Your guinea pig eats your hair because the human hair is fiber. Remember that fiber is the major component of guinea pigs’ diet. An article cited by ResearchGate explains that human hair is a biodegradable proteinaceous fiber. Cavies need a high-fiber diet primarily for proper digestion of their food. So if your pet eats your hair, it’s because it’s a simulation of her diet. It’s harmless for your guinea pigs to eat your hair, but ensure she doesn’t grow along with such a habit.
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Table of Contents
Why Does My Guinea Pig Like My Hair?
There are several reasons why your Guinea Pig may like your hair. Here are a few reasons:
The first reason may be that it has found your hair as a comfortable spot. Since it is very convenient for him, the atmosphere in your hair is superb. However, this habit can degenerate into a situation where your pet starts burrowing into your hair, just like the way wild cavies behave. Thus, your pet will eat your hair up to a point where there’s a visible hole there.
Besides, your pet might be just trying to adapt to a new environment. In a situation like this, your hair is probably the place your pet feels most secure. Guinea pigs are shy and skittish. By staying in your hair, your pet can hear your heartbeat, and therefore feel safe with you. Guinea Pigs are generally curious. So in the quest of scavenging for a suitable place to stay, they might find your hair inviting.
Moreover, your cavies may burrow in your hair out of boredom. Some cavies are shy and as a result of that may want to hide in your hair to feel good. It is also possible that they might want to stay away from their bold counterparts. This behavior might be displacing for you as a cavy owner. Well, cavies are easily bored and may find new activities to do. Just make sure that you can train them to not making your hair a permanent spot of stay for them. Additionally, you can always provide hay in their cage to keep them busy and keep their mouth away from your hair.
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Your guinea pig eats your hair because the human hair is fiber. Remember that fiber is the major component of guinea pigs’ diet. It’s harmless for your guinea pigs to eat your hair, but ensure she doesn’t grow along with such a habit.
Is It OK For My Guinea Pigs to Eat My Hair?
There are different behaviors peculiar to guinea pigs, especially with their extreme social attitudes. One is known as barbering. Barbering occurs to your cavies if they are fond of chewing your hair, and most times caused by boredom.
There is no danger in cavies eating your hair because it shows their deep attachment and security with you. But when it becomes a habit for it, it becomes a real problem. Uncontrolled continuous hair chewing can result in hair loss for you. Sometimes it might even create a hole in your hair due to its burrowing. Therefore, train your cavies so they don’t end up chewing your entire hair. At the same time, try to redirect their energy into other things.
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Why Does My Guinea Pig Always Hide In My Hair?
Perhaps, you are thinking about the way your guinea pig burrows in your hair, and you are wondering how possible that is. Well, burrowing is a natural survival behavior for cavies. Both domesticated and wild guinea pigs burrow to hide for safety. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you if your pet loves to hide in your hair. Most times, cavies hide in their owner’s hair just because they find it superb and relaxing to stay there. Some cavies need that security, and your hair may just be the perfect place for them to be! While this behavior is disturbing for many cavy owners, it is generally harmless. It just shows the deep bond and trust that your pet has for you.
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What Happens If My Guinea Pig Eats My Hair?
Well, the thing is, if you don’t stop your cavies from chewing your hair, it might become a habit. Unfortunately, this can create an unpleasant situation for both you and your pet. When cavies chew your hair, they tend to want to eat more because they may be getting addicted to it. The thing is, you might just come back one day and decide to check yourself in the mirror. Then you’ll discover that your hair has reduced so much. This is definitely because your guinea pigs have been chewing your hair comfortably without you noticing.
It is even possible that your pet’s behavioral problem extends to her chewing the hair of her cage-mate. This can result in a considerable amount of hair loss and some cases, total hair loss. Try to make sure that you don’t make the mistake of leaving your cavies developing with such behavior.
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Can Guinea Pigs Digest Hair?
Generally, guinea pigs get attracted to people and things they develop a special liking for. Your hair might be that thing which they have an interest in. Usually, your cavies are not supposed to eat any form of hair; yours or even that of their cage-mates. This is because they can’t digest it properly. Additionally, hair doesn’t hold any nutritional benefit for them. Constant hair chewing may lead to choking and this is fatal for your pet. You should make sure that they don’t inculcate that habit of eating hair.
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Final thoughts
It is harmless for cavies to eat your hair. For some cavy owners, their pets don’t eat their hair but instead love to hide there. The essential thing is to prevent your pet from getting used to such a habit. Allowing your cavies to eat and digest human hair or animal hair has negative effects on you or them. You may suffer from hair loss in some cases. Besides, your pet won’t get nutritional benefits from eating your hair by consuming the fiber that she needs. You should train them against these behaviors and help channel their energy into other beneficial things? Training your pet early helps them to exhibit good behaviors.
