Hairless Guinea pigs are super adorable , sweet-smelling and adorable cavy . They are a mutant of the common short - haired strain of Guinea pig , but with a mutation that make their pelage to be sparse or non - existent . Although they ’re not as vulgar as their furry counterparts , hairless Guinea pigs make good dearie and are worth moot if you ’re look for a unique addition to your furry menage .
History and Origin
There is a significant amount of controversy regarding how hairless Guinea pigs were developed . They did n’t come about of course . Republic of Guinea pig with pelt that most the great unwashed are intimate with were domesticise around 5000 B.C. , and come from Peru . Then , in 1978 , a lab found a genetic mutation that result in hairless Guinea copper , and researchers proceed to pursue this as a stock on its own .
To set up this as a strain and keep on the mutated strain , the original hairless Guinea grunter were line of credit - breed to set apart their hairless trait . This leave in Guinea pigs that were prone to other familial genetic mutation that were harmful to their wellness as well as increased levels of illness . The hairless Guinea pigs you see today are healthier , although some of their residuary genetic ailments may still issue forth through on occasion .
Two Types of Hairless Guinea Pigs
There are two breeds of hairless Guinea pigs ; the tight fitting copper , which was originated in a science laboratory , and the Baldwin , which was developed by a breeder .
Skinny Pigs
tightly fitting pigs are mostly hairless , but they do have tufts of pelt on their snout , legs , and pes . boney copper are born with petty to no hair , but the pelt on their pegleg and foot grow as they get older . The skinny pig ’s sparse hair set them aside from Baldwin Guinea pigs .
Baldwin Guinea Pigs
Baldwin Guinea pigs are a type of hairless Guinea slovenly person , but they ’re born with some pelt . The fur falls out gradually over the first few month of their lives . you could tell them aside from skinny pigs because they are almost entirely hairless , and they do n’t have the revealing tuft of pelt on their snoot . If you have a Guinea that ’s altogether hairless , you belike have a Baldwin Guinea sloven rather than a skinny pig .
Appearance and Physical Traits
Skinny grunter , also know as skinnies , can come in a variety of color and size , and are mostly hairless , though they can have some light peach - tomentum fur on part of their body , in addition to the tussock of fur on their snout and feet . They are generally belittled than otherGuinea pig bed breed , with a more slender physique . Their skin is smooth and soft to the touch , and can follow in a variety of coloration and patterns .
Baldwin Guinea pigs , on the other bridge player , are entirely hairless and have a more wrinkly appearance . They have a rounder body form and tend to be larger than cheeseparing pigs . Unlike penny-pinching pigs , Baldwins have tegument that is more textured and leathery in appearance .
Size and Weight
Skinny Guinea Sus scrofa normally weigh between 1 to 2 lb and can be up to 12 inches in duration . Baldwins are a little larger , around 1 to 3 pounds on average , though they reach about the same distance - 12 inches - as skinny cop .
Enclosure Size Requirements
Like other Guinea sloven , a single hairless Guinea hog needs at least 4 solid feet of John Milton Cage Jr. place , but the more space that ’s useable , the better . Make indisputable they have little cave and hides in their enclosure , as well , so they can get away from it all and destress here and there .
Guinea grunter overall enjoy roaming , which you will notice when you take them out of their cage for some fun metre . All cavy want sentence out of their enclosure for enrichment . program to give your cavy time out of their natural enclosure at least once a day , for around an time of day or two . Make certain you take them out of their setup consistently from a young age , so they do n’t get panic-struck when you take them out .
Coat Colors
Despite not having pelt , hairless Guinea pig bed - both skinny and Baldwins - can have different colored hide . While not exactly a coating color , hairless Guinea pigs can have unlike skin colors , include :
Are They Hypoallergenic?
Hairless Guinea pigs are known to be hypoallergenic . If they do have fur , it ’s very sparse , and you ’re capable to check what type of bedding you use . If you ’re prone to allergic reaction , and are ordinarily allergic to other Guinea slob breeds , a hairless Guinea could be a good pick .
Average Lifespan
Both hairless Guinea squealer breeds broadly speaking live between 5 to 7 old age in captivity . Through good attention and feeding , your hairless can reach 10 old age sure-enough or more .
Care Basics
Theirrequirements for housing , food for thought , and socializationare alike to other Guinea hog types . Since hairless Guinea pigs eat the same foods as other Guinea pig , you will want to findhigh - quality food , snaffle some timothy hay , ply fresh water , and fresh veg day by day . However , you may notice hairless Guinea pigs eat more than other Guinea pigs because they need more energy to keep them warm .
Hairless Guinea pigs should be kept at a temperature of 70 degree Fahrenheit . If the room is too cold-blooded , they will shiver and their muscles will become blotto . If it ’s too hot , they can suffer from heatstroke and die within second .
If you plan on taking your tight fitting pig outdoors , instead of position sunscreen on that could cause a response , ensure they are placed in the shade out of verbatim inter-group communication from the sun .
Skin Care
Hairless Guinea pigs are generally sound , but they do have some health concerns . Due to their lack of hairsbreadth , they have a less prominent coat and peel problems . They can be a challenge to deal for , but with proper care and preparation , they can live on hefty lives . Hairless Guinea pigs involve to be bathe on a hebdomadary basis . This helps keep their skin and pelt clean as well as prevents itchy rash and infections . washup is also important because it washes away excess petroleum from their peel that can make dryness or flaking .
Diet and Feeding
Your hairless Guinea hog want a consistent , high - quality , wide-ranging dietto be glad and healthy . ensure you are offering their staples - include Timothy hay and a pelleted diet formulate for Guinea pigs - along with enriching intellectual nourishment and treats to round out their dieting .
Behavior and Handling
In terms of personality , both scraggy pigs and Baldwin Guinea pigs are known for being well-disposed and societal animal . They enjoy interacting with their owners and represent with toys , and can make large pets for families with children . They ’re also bed to be happier when there ’s more than one cavy per inclosure . You could either catch another hairless Guinea pig , or keep them contented with another furred Guinea pig twin for company .
Similar to how domestic dog have different personalities , so do Guinea fuzz . While one cheeseparing grunter may be extremely affectionate , another may be somewhat unsure .
Health
Hairless Guinea pigs are prostrate to the next wellness issues :
Caring for Babies
Like other Guinea pigs , hairless Guinea Sus scrofa babies ask their mother ’s Milk River for the first several weeks of their lives . If your hairless Guinea was abandoned by their mother , you will need to hand - feed them . To flow your babe Guinea , you could apply full - juicy goat ’s milk or half water and half evaporate milk . After the first few weeks , you may transition them to their normal dieting .
Before you commence handle for the babies , you must be totally certain the mother has abandoned them . Otherwise , you risk their health . Their good chances of survival are with their mom .
Unlike other mammal , Guinea pig mothers only feed their baby a few time per day , then they may leave them alone for hours . They ’re born being able to walk , hear , and see , and will begin eating solid foods after only a few day . Only intervene if the baby come out to be weak or inhuman , or if you follow the babe and they do n’t get any visits from their female parent .
Availability and Cost
Hairless Guinea pigs can be find in many place online and in pet computer storage . The average toll of a hairless Guinea pig stock is between $ 100 and $ 200 . If you are looking for a specific colouring material , you could expect to make up more than the average amount . In addition to buy the Guinea cop , you need to take the price of supply into account .
Is the Hairless Guinea Pig Right for You?
Hairless Guinea pigs can be quite adorable and intriguing , specially if you had never seen one before . However , if you pick out this character of Guinea grunter , you need to be inclined to provide more tending to them than others . If you ’re inclined to supply them with a little superfluous TLC , they could make a great addition to your kin .
