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Baldwin Guinea Pigs: A Brief Guide

Baldwin guinea pigs are loved throughout the world as unique guinea pigs with a character all of their own.

As far as guinea pig breeds go, they are fairly new on the scene but have grown in popularity amongst breeders.

Here is a brief guide that we have put together to introduce you do this amazing breed of piggie.

What do Baldwin Guinea pigs look like?

They are completely bald and their skin has a rubbery texture to it.

Baldwins are born with all their hair. However after just a few days of their birth their hair starts to fall out and over a period of a few months leaving them it gradually disappears leaving them completely bald.

How did they originate?

Baldwin guinea pigs were originally a spontaneous mutation from White Crested cavies belonging to a Californian cavy owner who was breeding them for show.

They were then bred in isolation before being released to the wider world.

What’s the difference between Baldwins and Skinny Guinea Pigs?

There are two types of hairless guinea pigs, Baldwin guinea pigs and Skinny guinea pigs. Baldwins are completely bald where as Skinny guinea pigs are bald with tufts of hair on their feet, legs and faces.

Where should Baldwin Guinea pigs be kept?

Baldwin guinea pigs, although quite hardy creatures, are not capable of dealing with really cold temperatures and so should always live inside. They are able to have short periods outside in warm weather but as they have no coat do not have the protection they need to protect them.

They cannot cope with any direct sunlight and so must be kept in the shade when you have them outside.

They should be protected from any kind of drafts so take care with any windows in the room that you keep them in.

According to http://www.hairlesshilltophunks.com/care.htm the optimum temperature for baldwin guinea pigs is between 72-74 degrees farenheit.

With this in mind, do keep them inside and as with all guinea pigs, prepare a good sized space for them to live in.

C&C cages or something similar are the best types of cages for them to live where they have a good amount of space to run about in and you can adjust them according what is happening. They can be divided up easily so you can separate the guinea pigs if they do need keeping apart.

What type of bedding do baldwin guinea pigs need?

There are different types of bedding that can be used for baldwin guinea pigs. Avoid anything that could cause irritation to their skin, such as sawdust, harsh shavings and thick hay.

Be wary of using shavings as they may cause irritation not to mention breathing difficulties.

In their place, carefresh and soft sorbet are good options.

Their bedding needs changing often as they eat and drink more frequently than other breeds of guinea pig. So be prepared to change it almost daily.

What food can baldwin guinea pigs eat?

Baldwin guinea pigs can be fed a good guinea pig diet of fresh green hay, topped up by veggies, fruit vitamin c pellets and fresh water.

Because of their high metabolic rate they do require more food and water than the average cavy so do prepare for this.

How often should baldwins be bathed?

Not all guinea pigs need bathing often, but hairless guinea pigs such as baldwins are an exception.

Because of their lack of hair, It is recommended that they are bathed every 2 weeks at a minimum.

If they are not bathed their skin does become dirty and grimy.

They do not like any shampoos that have fragrances so use plain shampoos. Check out gorgeousguineas.com who have a very good product range for this.

But avoid regular frangrance shampoos that you can often purchase for guinea pigs.

 

More detailed sources of information about baldwin guinea pigs may be found at

http://baldwinguineapigs.weebly.com/history.html

http://www.hairlesshilltophunks.com/care.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_pig_breed#Hairless_breeds

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/guineapigs/ss/skinnypigs.htm