A Short Guide to Sheltie Guinea Pigs
There are many gorgeous breeds of guinea pigs around with one of them being the Sheltie. These little piggies have to be among the most beautiful on the planet and first appeared on the scene in the UK where they were originally bred. It's hardly surprising they have gone on to be one of the most popular breeds of cavies around!
The Sheltie Guinea Pig is also known as a Silky or a Sheltand depending on what part of the world or country you live in. Below is a list of quick facts about these adorable looking long-haired cavies.
- The Sheltie is a classified breed of guinea pig
- It is a non-self colour cavy
- The breed is long-haired
- Shelties don't have any rosettes in their coats
- Shelties have long tails
- The hair on their faces sweeps back towards their bodies
- When they are born, they already have short hair which grows very quickly
- They are known as silkies because their coats are so soft and long
- Their coats do not naturally part along their backs
Caring for a Sheltie Guinea Pig
Just like other breeds of cavies, the Sheltie needs to be fed a well balanced and nutritious diet which should include the following:
- Timothy hay
- Pellets
- Fresh clean water
- Fresh vegetables can be supplemented to their diet
Grooming a Sheltie
Shelties need a lot of grooming and ideally a routine should to be started when they are very young so they get used to being brushed and learn to look forward to it. They soon get to enjoy the one-to-one time they spend with you.
Regular grooming ensures their long soft coats don't get matted or tangled and it helps keep their skin in great condition. It also means you get to examine your pet thoroughly to make sure there are no lumps or bumps and injuries. It also prevents your pet from developing any fur balls because Shelties like other breeds, do like to keep clean by grooming themselves.
If you find your Sheltie is very dirty, you can spot clean them rather than bath them because guinea pigs are not that fond of being bathed. Spot cleaning your cavy is a lot less stressful for them.
Temperament & Personality
These adorable cavies are renowned for their kind and gentle natures which makes them an ideal choice of family pet. Although at first they might be a little shy they soon bond well with people and turn into really laid back characters to have around.
Advice on Trimming a Sheltie's Coat
A Sheltie's coat grows at an amazing rate which can be anything up to an inch in a month! This means that trimming their hair is essential to keeping everything nice and tidy. If their coat is allowed to get too long, it can make it very hard for a Sheltie to move around which in turn affects their quality of life. Below are a few good tips on how to trim your pet's coat:
- Grooming needs to be started when Shelties are very young so they learn to enjoy the experience
- You need to be very gentle when grooming a Sheltie so that you never end up hurting them which could make them frightened and stressed out the next time you try to brush them
- Trimming a Shelties back-end and belly will prevent the coat from becoming smelly. It keeps things nice and hygienic ensuring the hair does not get too soiled
- Shelties can be a little sensitive when groomed around and behind their shoulders so you need to take extra care when doing this
- The key to successfully trimming a Sheltie's coat is to layer the hair around their back ends to keep things nice and clean
- If you have a male Sheltie, it's best to trim as much hair as you can around their rear ends otherwise they tend to get a bit dirty, messy and smelly
Conclusion
There are lots of gorgeous looking breeds of guinea pigs around and the Shelties is definitely one of them. They are friendly, loving and gentle little creatures that make ideal family pets. They also boast longish lifespans which means children of all ages can really get to bond with their pets although kids under the age of eight should always be supervised when they play with them. Keeping their long, flowing coats looking good, means regular grooming which also helps strengthen the bond you form with your adorable looking Sheltie!
