What is a Skinny Pig?
Skinny pigs are a type of hairless guinea pig. Currently there are two varieties of hairless guinea pigs– Skinny pigs and Baldwins. Hairless guinea pigs have the same basic needs as a regular guinea pig with a few exceptions.
The Skinny pig breed appears to have come from a natural mutation in a gene of the hair follicles that inhibits proper growth. This gene is common in many mammals. Hairless cats (Sphynx) and many of the hairless dog breeds share this natural occurring mutation. Skinny pigs are born hairless, but do have some hair on the head and or feet. They have a velvety feel when petting them.
The Baldwin breed is hairless as well but with some important differences. Baldwins also appeared naturally and were first recognized in a breeders herd. They now believe that the hairlessness may have something to do with the thyroid gland. It should be noted that Baldwins have been proven healthy animals. Baldwin’s are born with hair, unlike skinny pigs. They lose this hair over several months. They are not sick this is a natural process for them. A mature Baldwin often times have less hair than a skinny pig. They are the only breed where individuals can be truly hairless with absolutely no hair on the body.
We at Skinny Pig of New England breed Skinny pigs and do not currently have Baldwins available. Hairless guinea pigs need to be kept indoors. They can go out doors for some play time but please keep them in the shade as they can and will burn. (sun block can be toxic please do not put it on your skinny pig) They should be kept in temperatures of 65 F – 75 F. Polar fleece sleep sacks should be provided for extra warmth. Having more than one cavy becomes even more important with hairless guinea pigs as they not only do better with a friend, but also gain extra warmth from the other guinea pigs. Furry guinea pigs can be housed with hairless ones. They are very social animals which allows them to live in small herds. The most enriching thing a owner can provide for there guinea pig is a friend. Hairless guinea pigs have a faster metabolism to keep them warm and this means they eat more. You need to keep on top of their food, checking daily to make sure pellets and timothy hay are always available. You also need to offer fresh vegetables once a day. Eating more means cleaning more. Hairless guinea pigs need to be cleaned more often than a furry guinea pig. Where a furry one may only need to be changed weekly a hairless will need to be changed twice a week. We would like to point out that their is no difference in smell or size of poop, just more of it. Owners have reported no notable differences, just that they will mess their cages more quickly. Temperament of hairless is probably one of the most interesting things besides the lack of hair. A surprising difference is how much more social with humans they are. Owners report that it is the skinny pig that always comes out of the sleep sack begging for attention. They love being with their people and seem to really enjoy their cuddle time. They are very inquisitive and love to explore new environments. They learn very quickly and with food rewards can be taught to go through simple large plastic tubes in a specific order. Although that is not why most people want a hairless guinea pig, it is the cuddle factor that seems to capture the hearts of their owners.