Fur New piggie - is this normal fur?

[RubysMama]

I recently adopted a few new piggies, and one has the craziest fur I have ever seen! I'm sure it's normal but my kids and I were discussing maybe it might be matted fur? She's very timid with us still (we just got her less than 2 days ago) so I haven't had a chance to really spend a lot of hands-on time with her yet.

This is the closest photo I could get - she has these long tufts of fur up on her "Mohawk", and then all across her back near her butt she's got CRAZY fur that looks like a peacock almost, the little tufts stand straight up.

She's adorably goofy, and her hair makes me giggle - especially when she's running around all over th place if she's been startled.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

She looks to be Abyssinian, and hair with those is pretty much anything goes. She's absolutely adorable, by the way. Google Abyssinian guinea pig to see what I mean about anything goes.

 

[spy9doc]

Have to disagree on this one, @GuineaPigPapa. When it comes to the Abyssinian breed, anything goes is not accurate. An Abby has rosettes of hair in a defined pattern and they are judged according to the requisite number of rosettes. It is difficult to get all the required rosettes on one cavy, so many "nearly perfect" ones are sold as pets even by championship breeders. A cavy who is just part Abby may have cowlicks instead of rosettes. I'll post a pic of a champion Abby.




@RubysMama......that does NOT appear to be normal fur. That poor girl has either been the victim of barbering by her cagemates, or else someone gave her a very bad haircut. I can tell that it is not her natural coat from her flanks back to and covering her rear end.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

Have to disagree, @GuineaPigPapa. When it comes to the Abyssinian breed, anything goes is not accurate. An Abby has rosettes of hair in a defined pattern and they are judged according to the requisite number of rosettes. It is difficult to get all the required rosettes on one cavy so many "nearly perfect" ones are sold as pets even by championship breeders. A cavy who is just part Abby may have cowlicks instead of rosettes. I'll post a pic of a champion Abby.

I stand corrected, @spy9doc. I guess all I really meant is that an Abby has messy hair lol. Being overly general on my part.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

@RubysMama......that does NOT appear to be normal fur. That poor girl has either been the victim of barbering by her cagemates, or else someone gave her a very bad haircut. I can tell that it is not her natural coat from her flanks back to and covering her rear end.

I definitely agree on that point. If it is barbering, that's pretty severe, isn't it? It almost looks like a child gave her a very poor haircut, which scares me.

 

[RubysMama]

Ruby and Little Bear both have the rosette/cowlick kinda look which seems normal to me.
Cookie is still quite timid so I'm having a hard time getting a good shot of her back end. It doesn't look like rosettes or cow licks, which is what made me ask on here.

She hasn't lived with young children, her previous owner was a single young woman. That's not to say she couldn't have gotten a bad haircut or that a niece or nephew weren't to blame for it.

What should I do now?
I'll add a couple photos of Ruby (white) and Little Bear (caramel/brown coloured one) and one more shot of Cookie's back end.

Do you think a quick bath and a brushing might be a good idea? I feel bad if this is causing her to be uncomfrotable or in pain - could be why she's still very hesitant to come close or be touched? The others have all allowed a little chin scratch here and there at snack time but not Cookie.

Poor girl :sad:

 

[RubysMama]

She and her two cagemates that she came to me with, all get along, and no signs (that I have seen) of any aggression. The other two girls are very docile and don't really bother with Cookie or with Ruby.

I feel so bad for her now. Poor sweetie.

 

[spy9doc]

What should I do now?

Nothing.......it's only hair and it will grow back. lol Then we can see if that truly IS her natural hair pattern or just a bad hair cut.

That pic of Ruby totally illustrates what you say about her! She's the Queen of the Kingdom and all her subjects will sit on the curb and wave as she goes by.