American satin guinea pig
The American satin is the smooth-coated American guinea pig carrying the satin gene, which changes the structure of the hair shaft so that it reflects light and gives the coat an unusually glossy, almost liquid appearance.
It is a short, close-coated pig of around a kilogram, indistinguishable from a standard American except for the shine. As with every satin variety, the same gene that produces the coat is strongly associated with osteodystrophy, a degenerative bone disease, and that association is the most important thing to know about the variety.
- Origin
- American coat crossed with the satin gene
- Size
- 700–1200 g
- Lifespan
- Often shorter than 5–7 years if osteodystrophy develops
- Coat
- Short, smooth and highly glossy
- Health
- Strongly associated with satin osteodystrophy
- Grooming
- Minimal
Related: American guinea pig · Guinea pig · Abyssinian guinea pig · Abyssinian satin guinea pig · Alpaca guinea pig
2 american satin guinea pig photos, newest first
Living with a american satin guinea pig
The coat is as easy as any smooth guinea pig's. The gene behind it is not.
Satin osteodystrophy causes the skeleton to demineralise, and affected pigs become reluctant to move, struggle to chew and lose weight, usually within the first year or two. It cannot be cured, only managed for pain, and several guinea pig clubs discourage satin breeding because of it. Ask any breeder directly, and watch for early signs.
Everything else is standard: vitamin C every day, unlimited hay, never a lone pig, and considerably more floor space than a pet-shop cage offers.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual critters vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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