One of the best things about the Internet (apart from being one of the most significant inventions in the history of humankind) is that you can go on with your day and find out that there is a breed of guinea pigs that have no fur and look precisely like tiny cute hippos.
Recently, images of these hairless rodent pets surfaced online with many people noticing that they bear more than a passing resemblance to baby hippos. With photos like these going viral, many started to wonder, how is it possible for a guinea pig not have hair at all?
The most common misconception about these weirdly adorable hairless animals is that they are shaved. If you look closer, though, you can see that it is practically impossible to shave a guinea pig that way. It would be not only extremely difficult but also harmful to the small pet.
In fact, this is a breed of guinea pigs that are known as “Skinny Pigs.” A type that does not grow hair on their body, and even though the majority of their skin is hairless, there is still some fur on their muzzles, feet, and legs.
The modern Skinny Pig originated with a cross between a hairless lab strain and a haired guinea pigs. It is believed that the hairless strain is most likely related to a spontaneous genetic mutation first identified back in 1978.
A few years later, in 1982, these type of baby guinea pigs were sent to Charles River Laboratories to continue breeding them. Now they are commonly used in dermatology studies.
Despite being popular in labs, these adorable Skinny Pigs are also a lovely pet that many people have in their homes.
This breed has an intact thymus and a normal immune system; they are also not many significant psychological differences between the regular and the skinny breed. However, they do need to eat more to maintain their body heat. Imagine being called “skinny” but having to eat more, what a dream.
Despite being a relatively new type of pet in the household (introduced in the 1990s), skinny pigs became pretty popular in Canada, Europe, and Russia.
Of course, people were amazed by this adorable breed
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Share on FacebookI used to have one that I actually named Hippo. Very cute creatures, and not very skittish either, they make good pets but it is worth mentioning that their skin needs to be specially cared for because it’s sensitive and peels very easily
Good to know. My guineas are getting old so I was considering getting skinnies after they die
Load More Replies...HOUSE HIPPOS ARE REAL? This brings a whole new level to that old commercial that shows this fake video of tiny hippos and then says "that's why it's good to think ... and ask questions" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TijcoS8qHIE). Heh. That's awesome.
This is exactly the comment I was going to leave. 😆
Load More Replies...yes, they're adorable. But why do we keep breeding animals with handicaps, just for our pleasure ? Like pugs, nude cats, etc. it's a cute that makes me ashamed and sad.
They're not handicapped. It doesn't affect their health negatively or restrict them from doing anything, they just have to be kept a little warmer.
Load More Replies...Despite being popular in labs... for completely unnecessary experiments that cause them untold and unnecessary suffering, keeping them in constant agony while undergoing experiments causing them horrible skin burns, blindness, cancer and then death. And what's worse, they were created in a lab specifically to do this to them.
Yep, so sad. I couldn't understand how anyone can read this article, and miss the part about 'THESE ANIMALS ARE BREAD FOR LABORATORIES.' Lab animals suffer immensely!! It needs to be outlawed!
Load More Replies...Wait this make me happy.. I think I'm going to cute these are so cute 😭
So sad to hear lab testing on animals mentioned in such a casual way- why aren't more ppl outraged at such an inhumane practice?! It needs to be outlawed. These animals suffer immensely before being euthanised. Why don't more pet owners do something to help?
It makes me sad that's its a genetic mutation but it doesn't sound like they are in pain. Now I really want a cute baby "hippo"
I think genetic mutations aren't necessarily bad...it's how evolution works. Every good trait is launched by some 'weirdo' animal who had it first.
Load More Replies...Awww, it makes them look so much more expressive! Is this what any haired guinea pig would look like if you shaved it, or do skinny pigs have a bit of a different shape? In some of the pics it appears that skinny pigs have a longer face/snout/muzzle than my pigs do, but it's hard to tell.
I'm very sure that you can get little sweaters for them. But in the post it says that their bodies are really warm, like heaters. So I don't think they're any colder than a normal animal.
Load More Replies...We have two guinea pigs. One is really fat, he’s the Porky Piggie. The other is super skinny, he’s the Skinny Guinea😅
My piggy is rather large, so she's a biggy piggy :-)
Load More Replies...I think they are amazing animals.Even if they look bad it does mean you sould not give them love because its not there fault that they where made like that.#Baldguineapigs
People should stop messing with perfectly balanced nature in order to create more convenient lab animals. Which is horrible to begin with.
hope someone photo shops a Hippo with Guinea-pig hair! just saying... hint hint.
We had one. His name was Harry! He actually had markings like a cow. We loved that thing!! Can't find them anymore in my area. Illinois
Aweeeee. They look so snuggly and cuddly. Their eyes are sooooo adorable!
Yayyy!! Somebody else noticed! I have two guinea pigs, not hairless but adorable. Love them. Piggies.
At least you don't have to skin them. Just blow-torch the stubble off and spit-roast them. Handy.
OMG I’ve been asking my parents for one of these for months! They keep saying that I already have enough pets:( Don’t give me wrong I love my kitties with all my heart but how awesome would it be to have a little hippo to snuggle
Guinea pigs shouldn't be bought as a commodity, especially not to be kept singular. Please do some research on guinea pig care...
Load More Replies...I used to have one that I actually named Hippo. Very cute creatures, and not very skittish either, they make good pets but it is worth mentioning that their skin needs to be specially cared for because it’s sensitive and peels very easily
Good to know. My guineas are getting old so I was considering getting skinnies after they die
Load More Replies...HOUSE HIPPOS ARE REAL? This brings a whole new level to that old commercial that shows this fake video of tiny hippos and then says "that's why it's good to think ... and ask questions" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TijcoS8qHIE). Heh. That's awesome.
This is exactly the comment I was going to leave. 😆
Load More Replies...yes, they're adorable. But why do we keep breeding animals with handicaps, just for our pleasure ? Like pugs, nude cats, etc. it's a cute that makes me ashamed and sad.
They're not handicapped. It doesn't affect their health negatively or restrict them from doing anything, they just have to be kept a little warmer.
Load More Replies...Despite being popular in labs... for completely unnecessary experiments that cause them untold and unnecessary suffering, keeping them in constant agony while undergoing experiments causing them horrible skin burns, blindness, cancer and then death. And what's worse, they were created in a lab specifically to do this to them.
Yep, so sad. I couldn't understand how anyone can read this article, and miss the part about 'THESE ANIMALS ARE BREAD FOR LABORATORIES.' Lab animals suffer immensely!! It needs to be outlawed!
Load More Replies...Wait this make me happy.. I think I'm going to cute these are so cute 😭
So sad to hear lab testing on animals mentioned in such a casual way- why aren't more ppl outraged at such an inhumane practice?! It needs to be outlawed. These animals suffer immensely before being euthanised. Why don't more pet owners do something to help?
It makes me sad that's its a genetic mutation but it doesn't sound like they are in pain. Now I really want a cute baby "hippo"
I think genetic mutations aren't necessarily bad...it's how evolution works. Every good trait is launched by some 'weirdo' animal who had it first.
Load More Replies...Awww, it makes them look so much more expressive! Is this what any haired guinea pig would look like if you shaved it, or do skinny pigs have a bit of a different shape? In some of the pics it appears that skinny pigs have a longer face/snout/muzzle than my pigs do, but it's hard to tell.
I'm very sure that you can get little sweaters for them. But in the post it says that their bodies are really warm, like heaters. So I don't think they're any colder than a normal animal.
Load More Replies...We have two guinea pigs. One is really fat, he’s the Porky Piggie. The other is super skinny, he’s the Skinny Guinea😅
My piggy is rather large, so she's a biggy piggy :-)
Load More Replies...I think they are amazing animals.Even if they look bad it does mean you sould not give them love because its not there fault that they where made like that.#Baldguineapigs
People should stop messing with perfectly balanced nature in order to create more convenient lab animals. Which is horrible to begin with.
hope someone photo shops a Hippo with Guinea-pig hair! just saying... hint hint.
We had one. His name was Harry! He actually had markings like a cow. We loved that thing!! Can't find them anymore in my area. Illinois
Aweeeee. They look so snuggly and cuddly. Their eyes are sooooo adorable!
Yayyy!! Somebody else noticed! I have two guinea pigs, not hairless but adorable. Love them. Piggies.
At least you don't have to skin them. Just blow-torch the stubble off and spit-roast them. Handy.
OMG I’ve been asking my parents for one of these for months! They keep saying that I already have enough pets:( Don’t give me wrong I love my kitties with all my heart but how awesome would it be to have a little hippo to snuggle
Guinea pigs shouldn't be bought as a commodity, especially not to be kept singular. Please do some research on guinea pig care...
Load More Replies...
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