Silkie Guinea Pig

This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.

A guinea pig in a wig

Silkies, also called shelties in some clubs, weigh about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds and often live 5 to 7 years. Hair grows back over the body. It wraps around feet and picks up hay, urine, and pellets. Daily grooming is the breed. If you do not want that chore, choose a short-coated pig. The personality underneath is still a guinea pig: talkative, food-motivated, and unhappy alone.

Floor space of at least 7.5 square feet for one is a minimum, and a pair needs more. Hay is the main food. Vitamin C is not optional. Vitamin drops in the water bottle are a weak plan because the vitamin breaks down and the pig may not drink enough.

Scurvy, stones, and a mat against the skin

A limp, a sore joint, or a pig that screams when picked up can be vitamin C deficiency or a stone. Both need a vet who sees guinea pigs. Matted hair hides skin infections. VCA covers guinea pig vitamin C. A pig that will not eat hay by the end of the day is the not-eating page.

Silkie guinea pig questions

How often do you bathe a silkie?

Rarely. Brush the coat daily or every other day so mats do not form against the skin. A bath is for a dirty rear end, then a full dry. A wet longhair pig in a cold room gets chilled.

Do they need vitamin C?

Yes, every day, like every guinea pig. They cannot make their own. Pellets help and still go stale. A pig that is limping or has a rough coat may be scorbutic, which is a diet failure.

Can they live alone?

They should not. Guinea pigs are a pair or a group. One silkie in a show coat is still a herd animal.