What should I feed them?
Mine have a lot of veg and salad, not just one piece a day, but probably 3 lots, including round lettuce, cucumber, celery, spring green, kale, banana, cherry tomatoes and of course grass. As well as hay and readigrass and dry feed.
- (advice courtesy of "Zoe")

Why do they need extra hydration and how can I help them?
Skinny Pigs need more hydration than a normal hairy guinea pig for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they eat more than normal guinea pigs to keep up their temperature and so they need to drink a bit more. Secondly, they need more fluids to stop their skin drying out especially when kept in a house with modern heating systems.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

They require a constant supply of fresh water.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

A wet vegetable such as a tomato or a piece of cucumber can be offered once a day to help to keep them hydrated (this is extra to their usual daily diet of vegetables). If the guinea pig develops diarrhoea through eating too many watery vegetables, this should be taken seriously and the animal taken off watery foods at once. Brown bread may be given to dry the guinea pig up at the onset, but if the diarrhoea persists and the guinea pig loses weight, veterinary assistance should be found immediately. After this instance you must reduce your daily watery vegetable offerings to smaller portions.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

How do I care for their skin?
If you moisturise the skin, the moisturiser must be non perfumed, non greasy and very mild. Greasy skin can cause Skinnies to develop bacterial infections and skin rashes.
- (advice courtesy of "SkinnyPig")

We use pure aloe vera gel twice a week to keep our Skinny Pig's skin supple and healthy. This was suggested by my vet because the gel is mild and made from pure aloe vera and has no perfume, grease or other ingredients.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

I very, very rarely put any cream on my skinnies, Barney has been done once in a year, and the babies haven't been done at all, and I don't intend to unless they look dry, I think it is good for the skin to build up it's natural oils.
- (advice courtesy of "Zoe")

They need a warm bath once a month to keep the skin free from bacteria. After bathing the animal must be dried completely with a soft towel before they are allowed to continue their day. Keepers do not recommend using heat pads, lamps or fans to dry a Skinny pig, as it dehydrates them and makes their skin very dry.
- (advice courtesy of "SkinnyPig")

I use Mini-Pig Shampoo (shampoo for baby guinea pigs) by Gorgeous Guineas because it's mild and brings his skin up lovely and fresh.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

Because they are nearly bald, they have no hair to protect their skin from cuts and grazes. If the skin is wounded, gently clean the wound immediately with warm water and soft cotton pads.
- (advice courtesy of "SkinnyPig")

If they have a scratch I bath them in diluted Hibiscrub, because it's moisturising and healing.
- (advice courtesy of "Zoe")

Our Skinny Pig is a very enthusiastic sratcher and he often cuts the skin on his back with his nails. We stopped this by putting rubber nail caps for kittens onto the nails on his rear feet. Be very careful with the superglue and take your time to avoid an accident.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

After bathing, pat your Skinny Pig dry instead of rubbing to avoid hurting his delicate skin.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

How do I control their temperature?
Skinny Pigs should be kept as indoor pets because they need to be kept warm. Keep your house at a minimum of 71 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celcius).
- (advice courtesy of "SkinnyPig")

I NEVER put clothes or sweaters on them.
- (advice courtesy of "Zoe")

Never keep your Skinny Pig next to a radiator or heater because this will dry the skin out and the animal will suffer from overheating.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

You will know when your Skinny Pig is too cold because they will become wrinklier than usual and huddle up. If this happens, you must warm your guinea pig up at once otherwise the drop in temperature may kill it.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

How do I safely let them play outdoors?
When putting your hairless guinea pig out to play in the sunshine, rub him with high factor sunblock first to prevent sunburn.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

Too much sunlight will dehydrate them so they require a constantly topped up water supply. Skinnies also eat more than a hairy guinea pig in order to keep warm, and so will produce more poos than a hairy guinea pig.
- (advice courtesy of "SkinnyPig")

Carriers of the Skinny Pig gene can live outside as usual as long as they are the common hairy type of guinea pig.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

How do I travel a Skinny Pig?
When travelling a short distance to see the vet for example, you can take your Skinny Pig in a carry case and give him plenty of clean towels to hide under. This should be enough to keep him comfortable for short journeys.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

When travelling a Skinny Pig long distance, ensure that they are packed well with fresh water, hay, straw and/or towels to keep them warm and comfortable, and given some hard food such as carrots to chew on. During cold weather you can also try filling a small plastic bottle with warm water, tightly screwing the cap back on, and putting the bottle in a sock. Place it in the carry case for a nice warm object for the Skinny Pig to snuggle up to - please remember to ensure the water isn't too hot just in case the bottle breaks or the cap comes off to avoid burning the animal.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

Are there any health issues I should know about?
Our Skinny Pig has got ingrown eyelashes that sometimes rub against his eyeball and make him sore. Our vet says this is a common problem with hairless cats and dogs, and although they would usually remove the offending eyelashes in a cat or dog, removing them in a guinea pig would be extremely difficult due to the small scale of the animal. When his eyes are sore, we use Optrex for humans to ease his discomfort (always read the label on the bottle).
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")

Make sure your regular vet knows that your Skinny Pig is a hairless breed and therefore is meant to be bald. Some Skinny Pigs have been misdiagnosed with hair loss or skin problems due to the vet being unaware of the hairless breed.
- (advice courtesy of "PigPog")