She became a bully, and now we know why!🐾

Meet Penelope the Texel mix who has recently decided she runs the cage! Penelope has been causing chaos in the herd lately, bullying the others and generally making herself unpopular, which was really out of character for her. But as we discovered, there was a reason behind the behaviour change. Penelope has been diagnosed with ovarian cysts, which are incredibly common in female guinea pigs and can cause exactly this kind of personality shift alongside other symptoms. She's going to be spayed to treat them, and we're keeping everything crossed that it goes smoothly and brings her some relief. 🤞 If your female guinea pig has suddenly become more aggressive, is losing hair on her flanks, has crusty nipples, or seems uncomfortable — please get her checked out by an exotic vet. Ovarian cysts are very treatable but easy to miss if you don't know what to look for. We'll keep you updated on how Penelope gets on. Sending her all the love — even if she hasn't been very loveable lately! 😂🐾