Baldwin guinea pig
The Baldwin is a hairless guinea pig that appeared as a spontaneous recessive mutation in California in the 1980s.
Unlike the Skinny pig, which is born nearly bare, a Baldwin is born with a full coat and loses it progressively over the first weeks of life, ending completely bald with rubbery, wrinkled skin.
Underneath it is an ordinary guinea pig of around a kilogram with the usual social and vocal nature. The lack of coat, however, changes the husbandry substantially: heat regulation, skin care and food intake are all affected, and this is not a beginner's animal.
- Origin
- California, 1980s, from a recessive mutation
- Size
- 700–1200 g
- Lifespan
- 4–6 years
- Coat
- None; born coated and bald by around two months
- Temperament
- Social and vocal, as any guinea pig
- Housing
- Warm, draught-free, 22–24°C
Related: Guinea pig · Abyssinian guinea pig · Abyssinian satin guinea pig · Alpaca guinea pig · American guinea pig
2 baldwin guinea pig photos, newest first
Living with a baldwin guinea pig
Without a coat they lose heat constantly and eat considerably more to compensate — expect a higher food intake and keep the room reliably warm and free of draughts. They chill dangerously fast.
The skin needs checking for dryness, cuts and fungal infection, and it sunburns. No direct sun, no harsh bedding; soft fleece rather than shavings.
House with company as always — hairless pigs benefit particularly from another pig to huddle against.
Otherwise standard: daily vitamin C, unlimited hay, generous floor space, and a vet the same day if one stops eating.
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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