Hairless guinea pigs embrace skinny pigs and Baldwin guinea pigs, each of which have little to no fur on their our bodies. They require extra meals and water, extra cage cleanings, and extra heat than bushy guinea pigs. Additionally they have delicate pores and skin since there’s no fur to guard it.
On this article, we’ll talk about how hairless guinea pigs got here to be, how they’re completely different from bushy guinea pigs, and extra.
The place Did Hairless Guinea Pigs Come From?
Sadly, hairless guinea pigs have been first bred as lab animals for animal testing. They’re significantly used to check pores and skin merchandise.
At this time, they’re additionally bought as pets and have had surges in reputation. Nevertheless, many individuals aren’t nicely ready for a guinea pig–not to mention a hairless piggy with much more care necessities. This results in them ceaselessly ending up in shelters or guinea pig rescues.
For those who’d prefer to undertake a hairless guinea pig, please achieve this out of your native shelter, guinea pig rescue, or a good breeder. Keep away from pet shops and yard breeders.
Hairless Guinea Pig Breeds
Some individuals name all hairless guinea pigs “skinny pigs,” however there are literally two hairless breeds:
- Skinny pigs
- Baldwin guinea pigs
Skinny pigs are born utterly hairless apart from wisps of hair on their noses and ft.
Baldwin guinea pigs, often known as hippo guinea pigs, are born with fur. Nevertheless, it falls out once they’re nonetheless infants till they’re left with no fur in any respect. Baldwins might also be bigger and have extra delicate pores and skin than skinny pigs.
Each breeds are brought on by inheriting double copies of recessive genes from their mother and father.
Hairless Guinea Pigs vs. Bushy Guinea Pigs
1. Hairless Guinea Pigs Eat and Drink Extra
Hairless guinea pigs have even quicker metabolisms than bushy pigs and have a tendency to eat and drink double as a lot. This helps preserve their our bodies heat and their guts working.
It additionally means you’ll spend extra on meals on your hairless guinea pig.
2. They Poop Extra, Too!
You’ll additionally want to wash the cage extra typically with hairless piggies. What goes in should come again out, and so they are likely to poop and pee much more than bushy guinea pigs.
3. They Don’t Regulate Their Physique Temperatures Nicely
A “regular” guinea pig has fur that helps them regulate their physique temperatures, each to remain heat within the winter and to remain cooler in summer season. Since hairless piggies don’t have fur, they need assistance staying heat and are extra vulnerable to warmth stroke if it will get too sizzling.
Fortunately, most households are saved at snug temperatures for piggies and folks alike. It’s by no means beneficial to accommodate hairless guinea pigs outdoor.
Hold heat objects within the cage resembling fleece hides and tunnels, and preserve your guinea pigs away from drafty areas, the air conditioner, and the fan.
4. Hairless Piggies Get Damage Simply
Since they don’t have fur to guard them, hairless guinea pigs can get harm extra simply by objects within the cage or different guinea pigs. They’re extra more likely to get harm throughout bonding or scratched up by different piggies’ nails.
You’ll be able to fight this by retaining all piggies’ nails quick and retaining solely gentle, protected objects within the cage. Go for fleece bedding or tub mats, and keep away from wooden bedding choices that might scratch your piggy’s delicate pores and skin.
Hairless guinea pigs are additionally extra vulnerable to pores and skin points and sunburn, so you should definitely care for his or her pores and skin nicely, preserve them out of the solar, and monitor them for indicators of well being points.
5. Their Pores and skin Wants Particular Care
Each hairless piggy has completely different pores and skin, however most have issues with both oily or dry pores and skin sooner or later. Each might be remedied by utilizing a cotton pad to rub coconut oil over their physique.
This moisturizes their pores and skin and may take away extra oils and any particles on their pores and skin.
Like bushy piggies, hairless guinea pigs ought to be bathed occasionally and solely as wanted. Some won’t ever want baths since they don’t have fur to get messy!
Are Hairless Guinea Pigs Laborious to Take Care of?
For those who’ve cared for guinea pigs earlier than, there are just a few elements of hairless guinea pig care that may shock you.
Firstly, they have to be saved heat and comfy as their pores and skin is extra delicate than piggies with fur. Fleece bedding and a number of other heat hides are greatest.
Additionally they eat, drink, pee, and poop round double as a lot as you’d anticipate from a bushy guinea pig. That is to maintain their our bodies heat and sustain with their quick metabolisms.
Additionally they require a bit extra within the grooming division, as we mentioned above.
What’s the Life Expectancy of a Hairless Guinea Pig?
Hairless guinea pigs typically have shorter lifespans than bushy guinea pigs on account of poor breeding. Now we have to do not forget that, as lab animals, they weren’t initially bred for longevity.
Most hairless piggies come from pet shops as nicely, that means they aren’t well-bred. Some respected breeders are breeding them to be more healthy and reside longer, which is a superb step in the proper path!
Some well being issues you would possibly see on account of their lack of fur embrace:
- Accidents
- Pores and skin infections
- Ringworm, mites, and lice
- Allergic reactions
- GI issues (as a result of their metabolisms transfer even quicker than your common guinea pig)
When hairless piggies get sick, they could have a harder time recovering than bushy guinea pigs. That is due to their quick metabolisms, which normally forestall them from increase physique fats, and their problem staying heat even when wholesome.
In conclusion, hairless guinea pigs aren’t too completely different from their furry counterparts. They do have some extra care wants, together with routine skincare and extra assets like further meals and water and heat, comfortable hides.
