Keeping a close eye on your guinea pig’s skin will help you see when the skin is healthy and when there might be a problem. When your guinea pig’s skin is healthy, it will look smooth and pink. With a skin problem, the skin will have lumps, scabs, dandruff (white flakes), or hair loss.Examine your guinea pig’s skin when you hold it. Guinea pigs like to groom themselves and their cage mates, so your guinea pig won’t mind you looking at its skin.
If your guinea pig’s skin looks abnormal, take it to your vet for treatment. Your vet will be able to diagnose and treat the skin problem.
 Long nails can curve under a guinea pig’s feet and damage the skin, causing bumblefoot. To prevent bumblefoot due to long nails, have your vet trim your guinea pig’s nails. Your vet can let you know how often your guinea pig will need nail trims.


You could also trim your guinea pig’s nails yourself. However, if you are not comfortable doing this, or your guinea pig is really squirmy, have your vet trim the nails.
 Sometimes, guinea pigs will engage in a behavior called barbering, which is chewing the hair. Guinea pigs will do this to themselves or other guinea pigs. Barbering leads to hair loss. If you see barbering behavior between multiple guinea pigs, put them in separate cages.If your guinea pig is barbering itself, this may signal stress.
 Regular vet exams can help prevent skin problems and keep your guinea pig healthy overall. Take your guinea pig to your vet once or twice a year for a health checkup.
Check your guinea pig’s skin frequently.
Have your vet trim your guinea pig’s nails.
Look for hair chewing behavior.
Take your guinea pig for regular vet exams.
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