Introduction
Skinny Pigs (hairless guinea pigs) are almost completely bald, except for some scattered downy fur on their faces, legs and feet, and sometimes some stubbly fur on their bodies. In Singapore, rare occurrence involving a natural mutation during a chance mating of 2 normal guinea pigs, introduced this wonderful breed to us. As the gene for the skinny pig is recessive, it is believed that the gene had skipped generations of breeding and turned up in Singapore through their hairy ancestors.
Lakeland guinea pigs have a teddy coat when young and mature with a rexed coat. They look exactly like Rex Guinea pigs. However, when mated, a Lakeland guinea pig will give birth to a litter of Teddies, but occasionally also to a hairless guinea pig. This happens when the Lakeland throws a rare hairless gene into the litter to continue the species. As such, Skinny pigs are a wonderful rare surprise from nature. After generations of breeding for health and temperament, the Singapore Skinny Pig is as robust and sweet as their furry cousins.
Bedding
All guinea pigs have delicate skin but hairless guinea pigs have theirs exposed and it must be respected. Pine Pellets, recycled paper pellets, shredded newspaper, fleece or soft towels are all appropriate for skinny pigs . You may need to change the bedding of your Skinny Pig if it develops a skin irritation from the dust and rough texture of the bedding. Your pet store would be able to recommend a reputable bedding for your pig.
A hideaway house is important so that they have a place to “get-away-from-it-all” and so is a platform vantage point where they can climb on to and watch the world go by.
Food
10 – 20% of a guinea pigs diet should consist of veg and salad, including round lettuce, cucumber, celery, greens, kale, banana, cherry tomatoes and of course grass. Guinea pigs can develop diarrhoea through eating too many watery vegetables, this should be taken seriously and the animal taken off watery foods at once. The rest of the diet should comprise of a constant supply of hay and a portion of guinea pig pellets. Guinea pigs need to be supplemented with vitamin C as their bodies cannot produce it.
Skinny Pigs need more hydration than a normal hairy guinea pig for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they eat more than normal guinea pigs to keep up their temperature and so they need to drink a bit more. Secondly, they need more fluids to stop their skin drying out especially when kept in a warm tropical climate like Singapore.
Skin Care
If you moisturise the skin, the moisturiser must be non perfumed, non greasy and very mild. Greasy skin can cause Skinnies to develop bacterial infections and skin rashes. Aloe vera is a great natural healing moisturiser.
They need a warm bath once a month to keep the skin free from bacteria. After bathing the animal must be dried completely with a soft towel before they are allowed to continue their day. Constant air-conditioning may make the skin dry. Their skin is like ours, if you feel cold and if your skin feels dry, your skinny pig is most probably feeling the same.
Skinny pigs may be prone to scratches but they also heal very quickly if you take care of the wound. Keep the scratches clean and apply a small amount of healing cream on them.
Temperature
Skinny Pigs should be kept as indoor pets because they need to be kept cool. Although they do not like the heat, keep your house at a minimum of 71 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celcius).
When Skinny pigs are outdoors playing in the sunshine, they need a high factor sunblock rubbed into their skin. They can sunburn easily.
Vet Care
Make sure your regular vet knows that your Skinny Pig is a hairless breed and therefore is meant to be bald. Some Skinny Pigs have been misdiagnosed with hair loss or skin problems due to the vet being unaware of the hairless breed.
This breed is still very rare and because it looks so different from a normal guinea pig, misunderstandings may arise from a lack of knowledge about this wonderful gem in the pet world. They make marvelous pets for responsible and committed pet owners. Do think twice about getting a pet as it is a lifelong commitment.
Because Skinny Pigs are a small animal, sometimes the vet costs would over shadow what you originally paid for them. A responsible pet owner must be prepared for this throughout the lifetime of the pet.
