Skin Problems High-pitched chirping noise and waxy mass on fur

[Karsluma]

About an hour ago, Gramps started chirping - a sound I've never heard from any of our 3 guineas - I seriously thought it was a toy that went off on its own. It is very loud, continual chirping like a bird.

My husband went to check on them, and Gramps was the one chirping - he brought him to me and I noticed part of his fur was wet (they are on fleece). On his side, above his left hip, there is an area of what looks like wax entangled in his fur. It is a large mass - like 2 inches by 1 inch. I gently tugged on it and he squealed. I can't tell if it's attached to his body or just his fur. It's solid, white, not pussy.

So I put him back in and then 10 minutes later he's doing the loud chirping again. He's about 2 years old - got him about a year ago.

Any ideas? Should I try to wash him? I can take him to the vet tomorrow if necessary.

 

[gooberific]

Is he in with other boys? My first thought is boar glue. Chirping is something very few piggies do, but it's not unheard of.

 

[Karsluma]

Yes, he is with 2 other boars - he's the oldest. We have never heard chirping before, in fact none of their noises are continuous. What is boar glue?

 

[Seonta]

Male reproductive fluid.

 

[Karsluma]

That's what I thought - but this is not a coating on the fur - it is a mass - like 1 cm thick. It has the consistency of hard wax. Could that still be it?

We got a rescue piggy from the humane society in October - I think he was a month old - so he is now roughly 10 months old. Last week he bit the 3rd piggy on the nose. Is he going thru adolescence?

In any event - should I take Gramps to the vet and get it cut off?

 

[Ly&Pigs]

You can cut it out yourself if it's in the fur. If it's a mass on the skin (lump or abscess under the skin), please take him to the vets to have it determined what it is and have it taken care of. It does sound like dried boar glue which is just semen. It dries to a kind of hardish rubbery/waxy like constitancy.

Chirping is something that some pigs do on rare occasion. Not all pigs are chirpers though, consider yourself lucky to have a pig who chirps. The reason they do it is unknown.

 

[PiggieMamaKelly]

I love the name Gramps.

 

[Karsluma]

thanks - I just cannot tell if it attached to his skin or just in his fur. I'll take him in - I'd rather have the vet cut it out anyway. I keep checking on him in the cage and he is unhappy - some major teeth chattering (different sound than when they are getting on each others' nerves) Hopefully he can get some peace tonight - maybe Caramel is roughing him up too much and he isn't "that" kind of pig He does seem like an old man sometimes.

 

[Karsluma]

Thanks Kelly - (the picture next to my name is not of him - that's our late
Spike). I'll have to find a pic of Gramps - the name truly fits him!

 

[Paula]

It does sound like boar glue that you can cut out yourself, but by all means if you feel more comfortable get a vet check.

I have a roomful of chirpers. It often seems to be a sort of reproductive noise, at least in my house. It's usually the boys doing it in the middle of the night, and more often than not when the girls are in heat.

Let us know how it goes if you do take him in.

 

[Karsluma]

Thanks everyone - this morning the hard waxy mass was considerably smaller, so he must've worked it off overnight. Then I was able to cut the rest out while he had a carrot - so all is good now. Thanks again.