sheltie guinea pigs

Sheltie Guinea Pigs: A Brief Guide

Sheltie guinea pigs are wonderful beautiful piggies who are beloved by owners and breeders worldwide.

They were first bred in the United Kingdom and their popularity has since spread. They are often know as Silkies or Shetland’s’ depending on where you live.

So as to properly introduce you to them, here are some useful facts about them to help get to know them better.

sheltie guinea pigs

    1. The sheltie is a non-self variety guninea pig
    2. It is a long haired version of the smooth-haired guinea pig
    3. It is a main classfied breed
    4. It has no rosettes
    5. It has a long tain
    6. Its hair sweeps back from its face
    7. Unlike the peruvian it doesnt have hair that sweeps over its face
    8. A sheltie is born with short hair
    9. Once the sheltie is born, the hair starts to grow very quickly
    10. Breeders who show sheltie’s usually wrapper the hair and give lots of care and attention to its coat.
    11. It is also known as a silkie due to its very silky long coat
    12. Its coat does not naturally part along its back, unlike that of a Peruvian guinea pig

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How to care for a Sheltie guinea pig

They obviously need feeding well, and so the regular guinea pig diet of timothy hay, pellets, water, supplemented by veggies will do nicely for them.

Getting the sheltie used to hair brushing is something which needs to be started early in their lives.

Doing regular brushing when their hair is not tangled will help keep their in good shape.

Bathing can be tricky with a Sheltie as they are sensitive to being bathed. You can spot clean them though.

Owners can ‘butt-bath’ them though which is just bathing their backsides to wash away excrement. This should be done every few weeks.

Guinea pigs love to groom themselves, but unfortunately the Sheltie is unable to keep up with this because of their hair, and so will need regular assistance bathing and grooming.

The personality and temperament of a Sheltie guinea pig

Sheltie guinea pig’s are known for being very gentle and supple creatures.

They are also quite laid back in character, and when of first meet them they may come across as quite timid, but as they warm to you, you will see more of they’re true character.


Tips for trimming and cutting the hair of a sheltie guinea pig

Did you know that a Sheltie’s hair can grow at a rate of 2.5 centimeters (about an inch) per month? (Source: Peter Gurney’s “What’s My Guinea Pig?” (TFH Publications, 1997)).

Trimming a Sheltie’s coat on a regular basis is really important, it can quickly grow out of control and can affect their quality of life.

Here are some tips for trimming their coat’s.

    • Regularly trim the coat around the backside and belly to stop the hair being soaked in urine
    • They are sensitive about being groomed in particular from behind the shoulders
    • The trick to trimming a sheltie coat is to layer cut it so that the rear end doesn’t become soiled at all.
    • For male shelties, trim as much as possible around the rump. This is because when they excrete, the faecies get stuck in the hair and in the anus, which is unhealthy and uncomfortable for the poor Sheltie. Older males often have trouble excreting so is will also help aid them.

A great video on the subject is the one below, which is detailed explanation of trimming a Sheltie’s hair.

13 thoughts on “Sheltie Guinea Pigs: A Brief Guide

  1. I’m not sure how I ended up with a Sheltie/Silky but I did. She’s very sweet, had her since birth. However, I do not breed Cavies. I believe it was a father/daughter accidental breeding that must have doubled up on the genes that produced her. So, she is a first for me.
    I came upon your website while looking for instruction on coat care. Thank you for the helpful information in this area. I plan to trim the length & I always have kept her rear very short. Thanks again!

  2. I love my sheltie, Woody. He is gorgeous and very sweet natured. We didn’t know he would be long haired! He likes being brushed but is not a fan of having his hair cut! I swear I cut a bit off and twice as much grows back! Wish my hair was like that!

  3. My four year old male sheltie “Mash” gets a hair trim once every six weeks. I tend to cut his coat like a bob style resting just above the ground and going towards the back end I do a layered shorter bob so no hair is left to get tangled and smelly! I bath him once a month is running warm water and unfragranced baby shampoo then blow dry him. He adores the warmth of the hairdryer and then I clean his ears with baby wipes. He loves to be groomed and clean and finishes the treatment off by licking his paws and washing his cute face. Aarrghhh ….

  4. Hi,
    What age should you start trimming a shelties coat? I have a female guinea pig and I thought it was a sheltie she has longish hair but not long enough to be trimmed. Although I do have to trim her back end. She is 6 months so I was wondering if her hair is still growing and that’s why it doesn’t need trimming…?

  5. I have an adorable little sheltie named Ruckus, which suits him, because every time I pick him up, he squeaks his head off, extremely loudly to! He loves to be bathed and brushed. He has won a blue ribbon and and red ribbon at my schools competition, with his adopted Abby brother Nestle. He is very cute, sweet, kind and caring. He is also extremely cheeky, he always flicks sawdust everywhere when I am done cleaning out there cage, it is quite annoying actually. Also every time I go to get bring him inside of an afternoon, he goes to the one end of the hutch where He knows I cannot reach him. He eats and eats, so he is rather chubby. My dad got me my guinea pigs a few months ago, as an early birthday surprise, I only thought I had Ruckus, who was climbing all over Nestle, who I thought was a piece of fluff, that I soon realised was alive. Only after bringing him home did my dad realise that Ruckus had a white birthmark against his light brown and black hair, the exact same as my dad!! My mum and I think they must be realated in some way. He only knows one trick though, which is to jump into his hutch when placed in front of the open door, the same trick as Nestlé. He is very proper, prim, and uptight, but also very playful and sweet, and he also loves looking at himself in the mirror, and once he gets a glimpse of himself, it is pretty much impossible to draw his attention away again. And even though I have tried, they do not seem to want to learn any more tricks, they are quite stubborn, and it is rather annoying. Any suggestions?!

  6. Hey so I don’t know if I have a sheltoe or a corronette

    My pig is white with a part down the middle of her hair and as with Lon haored fuinea pigs I have to wash the bum as welll hope to see if someone knows
    Thanks

  7. Hi everyone myname is Ada I just bought a baby sheltie guinea pig and she is so lovable..please help me when is a good time to put her in with our guinea pig? We just learned the sex on the other one we have found out he’s a boy….so I had to get her own cage…

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