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Hairless Guinea Pigs Look Like Mini Hippos

Hairless Guinea Pigs Look Like Mini Hippos

Owners say the adorable 'skinny pigs' have a 'gentle and loving' nature.

Lucy Devine

Lucy Devine

Get ready to see something very cute - a special breed of hairless guinea pigs exist and they look like teeny tiny hippos.

Also known as 'skinny pigs,' the adorable breed doesn't have any hair on its body, but tends to have a little fur around its nose and feet.

Just like normal guinea pigs, they vary in colour and pattern.

The hairless guinea pigs have a little fur on their nose and feet (
Shutterstock)

It's believed that the hairless breed of guinea pig was first discovered back in the 80s, originating from a cross between a haired guinea pig and a breed created in a lab in 1978.

They are now popular in both America and Europe as household pets, with many owners reporting their gentle and loving nature.

In a Facebook post by Awkward Animals a few weeks ago - which featured several adorable photos of the little skinny pigs - owners rushed to the comments to gush about their unusual pets.

One woman explained everyone who meets her "handsome boy" Hagrid, "falls in love with him".

Others had plenty of questions, however, with one person writing: "Don't they get cold? How can you cuddle them? Where do you buy them? Are they hard to keep up as far as their cage? Do they bite? How long do they live? Do cats and dogs get along with them?"

The skinny pigs require a little extra care (
Pexels)

If you're looking to add a skinny pig to your family, there are some important factors to consider. First, you should always look for a reputable breeder.

For example, according to reports, skinny pigs require outcrossing to haired gene carriers at least every other generation. This is thought to be an important step in the breeding process to keep them safe and make sure their immune systems are as strong as possible.

It's important to ensure you find a responsible seller who knows how to breed correctly.

It's also worth doing some in depth research into the breed, especially considering the hairless variety can be associated with a number of health conditions.

Skinny pigs are very sociable creatures, but due to their lack of hair, require a bit more TLC than usual. For example, they feel the cold much more easily, so should always be kept snug as a bug inside as opposed to outdoors.

If they do venture outside, you'll need to protect their sensitive skin with a pet-suitable sunscreen.

Skinny pigs also require more food - as they're working harder to stay warm - and you'll need to watch them more carefully for scrapes or injuries (as they don't have that extra fur armour!)

Although requiring a little more attention, these little rhino lookalikes make loving and friendly pets and if they need a few extra cuddles to keep them warm, that can only be a good thing!

Featured Image Credit: Wikimedia

Topics: Life News, Cute, Animals