The shelty guinea pig is one of the most recommended pets. It is a beautiful rodent that is characterized by its long, soft and silky fur, which is shorter on the head, which does not interfere with its ability to see. Also, the facial hair of this guinea pig is much shorter than that of the Peruvian guinea pigs, which are its ancestors. More specifically, it comes from a cross between a Peruvian guinea pig and a black guinea pig. It appeared intentionally in the early 1970s and is now one of the most popular guinea pigs in the world.
Keep reading this breed profile from AnimalPlanet to know all the characteristics of the shelty guinea pig, its origin, character, care and he alth.
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Origin
- Europe
- United Kingdom
Origin of the shelty guinea pig
The shelty guinea pig originated in the Shetland Islands in the UK, hence its name, when a black short-haired guinea pig was crossed with a Peruvian hairy guinea pig long in the 1970s for experimental purposes. Today, it is found in every country in the world and is one of the most popular and well-known guinea pigs.
The breed was recognized in 1973 in the United Kingdom, its country of origin. In 1980 he was recognized as a shelty guinea pig in America. Today, rather than talking about shelty guinea pigs, many call them silkie or silky guinea pigs, because of their silky coat.
Features of Shelty Guinea Pig
The shelty guinea pig is medium in size. The female is up to 25 cm long and weighs 700 grams, while the male is 30 cm long and weighs 1.4 kg. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of three months.
Like all guinea pigs, the shelty or silkie guinea pig has an elongated, compact body, short legs, a large head, floppy ears and round, lively eyes. At birth, its coat is short and without rosettes, but it grows an average of 2.5 cm per month until it has its final adult coat. The coat is long, dense, silky and very soft.
However, it never covers the face like in the Peruvian guinea pig because it is longer in this area and tends to fall forward, while in the Sheltie guinea pig the facial hair is longer runs and pushes backwards (upside down). So there is no such thing as a short-haired sheltie guinea pig.
Shelty guinea pig character
Shelty guinea pigs are calm and friendly. Although they may be shy at first, they quickly gain confidence and affection. They are not attention-seeking, screaming or fussing guinea pigs; on the contrary, they have a very docile character and are very affectionate.
For all these reasons, the sheltie guinea pig is one of the best guinea pigs to have as a pet and adopt in the presence of children or other animals, especially for its docility and his calm and friendly character. Although he is one of the best guinea pigs to have at home, he also needs some time to rest and be independent. It is also essential to educate children so that they know how to treat them properly and, above all, that they understand that they are not toys.
Caring for a shelty guinea pig
The shelty guinea pig should have a very spacious cage located in a quiet place so that it can rest comfortably and not be distressed by voices or noises. He must have abundant litter which must be changed frequently to avoid humidity due to urine and the fruits and vegetables on which he feeds. However, no guinea pig should be confined to its cage 24 hours a day, so it is more than advisable to allow it to roam outside for a few hours a day. To do this, it should be checked that there are no cables or objects that could injure the guinea pig. It is even possible to arrange an entire room for the guinea pig and place its cage there.
Related to the previous point, the shelty guinea pig, like any other guinea pig, should be provided with adequate environmental enrichment, consisting of a variety of toys to distract it. This is why it is strongly advised to arrange a room for it.
As for the maintenance of sheltie guinea pigs, their claws must be cut every month or when they are noticed that they curl too much. Teeth should be checked for problems, such as malocclusion, which lead to excessive tooth growth and cause infections and lesions if excessive salivation occurs.
Due to its particular coat, the shelty guinea pig must be the subject of specific care in order to keep it clean and to avoid knots. For this, it must be brushed several times a week with a soft plastic comb in the direction of the hair. It is important to pay attention to the underside of the coat, which tends to tangle more. If the coat is too long on some sides, it may be trimmed slightly.
Another way to take care of the shelty guinea pig's coat is to bathe it with a special rodent shampoo when it is very dirty or smells bad.While bathing, it is important to ensure that water does not enter the guinea pig's nose, eyes or ears to avoid infection or irritation. You can also dampen a cloth and pass it over the guinea pig instead of bathing it if bathing is too stressful for it, but it won't be the same.
Discover all guinea pig care in this article.
Shelty Guinea Pig Feeding
The diet of the sheltie or silkie guinea pig is no different from that of other guinea pigs. As babies they eat hay and fruit, vegetables and foods should be introduced gradually.
In adult guinea pigs, the diet should be as follows:
- Hay should constitute 70% of the daily diet, as it is the main food of guinea pigs.
- Fruits and vegetables represent 30% of the guinea pig's diet. They include carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, chard, strawberries and cherries.
- The kibble should be specific to guinea pigs to ensure that all nutrients are given in the correct proportions for the proper development and he alth of the guinea pig. They represent 5 to 10% of the daily diet.
He must always have fresh water available.
An important thing to keep in mind about sheltie guinea pig care is to prevent obesity as they tend to suffer from it.
Sheltie Guinea Pig He alth
The life expectancy of sheltie guinea pigs is 5 to 8 years, provided they have a balanced diet, receive the necessary care and are subject to he alth checks. routine at the exotic vet.
Common he alth issues that sheltie guinea pigs can suffer from include:
- Pests, especially because of their long hairs, as they are harder to find. If you observe that your guinea pig is scratching excessively, this may indicate a parasitic process (mites, lice, fleas) or an allergy. The solution and prevention go through routine deworming.
- Digestive problems, which are particularly common if they do not follow a balanced diet. These problems are the leading cause of death in guinea pigs.
- Scurvy, a disease due to vitamin C deficiency, a key vitamin in guinea pigs that must be supplemented in the diet because it cannot synthesize it itself. This disease can cause respiratory system disorders, sialorrhea, anorexia, immunosuppression, pododermatitis, internal bleeding, weakness, lameness, alopecia, darkening of the skin or pain, among others.Hence the importance of giving our guinea pigs kibble suitable for this species, which contain the necessary proportion of this vitamin to avoid deficiencies.
- Dental problems, so it is essential to check for early detection of dental malocclusion and to get to the vet quickly to find a solution. Do not file or trim teeth at home as this can cause serious harm to your guinea pig.
See How to tell if your guinea pig is sick in this other article.
Pictures of Shelty Guinea Pig
