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A woman recently caught her reflection in a mirror after waking up and was shocked to find that her bangs were chewed off by her guinea pig.
Since being uploaded on November 29, Gara Sullivan's TikTok of her realization has amassed nearly 9 million views.
"So sometimes when I'm drunk I like to get my naked guinea pig out and sleep with her on the floor lol I know crazy," the text written over the video read. "So on Thanksgiving Day I wake up to pee and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror."
The video then cuts to other clips and photos of the aftermath of the unintended haircut.
"THIS CHICK DONE ATE MY BANGS OFF," the video's text continued. "She didn't even eat the hair she just nibbled it off."
Sullivan showed her hairline, which has bits of hair sticking straight out, as well as a chunk of hair that was evidently chewed off by her pet.
It is not uncommon for guinea pigs to bite or chew on the hair of other guinea pigs, and this behavior is called barbering. Barbering occurs when a guinea pig bites, chews or eats hair.
According to a piece published by the guinea pig information site Squeaks, Scales, and Tails, guinea pigs may eat human hair if they are bored, to socialize with their owner or if they need more fiber in their diet.
When guinea pigs barber one another, it may be done in an effort to establish a sense of dominance. If they are stressed or in pain, a guinea pig may barber themselves, the website stated.
The piece suggested a few solutions to barbering. A new toy may give the guinea pig something new to chew on or separate the more dominant guinea pig from others. However, it pointed out that a pet owner should schedule an appointment with a veterinarian if self barbering does not stop because it may be an indication that there is a deeper issue.
Commenters under Sullivan's video joked about her surprise shearing.
"She wanted you to look like her," a TikTok viewer wrote.
Echoing the sentiment, another viewer wrote, "She said, 'if I can't have hair then neither can you.'"
One viewer joked that the guinea pig was going to make a wig for itself with Sullivan's hair.
This isn't the first time a guinea pig captured the internet's attention.
Newsweek reported in October that a guinea pig and a cat, named Halo and Angel respectively, formed a bond while at a North Carolina animal shelter and were both adopted together.
While the shelter had its share of bonded pairs, it typically consisted of dogs and cats. These two, however, were spotted at the front of their cages with their noses pressed to one another.
Newsweek reached out to Gara Sullivan for comment.
About the writer
Catherine Ferris is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting for the U.S. Trends Team. She ... Read more