He's turning her bald!!!

[Violet23]

I'm pretty sure Martie is overgrooming Jezz to the point of baldness! it looks pretty bad, she's missing most of her hair on most of her back now. It started out as a small patch not that long ago, but it doesn't seem to bug her. Anyway, pix!
(Im sorry the pix are so big, but i dont know how to shrink them and it helps you see what her fur really looks like)

so how to i stop him from continuing this behaviour? Ive started letting them both out downstairs where there's carpet for a few hours every night now, hoping to wear out his energy, and so far ive noticed less hair in the pen when i check on them, so i think he's pulling out less, but i dont know. any explanations or suggestions to curb it are greatly appreciated

 

[tamsin]

Just checking - have you actually seen him doing it? Just in case there could be another explanation.

I think your on the right lines with increasing exercise - good idea! Overgrooming is often triggered by boredom or frustration, but it can become a habit so fixing the original issue doesn't always work.

In addition to the exercise outside the pen, can you add different toys inside? Maybe rotate what they have to play with and include things that can be chewed on - maybe a cardboard box?

Making changes to the diet may also help. Dry food is quick to eat so leaves more spare time for grooming. If you decrease dry food and increase hay that provides more appropriate chewing behaviour. You can also hide the dry food you do feed around the pen so they have to hunt it out.

As you've observed, it doesn't usually bother the bun that ends up bald, just keep an eye that the skin doesn't become sore.

 

[Violet23]

Ive only been giving them 1/4 cup pellets morning and night, trying to keep Jezz from gaining any more weight cause she's pudgy as it is . i do try to give them as much hay as possible, big handfuls before i leave in the morning, as soon as i get home i give them a ton more, more before bed, and ive started stuffing hay in empty toilet paper rolls for more of a toy/food thing. I did order some more toys too, so hopefully those get here soon .

i think i will try out the hiding of the pellets thing, if i can manage to hide it before they tackle me to get the pellets, lol. i havent seen him yanking out hair, just grooming her very often in the same place on her back, and finding loose hair all over the enclosure. i dunno, we'll see how things go for a while, and if she starts growing air back, then yay!