Ten skinny pigs, whose owners will need to apply suncream to keep their bald skin safe outside, have been signed over into RSPCA care
The RSPCA has taken ten unusual ‘skinny pigs’ into their care – and the charity is now looking for loving owners to come forward.
Skinny pigs are a type of Guinea pig which has been bred to have no fur, in a similar way to Sphynx cats.
They were signed over to the RSPCA from a house where their previous owner was struggling to cope.
Fortunately of the ten, two have already found loving homes. Three males named Aardvark, Walrus and Warthog (all pictured) – are now looking for homes and five females will also be looking for homes once they have completed further health checks to ensure they are not pregnant.
The skinny pigs are currently being looked after by RSPCA Middlesex branch having been initially taken to the charity’s Putney hospital in London for their checks. The males are now neutered and ready to find their loving forever homes.
Pet welfare expert at the RSPCA Dr Jane Tyson said: “Skinny pigs are a type of guinea pig which has been bred to look a certain way.
“Whilst they can look cute and funny to some people, this breeding has actually led to them having very sensitive skin in the same way a Sphynx cat does.
“This means that, for example, if they are kept outside they will need to be kept away from direct sunlight and to have pet-safe sun cream applied to them to keep them happy and healthy. Without having fur to keep them warm, they also readily feel the cold so extra care needs to be taken in colder weather to help them stay warm.
“They can also scratch their skin easily so bedding must be soft and it’s a good idea to make sure their nails are kept in good condition to make sure they don’t injure themselves.
“Although Guinea pigs are very misunderstood pets in some ways – for example, they should not be kept with rabbits – they are also very rewarding and characterful creatures.”
Cheryl O’Keeffe, animal welfare administrator at RSPCA Middlesex, said: “We have absolutely fallen in love with the skinny pigs here – all the staff love spending time with them as they are real characters. They aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but I expect they will be rehomed quickly to the right family.”
More information on the needs of guinea pigs can be found on the RSPCA’s website – if you think you can offer a loving forever home you can see all the details on the RSPCA’s Find a Pet page.
This October as part of their ‘Adoptober’ campaign, the RSPCA is urging animal lovers to think twice about buying a small furry as a ‘starter pet’ for their children as they revealed they are rescuing 340 of them a month.
Across England and Wales last year, the RSPCA rescued 4,081 rabbits and other small furries from cases of cruelty, neglect, and abandonment.
To help the thousands of animals in our care you can donate at https://rspca.org.uk/donateadoptober, or showing your support for rescue pets with one of our RSPCA T-shirts.