03-19-2016, 09:22 PM
Skinny pigs are in a class of their own!! All the ones I have met are real characters.
They fall into the category of "So ugly that they're cute". Well for me, anyway.
I can't say that I approve of them as a pet, or at all really. They wouldn't have chosen to be this way. They were, I believe, originally bred for cosmetic research. No need to shave down a creature that has no hair. They are also used in medical research for skin treatments.
They became fashionable a while ago as a pet for folk who were allergic to pet hair.
All the ones I've met have had extraordinarily sensitive skin that has needs a good deal of care to keep it healthy. They are also prone to joint and boney issues along with respiratory problems, and their lifespan is drastically reduced i.e. a "normal" piggie life span is reckoned to be between 5 and 7 years, although I have known much older piggies. Skinnies rarely live beyond 3, an average being 18 months to 2 years.
As I said, individual skinnies that I have met have been adorable, but I don't think they should be bred.
As individuals they are all delightful, but as a class of Guinea Pig I think they should be allowed to disappear.
They fall into the category of "So ugly that they're cute". Well for me, anyway.
I can't say that I approve of them as a pet, or at all really. They wouldn't have chosen to be this way. They were, I believe, originally bred for cosmetic research. No need to shave down a creature that has no hair. They are also used in medical research for skin treatments.
They became fashionable a while ago as a pet for folk who were allergic to pet hair.
All the ones I've met have had extraordinarily sensitive skin that has needs a good deal of care to keep it healthy. They are also prone to joint and boney issues along with respiratory problems, and their lifespan is drastically reduced i.e. a "normal" piggie life span is reckoned to be between 5 and 7 years, although I have known much older piggies. Skinnies rarely live beyond 3, an average being 18 months to 2 years.
As I said, individual skinnies that I have met have been adorable, but I don't think they should be bred.
As individuals they are all delightful, but as a class of Guinea Pig I think they should be allowed to disappear.
Greeting from Wales.
Hwyl Fawr o'r Cymru.
This is the web site of the rescue I volunteer at.
http://guinearescue.blogspot.co.uk/
Hwyl Fawr o'r Cymru.
This is the web site of the rescue I volunteer at.
http://guinearescue.blogspot.co.uk/
