Bidding is hot in Justin Bieber hair auction

A single lock of Justin Bieber's newly-shorn hair is being auctioned off for charity and bids had reached USD 6,700 on eBay early on Thursday.

The 16 year-old Canadian pop idol cut his trademark floppy hair earlier this week, and presented one of the locks to TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

"I'm giving pieces of it to different people," Bieber told DeGeneres. "We're doing something special. We want you to donate it to whatever charity you want."

DeGeneres put the hair, placed in a plexiglass box signed by Bieber, up for auction on Wednesday with all the proceeds to benefit the California animal rescue organization The Gentle Barn.

Bidding started at USD 10 and quickly reached USD 6,700. The auction will end on March 2.

Bieber's hair stylist told People magazine that the "Baby" singer had been talking for months about cutting his hair and adopting a more mature look.

"Cutting your hair is just part of the evolution and growing process for anyone, and I think he was just ready," stylist Vanessa Price told the magazine. "We've been talking about it over the last six months or so, more or less, it's definitely been in the works for a while."