Himalayan Guinea Pig: Pictures, Info, Traits & Care Guide

The Himalayan guinea pig is a distinct and striking breed with unique coloration and a gentle, lovable temperament. Though they are more difficult to find than their American or Abyssinian counterparts, the Himalayan is a breed worth considering if you’re looking to adopt another piggy to add to your herd. Today, we’re going to review everything you could want to know about this breed so you can decide if it is the right fit for your family.

Despite what the breed title would have you believe, the Himalayan does not come from the Himalayas of India. Instead, this breed originated in South America. These piggies are known for their albino appearance and unique color points on their nose, ears, or feet.

Himalayan piggies have much more to offer than their distinctive coloration, however. Read on to learn more about the temperament and care requirements of this beautiful guinea pig breed.

Himalayan Guinea Pig Breed Characteristics

How Much Do These Guinea Pigs Cost?

Himalayans are a relatively rare breed, which can make finding one to adopt a challenge. If you have your heart set on adopting one of these beautiful piggies, you’ll likely need to do so via a breeder instead of a pet store. You should expect, then, to pay a bit more for your pet than you would a breed that’s more easily accessible.

In addition to your upfront adoption costs, you’ll have other expenditures, including housing for your new pet and toys for their enclosure.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Himalayan Guinea Pig

The Himalayan is very much like other guinea pigs in temperament. They’re generally very gentle and affectionate, thriving in households that can provide plenty of human interaction. Himalayans are social and intelligent and can learn to love being handled with time and patience.

As with other breeds, you’ll need to learn how to hold them for them to respond positively to your advances. Remember, guinea pigs are prey animals, so they can be very timid and afraid of humans until they’ve had a chance to warm up to you and learn your intentions.

Do These Guinea Pigs Make Good Pets?

Himalayans may be slightly less skittish than other breeds and more inclined to enjoy a snuggle and pets from their favorite humans. For this reason, we believe they are a great breed to consider adopting if you have responsible (preferably older) children who will respect boundaries and are willing to learn how to handle and care for a guinea pig properly. They make friendly and loving pets, especially once they’re comfortable with interacting with humans.

Does This Guinea Pig Get Along With Other Pets?

Himalayans, like other guinea pigs, are very social creatures and will absolutely thrive in households where they can be with more of their kind. Wild guinea pigs live together in herds, so you should do your best to replicate this environment in your home. Of course, you don’t need a literal herd of piggies running around in your house, but it is best to keep them in pairs to ensure their social needs are being met.

Because guinea pigs are prey animals, they are naturally skittish around other species. If you have dogs or cats in the home, your Himalayan’s enclosure needs to be closed in to keep them safe.

Things to Know When Owning a Himalayan Guinea Pig:

Food & Diet Requirements

Guinea pigs are true herbivores, requiring only plant material to survive and thrive. The bulk of your Himalayan’s diet should consist of timothy or another low-calcium hay. They need 24/7 access to hay in unlimited amounts. Timothy-based pellets designed specifically for guinea pigs are another important component of your pet’s diet. Hay and pellets should be supplemented with fresh and colorful veggies. Place a special emphasis on those higher in vitamin C, such as bell peppers and collard greens, as guinea pigs have a high vitamin C requirement. Limit fruit to special occasions as its high sugar content can lead to an imbalance of intestinal bacteria.

Habitat & Hutch/Enclosure Requirements

As with most small critters, the bigger the enclosure you can provide, the better. Guinea pigs require a much bigger habitat than you might think.

Finding an adequately sized enclosure from the store can be challenging. Unfortunately, many of the ready-made cage options at your local pet store are far too small for your piggy to live happily.

For this reason, we recommend DIYing a “C&C” cage made of metal cubes and coroplast. Use gridded cubes meant for storage shelves to create the cage and coroplast sheets from your local hardware store for the base of your piggy’s home. Amazon also sells pre-made coroplast cage liners, but you’ll need to measure to ensure they’ll fit with the grids you buy. We also recommend using fleece on top of the coroplast for comfort. When we had guinea pigs, we sewed moving pads between layers of fleece, as doing so made the material more absorbent for your piggy’s urine. We had several sets we could switch out and wash when they became soiled.

The perfect enclosure for a pair of guinea pigs will be, at minimum, 30 inches by 50 inches. The more space your pigs have to move around, the happier they’ll be. They need room in their enclosure to engage in their natural behaviors, such as climbing, digging, and burrowing. Additionally, the sides of the cage should be, at minimum, 12” high to ensure your piggy doesn’t climb or fall out.

Exercise & Sleeping Needs

Exercise is as important for Himalayans as it is for any other animal. Part of the reason it’s recommended to have such a huge enclosure for your pet is to ensure they have plenty of space to move about and get their daily physical activity needs met. You might also consider allowing your piggies to spend time outside of their cage, provided you have a safe space for them to explore with no stairs or other pets nearby.

Training

Himalayans are intelligent creatures with docile temperaments that can make training them a possibility. You can teach them tricks like pushing a ball, spinning in circles, and even coming when called. Some owners like to potty train their piggies to use a specific area of their cage to do the majority of their peeing and pooping, too!

Grooming

Himalayans have short fur, so grooming won’t require much of your time. You may need to help them clean their feet and back end occasionally. Nail trimming is one grooming component you will need to do probably once a month. Improper nail care can cause them to curve and may even lead the nail to grow into the foot pad. Additionally, skipping out on trims can cause discomfort and may make the nails more likely to get caught and ripped out.

Guinea pigs do not need baths. You can, however, do a light bum wash if they get messy.

Lifespan and Health Conditions

The Himalayan is prone to developing the same conditions as any other guinea pig breed.

Your pet’s sensitive respiratory system may make them prone to developing pneumonia. They’re also known to get inner ear infections and gastrointestinal diseases like gastrointestinal stasis or intestinal parasites that lead to diarrhea. Guinea pigs can also get a variety of tumors, including mammary and skin tumors and abscesses.

As mentioned in the “Diet” section, guinea pigs have a high vitamin C requirement. If this is not met, they can develop scurvy. Lack of vitamin C can make your Himalayan prone to developing other diseases and infections.

Other things to be on the lookout for include dental problems and bladder issues. Dental disease is relatively common in piggies and can be caused by a vitamin C deficiency or a poor diet. Piggies are prone to developing urinary stones, which can cause life-threatening obstructions.

Male vs Female

Male Himalayans are generally larger than their female counterparts. Males tend to weigh closer to 2 to 2.5 pounds, while females are usually in the 1.5-to-2.25-pound range. Males and females may have slightly different social dynamics. If your goal is to have a herd of Himalayans in your home, females may be more open to living in larger group settings and are less likely to have fallouts among each other that require separation.

However, if you want to have two to three piggies, an all-male herd may be ideal. Males tend to not do as well in larger groups but can typically live okay as a duo or trio.

3 Little-Known Facts About Himalayan Guinea Pig

1. They are considered albino.

Though they have colored markings known as “points”, Himalayan guinea pigs are actually considered an albino breed. They are born completely white and with the trademark albino red-tinted eyes.

2. They are known as the Siamese cats of the guinea pig world.

As the Himalayan ages, they’ll develop colored points, most often seen on the ears, nose, and feet. The points are typically brown or black. It is these points that earn them the “Siamese cat of the guinea pig world” title. It can take up to three months for the Himalayan to reach its final coloring.

3. They are rare.

Himalayans are one of the rare guinea pig breeds. You’ll likely need to find a breeder to acquire your piggy, as finding one in a pet store may prove to be a challenge.

Final Thoughts

The Himalayan guinea pig is a unique-looking animal that can make a fantastic pet for the right family. They’re generally more docile and less skittish than other piggy breeds, but because they’re relatively rare, finding one to adopt may be challenging. Chances are you won’t find a Himalayan in your local pet store, so you’ll need to research to find breeders in your area who specialize in this fantastic breed.

Featured Image Credit: PHOTO FUN, Shutterstock