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Rabbit losing hair on its back

  • 01-01-2016 10:57pm
    #1
    xboxdad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 908 ✭✭✭


    We've got ourselves a dwarf rabbit 10 days ago.
    It's been in the same cage with a Guinea pig ever since and I haven't noticed any fighting.
    I just noticed that the rabbit started losing hair on its back.
    I quickly separated them in case it has something to do with the Guinea pig or its food / salt. The rabbit was eating the Guinea pig's food and also licking its salt a lot.

    Can someone tell from these pictures if this could purely mechanical hair loss (leaning against the corner of the cage or something) or it's something else?
    Maybe caused by licking the salt?
    The skin looks clean and healthy to my untrained eyes.
    I'm hoping it'll grow back now that the rabbit has its own cage and will eat rabbit food / no salt.

    Can you please check the attached pictures and tell me your thoughts?


Comments

  • #2
    Cherry Blossom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,973 ✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    Rabbits and guinea pigs are not suitable companions for each other. They have different diets and cannot really communicate with each other. A kick from a rabbit can easily injure a guinea pig or break bones. It only takes one kick.

    To answer your question though, some guinea pigs will barber their cage mates. It could be that or it could be ringworm, mange, some other mite or fungal infection. If it were mine I'd pay a visit to the vet just to be on the safe side. Where did you get the rabbit? Did it come from a reputable source?


  • #3
    xboxdad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 908 ✭✭✭xboxdad


    adrenalinjunkie wrote: »
    Rabbits and guinea pigs are not suitable companions for each other. They have different diets and cannot really communicate with each other. A kick from a rabbit can easily injure a guinea pig or break bones. It only takes one kick.

    To answer your question though, some guinea pigs will barber their cage mates. It could be that or it could be ringworm, mange, some other mite or fungal infection. If it were mine I'd pay a visit to the vet just to be on the safe side. Where did you get the rabbit? Did it come from a reputable source?

    Thank you for your reply.
    It's from a pet store.


  • #4
    Cherry Blossom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,973 ✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    xboxdad wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply.
    It's from a pet store.

    Yes, in that case it'a quite possible the rabbit caught something before you got it. I would always quarantine any smallies for about four weeks when you get them. I think a trip to the vet is in order. Keep a close eye on the pig as well and keep them separate.


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