Today, when outlandish pets no longer surprise anyone, one of the popular options for a pet is the hairless guinea pig. This is not without reason, because such a warm and affectionate animal is completely harmless to people with allergies, easily gets along with other inhabitants of the house and is perfect for the role of a family pet.
History of the breed
The Skinny breed, which is what this variety of overseas piglets is called, is experimental. For many years, a group of Canadian scientists led by Charles Rivers conducted breeding experiments in their laboratory, trying to create something new and unusual.
It must be said that their efforts were not in vain. As a result of many years of painstaking work, a unique breed of guinea pigs was born. It was presented to the court in 1976, but until now American breeders are not going to recognize “aliens” as a separate nosological entity.
At the very beginning of the formation of the breed, all representatives were albinos with red eyes. But over time, pets were obtained with more attractive colors (brown, black, pink) and with less frightening pupils.
Today, breeding work continues. Their goal is to obtain strong livestock with a good gene pool - after all, skinnies are not characterized by excellent health due to frequent inbreeding.
It is not entirely clear where this name for the breed came from. Skinny literally means “bones covered with skin.” It’s a stretch to call pets skinny (as you can see in the photo), but they don’t argue with scientists.
It must be said that the “bald” gene is recessive. What does it mean? Trying to crossbreed a hairless pet with hairier animals will result in an exclusively “woolly” litter. Moreover, the latter will carry the gene for “hairlessness” and, under certain conditions, are capable of producing cute naked babies.
Skinnies are not the only ones of their kind. There is another type of hairless rodent - the Baldwin, which is often called the “Sphynx guinea pig” (by analogy with the same hairless cats). The second population is much younger - no more than 20 years old - and appeared as a result of a natural mutation that breeders tried to fix.
A small selection of translations - 227
1. My mom mistakenly ordered a rug that was too small for our dog. But he knows how to be grateful under any circumstances.
2. Me too, kitty. Me too.
3. What do you think about this sofa? I purchased it from an antique dealer.
4. My neighbor changed my life that night. The wax warmer became the sauce warmer.
5. Apparently it helps with hiccups.
6. I bought my friend a house.
7. Due to health problems, I rarely leave the house, but every time my neighbor’s dog Jasper brings me his favorite toys. Today it was a stuffed duck.
8. My neighbor and I built this bunk bed in our dorm room.
9. When you want to sit and stand at the same time.
10. I just brought this strange cactus from the store.
11. We adopted our cat from an animal shelter, and now he himself has taken care of the newly arrived kitten.
12. If there is a seat for the butt, then I sit down. And there is a place there.
13. Unusual paperweight. I bought it at an auction. A very interesting drawing.
14. Here is my cat Buba, he is 21. When I was 2 years old, he saved me from a scorpion.
You can find the rest of the translations (with original text and pictures) in the group: https://vk.com/interestingforeignstories
Description of the breed
Externally, the two breeds are very similar, the differences are visible only to professionals, so it makes no sense to dwell in detail on the description of each species separately.
Any sane person would assume that if a guinea pig is naked, it means it has no hair. But this is not an entirely correct statement. In fact, the entire surface of the animal’s body is covered with barely noticeable fluff. There is slight hairiness in the area of the head, neck and shoulders - this sign only applies to the skinny breed.
Baldwin's skin is wrinkled and feels like soft and warm rubber. Owners of skinnies compare their pets’ bodies to delicate velor fabric.
Many people classify hairless pets as hypoallergenic breeds, which is great news for people who are allergic to animal dander.
Large blunt head. The ears are set wide apart, point down and have a shaped edge. The eyes are large, round and slightly convex, the color matches the suit. The neck is short and wrinkled.
The body is muscular. The fingers are very mobile; the rodent uses them to hold the treat. The belly is rounded. In general, the pet resembles a kind of ball. The tail is very short and almost invisible.
Appearance of naked guinea pigs
Externally, hairless rodents are similar, but both breeds also have distinctive features.
What does Skinny pig look like?
Skinny individuals are from 30 to 35 centimeters in length and weigh up to a kilogram. Skinny pigs have a large body and short legs. Females are smaller than males. The large head has large round ears. The eyes are round and can be red, black or chocolate.
Skin color can be single, two or three colors. There is a short fuzz on the skin that creates a soft feeling when touched. There is short hair on the animal's face and paws.
What does a Baldwin pig look like?
These animals look more modest than Skinny. Their length is from 20 to 25 cm, weight up to 800 g. A distinctive feature of this breed is the hump on its nose. The head is large with a rather graceful build. Ears are drooping. The eyes are red or black, round in shape. Absolutely bald skin is not as soft as that of skinny’s relatives. A distinctive feature of the breed is the folds on the paws, neck and back. Color from dark to beige.
Arrangement of the house
For a home, it is better to use a large terrarium with a usable area of at least 0.5 square meters. m. In principle, the kids will feel good in a regular aquarium.
A deep plastic tray must be placed at the bottom of the dwelling, while the side walls must be made of transparent material so that the animal can observe its surroundings.
Sawdust is best suited as bedding. It is not recommended to use wood filler for these purposes - the sharp edges of the granules will injure the paws and delicate skin of babies.
The house is placed on a small hill away from drafts and passages. This will protect the baby from hypothermia, to which the animal is very sensitive.
Be sure to ensure that the rodent cannot get out of the terrarium on its own. The fact is that after a fall, pets do not live long due to the injuries they receive. The most common injuries are:
- intestinal rupture,
- bruises of internal organs,
- limb fractures.
To prevent this from happening, the top of the apartment is securely covered with a net or the sides of the cage must be high enough.
In addition to feeders and drinking bowls, the terrarium is additionally equipped with houses made of cardboard, plastic or wood, toys are also placed there, and tunnels and manholes are equipped.
All these accessories will make your pet's life bright and varied.
Content Features
The absence of hair requires appropriate care for rodents.
- Firstly, they are afraid of the cold, so the optimal temperature for a comfortable life is considered to be no lower than 22 °C.
- Secondly, they require two to three times more food than their hairy counterparts. This is explained simply: maintaining normal body temperature (38 °C) requires increased metabolism, and therefore more energy.
- Thirdly, bare fur should be periodically lubricated with baby cream to prevent dryness and flaking.
Otherwise, the content will not differ from that of the most ordinary guinea pigs.
Experienced breeders of “balds” do not recommend bathing them at all. Occasionally, the skin is wiped with damp wipes; in extreme cases, heavily contaminated areas are treated with baby or special shampoo.
Do not forget about trimming their nails - they, like all overseas animals, grow very quickly.
It is believed that hairless guinea pigs are not smelly, but you still shouldn’t bother with cleaning - the more often you clean the terrarium, the less likely it is that an unpleasant odor will appear. Cleaning is carried out every three to four days: the tray is washed and the raw sawdust is completely replaced with fresh and dry ones. Periodically (at least once every two weeks) the house and all accessories are disinfected.
Rat painting
First attempt at drawing with rats.
Blue and green prints - Roman, red and yellow - Emil. Because Roman is calm, and Emil is choleric. Long stripes are traces of tails.
I did this. I took children's finger paints - they are non-toxic, and if the rat licks itself, it will not harm it either. I took some paint into a syringe without a needle, and from the syringe I applied it to the feet of the rats. He let them trample on the pre-prepared canvas. Once I had trampled enough, I used a soft towel to wipe off the remaining paint from my feet and tails.
I carelessly left it to dry on the floor - while I wasn’t looking, they came and left more teeth prints. I thought about it and decided that they should also remain as a souvenir. All that remains is to coat the painting with varnish for preservation.
Feeding rules
It was already mentioned above about increased metabolism and more abundant feeding. But still, you shouldn’t go to extremes - overfeeding will definitely lead to obesity.
According to feeding standards, the diet of small “sphinxes” should have the following proportions:
- 60% - grass in summer or forb hay in winter;
- 20% - root and tuber crops and other vegetables;
- 20% - grain feed (oats, peas, barley, etc.).
Instead of the grain component, you can use ready-made balanced super-premium or premium food.
Additionally, pets are given vitamins, feed additives with macro- and microelements, a little regular salt and chalk. In addition, do not forget about adding ascorbic acid to the water; it is especially important to fulfill this condition in winter, when there is little green food in the diet - natural sources of vitamin C.
It is always worth remembering to drink water. It must always be fresh, clean and freely available. Change it twice a day (or more often).
A branch of a fruit tree should always be present in the terrarium. Pets grind their sharp teeth on it.
Important!
- Guinea pigs should not be fed garlic, radishes, nightshades or mushrooms!
- You should not go on a hunger strike: lack of food for two days will certainly lead to the inevitable death of your pet!
Behavior
These are very cute and affectionate animals, absolutely non-conflicting. Emotionally sensitive, if there are puppies or kittens in the house, rest assured that they will become best friends, guinea pigs will snuggle up to them. They also become very attached to their owners, seek affection from them, and can simply sit in their owner’s arms for a long time.
They are inquisitive and active, so they will want to explore the apartment and all the nooks and crannies. They are sociable and highly socialized pets, for this reason they are often chosen as gifts for children.
Character
Calm, affectionate, friendly and intelligent animals. Many people consider them fidgety, but what would they do without it? After all, life is movement.
Rodents are diurnal, so they will not disturb their owners during their night rest. Even while awake they behave quietly and meekly.
One of those few “pigs” who demand attention to their person. If owners do not have the time or opportunity to communicate with a pig, be sure to get a couple of animals. Otherwise, the poor fellow will suffer from melancholy and loneliness.
Happy holiday, rat breeders!
Today—April 4—is World Rat Day. This holiday is dedicated to decorative rats. It has been celebrated since 2003 on the initiative of American rat breeders.
The date of April 4 was chosen as a tribute to the oldest Internet resource dedicated to rats - the Ratlist mail forum, where the idea for its establishment originated. On this day of the year the forum itself was created.
World Rat Day is designed to draw attention to these amazing pets and unite rat breeders around the world. Therefore, on this day, enthusiasts hold exhibitions, speak online and on television, write notes and simply tell their friends and family about what wonderful pets rats are.
And there is something to tell: they are not at all what popular stereotypes imagine them to be. Rats are very smart, clean, loyal, gentle and charming. They are not aggressive, do not bite, and are easy to tame and train. They know how to laugh, play hide and seek, and sympathize with their owners. Having gotten to know rats better, few people are able to resist their charm.
On this day, it is customary for rat lovers to gather in one group, celebrate, and, of course, treat their pets with special treats.
Reproduction
This question will not cause any difficulties for anyone, since there is no need to create special conditions for breeding hairless guinea pigs.
Sexual maturity occurs in females at 2-2.5 months, and in males at 3 months. But it’s not worth giving birth to pets so early: the body is not yet fully formed and pregnancy can be difficult. The optimal age for breeding is 6 months of age.
During gestation, the female is provided with adequate feeding, but not overfed! Vitamin E, B and others are introduced into the diet.
After the birth of the offspring, the female needs to rest from childbirth and pregnancy for at least six months before mating with the male again.
Skinnies, like Baldwins, are ideal pets that will not let their owners get bored. Their lack of hair makes them look good compared to other guinea pigs. This point is especially important for allergy sufferers, for whom hairless pets are unlikely to cause an asthma attack.
The color of mood after 2022. Saratov-Samara, a gift from an altruist
Belated report) Grandfather let me down again, but I found an altruist Masha in Saratov who collected a very cool gift! Masha, you are space! Naturally, it was handed over to rat customs for inspection.
and the customs officials were so delighted with it that they even tried to snatch the contents for their tea) However, the attempt at expropriation was successfully stopped))
Sweet and savory parts of the gift (my diet cried):
I especially want to mention such a cute mug with a strap, a gamer T-shirt and a bombastic cherry-chocolate jam made by the Snow Maiden herself: 3 I was also pleased with the postcard with views of Saratov from the Volga and a sweet congratulation)
Thank you very much Masha for the gift, everyone would like such Snow Maidens!)
And finally - a video of rats unpacking candy, I was gaping - they had already taken it to themselves) Thanks to @VaskoDaGame for help with unpacking
