Hairs
These pets are prone to barbering as well.
This means they may pull at their own or others’ coats, pulling it out.
This can come from fighting as well.
Naturally, this direct damage to the coat directly affects hair growth promotion and causes cystic hair loss.
Other conditions featuring hair loss include:
- Scurvy
- Cystic hair loss
- Pododermatitis
- Abscesses
- Yersinia infection
- Greasy seborrhea
- Pregnancy
If you aren’t sure what’s causing bald spots in your pet, it’s best to talk to your vet to delve into the root cause.
It’s especially important to see your vet if you notice signs like injury, changes in behavior, body temperature, or any other signs you’d associate with signs of illness.
They might even be able to offer an agent for hair growth, and they’ll have advice on hair loss for your pet’s specific situation.
Do Guinea Pigs Bald as They Age?
No, guinea pigs do not lose their hair as they get older the same way people do.
Guinea pigs continue to grow their coat throughout their life.
This means it’s always growing, even as your little friend reaches old age.
If you see signs of balding in your elderly guinea pigs, investigate the root cause.
From there, it’s much easier to treat the problem appropriately, depending on the cause.
How Do You Treat a Bald Spot on a Guinea Pig?
This depends entirely on the reason your pet is experiencing hair loss.
For example, you’ll notice an increase in hair follicle activity after pregnancy ends.
On the other hand, fungal infections require steps like medicated shampoos or antifungal medications to show a similar increase in hair follicle activity.
Parasites like fleas, lice, and mites are often treated with medicated sprays and baths.
If the problem comes from barbering or physical injury, it’s important to treat it.
In these cases, a vet can help quite a bit.
Learn if it’s safe to use Sudocrem on guinea pigs.
Nutritional problems which can cause bald spots and limit blood flow are often resolved with a change in diet.
Scurvy, as an example, comes from a vitamin C deficiency.
Does Guinea Pig Hair Grow Back After Mites?
Yes, but there is a catch here.
You likely won’t see any enhanced hair growth while the mites still linger.
It’s crucial to treat your guinea pig for mites before you expect to see any changes in hair growth.
Additionally, mites can cause problems unrelated to balding, such as flaky skin and irritation.
As such, it’s always a good idea to free your guinea pig of mites as soon as you notice them.
Once they’re gone, expect to notice hair growth shortly after your pet is free of mites.
Is It Bad to Shave a Guinea Pig?
Some guinea pig breeds naturally don’t have hair or at least not full hair coverage.
For pets with hair, though, it’s there for a reason.
The hair on a guinea pig does more than making them soft to hold.
It also protects their skin.
If you have guinea pigs who naturally have hair on their bodies, don’t shave it!
Doing so will likely lead to injury and infection for your pet’s unprotected skin.
If you shave your pet guinea pig, problems like ingrown hairs are also likely to become a larger problem.
