Humans are not the only ones who suffer from hair loss. Whether hair loss is caused by illness or old age, the condition can affect our four-legged friends too.

Luckily, the animals and birds on our list don't seem to mind the loss of their hair, fur, or feathers. Do you think they look as cute without their fur or feathers?

Rabbit

This cute bunny was born in 2009 and became an instant internet sensation because he is bald. Luckily, after three months he grew his first fur coat and turned out to be just as normal as his furry brothers and sisters.

Bear



Dolores the bear is one of the bears who suffered from sudden hair loss at the Leipzig Zoo, Germany. Some experts believe it was caused by a genetic defect, although the animals do not appear to suffer from any other afflictions.

Hedgehog



Meet Betty, a cute bald hedgehog from the Foxy Lodge rescue center in the UK. She is a healthy and completely normal animal except for the fact that she is bald and the cause of her baldness is unknown.

Parrot


Oscar was a 35-year-old female Moluccan cockatoo who suffered from a condition that affects birds, Beak and Feather Disease. She pulled out her own feathers because they irritated her so much.

Squirrel


Photo: Murph le


Hairless squirrels are not very rare; their hair loss is usually due to illness caused by ticks.

Guinea pig


Photo: Alina Gerika


Skinny is a breed of hairless guinea pig. Judging by their pink skin, there is no need to explain why guinea pigs are called "pigs." (Photo: margaretshairlesspigs.webs.com)

Penguin



This hairless baby penguin was born without feathers and was abandoned by his parents at an aquarium in China's Liaoning Province. Aquarium staff determined that the baby penguin's lack of feathers and poor health were due to difficulty digesting and absorbing food. nutrients. Thanks to his keepers, the penguin was able to grow a feathered coat and was successfully reintroduced to his family.

Rat


Photo: CSBeck


Photo: Maxim Loskutov


Hairless rats are produced by breeding different combinations of genes. On the other hand, hairless laboratory rats provide researchers with valuable data on weakened immune system and genetic kidney diseases. (Photo: CSBeck).

Chimpanzee


Chimpanzees, like other apes, great apes and humans, sometimes suffer from alopecia, a disease that causes them to lose hair from all over their bodies. These poor creatures attract many visitors to zoos. (Photo: RedEyedRex)

Dog


Photo: sweet mustache


These are Peruvian hairless dogs. Machu Picchu (the 4-month-old puppy in the photo above) was offered as a pet to US President Barack Obama. He promised his daughters a new pet for the White House, but the dog had to be hypoallergenic because one of them is allergic to most dog breeds. Peruvian Hairless dogs are said to be ideal for sensitive people due to their lack of hair. (Photo: Karel Navarro)

Wombat




Meet Karmann, an orphaned baby wombat from Australia. Wombats must remain in their mother's pouch until they reach seven months of age. However, poor Karmann was rescued from her dying mother's pouch at 3 months old, so she has no hair. She is currently being cared for at a wildlife sanctuary in Melbourne.

Baboon

A hairless female baboon was spotted in rural areas Zimbabwe. The animal may have lost its fur due to alopecia. However, this hairless baboon was spotted in wildlife, so the cause of her baldness is unknown.

Kangaroo




This tiny creature is Sabrina, a female kangaroo who was abandoned by her mother in the Serengeti-Park in Germany. These animals do not grow hair until they emerge from their mother's pouch. Bald Sabrina always had to be carried close to warm body or wrapped in a blanket to keep her warm.

Hamster


Hairless Syrian hamsters have no fur due to genetic disease. Hairless baby hamsters are only born to parents with the hairless gene, so they should not breed. (Photo: The Thicket Rabbitry)

During the course of evolution, man has lost most of his hair, unlike simple animals, who still have to deal with harsh living conditions in nature, in forests, steppes and in cold water. But there are types of animals that can also boast of smooth skin, although it looks very unusual. Whether it’s cute or scary – judge for yourself.

1. Abandoned hairless guinea pig becomes an Instagram star

A male guinea pig named Ludwik has experienced a series of amazing changes in just one year. First, the poor guy was thrown out, then he ended up in an animal rescue center, and in the end he was given into the good hands of new loving owners who helped him become an Internet star.

His current owner, Agata Nowacka, first saw the animal completely sick, suffering from fungus and other ailments. The woman sheltered the baby and nursed him until he fully recovered. In 2015, Ludwig opened his own profile on Instagram, to which about 15,000 people have already subscribed.

By the way, in fact, this pig is not bald, but simply belongs to such a hairless breed of rodents. Special care for this cute pet involves weekly bathing and a certain regime of skin moisturizing.

2. Due to a mysterious disease, bears in a German zoo have gone bald.

Veterinarians are at a loss as to why the female bears at the Leipzig Zoo suddenly began to go bald. In 2012, for a mysterious reason, three females, Dolores, Lolita, and Bianca, lost hair on their heads, paws, and backs. Usually, before winter, these animals grow even thicker hair in order to prepare for the cold season. But the famous bears had to stay close to each other for some time to avoid freezing until a suitable treatment for this disease was found.

3. The “naked” parrot has become a real muse and encouragement for the disabled

Sweet Rhea is a hairless bird suffering from beak problems and a skin condition that has caused her to lose all her feathers. But the lack of plumage is more than compensated by the attention of a loving owner and a whole crowd of fans from the Internet who follow the charismatic and cute bird on Instagram.

Looking at photos of Sweet Rhea, one cannot help but notice that she has a rich inner world! The daily adventures and elegant costumes of this feathered creature have made the parrot a real star of the World Wide Web. Rhea has even become a symbol of overcoming for people with physical disabilities, as she tirelessly proves that there is nothing wrong in being somehow different from the rest.

4. Bald hamster wears sweaters to keep warm

Meet Silky, a charming female hamster who was abandoned by her previous owners when they were faced with the choice of whether to treat the pet or abdicate responsibility for the tamed animal. She now lives at the Oregon Humane Society.

Silka has a very unique quality - thanks to a genetic mutation, she is completely bald, and is also much smaller in size and thinner than ordinary hamsters of her breed. In addition, it needs additional insulation during cold seasons.

A shelter employee who cares for animals, Selene Mejia, was very worried about the hamster freezing in the corner of her cage, and knitted a sweater for the animal. The clothes fit Silka's figure perfectly and pleasantly warm her delicate and sensitive skin.

5. A wetsuit company helped out a freezing penguin.

Unlike most penguins, who molt regularly, Ralph, for some reason, does not renew his fur. Because of this, poor 16 year old Humboldt penguin is very sensitive to winter cold. Due to its unusual skin, it is also very susceptible to sunburn. But the animal was not allowed to disappear - the famous American brand of sportswear and surfing equipment O'Neill invented and sewed a special wetsuit for Ralph. It even bears the name of the animal. The suit with holes for the wings and head allows Ralph to feel absolutely relaxed and play with his friends at Marwell Wildlife Center in Winchester, Hampshire.

6. Israeli scientists created in the laboratory new breed chicken that has no feathers

Behold the hairless chicken, bred by scientists at the genetics department of the Rehovot Agricultural Institute in Tel Aviv! No, she was not plucked, and yes, she was born this way. The new kind will allow livestock farms to deal with more “convenient” poultry, on which they can save a lot of money.

This is especially true for farmers and factories in too hot countries, where chickens with rich plumage simply cannot stand high temperature and require barns with expensive climate control. Now it will be possible to finally save on electricity and direct funds to other projects.

7. Meet Ashiz, a 13-year-old hairless chimpanzee

Ashes is a hairless primate, but at birth he had beautiful fur. A year later, the animal became completely bald and has remained “naked” ever since. It is believed that Ashiz suffers from skin disease called alopecia, which also occurs in humans.

Just look at his paws! Now it’s clear why you should be wary of these animals. With such muscles, they can easily cause a lot of damage if they get angry.

8. The Bald Peruvian dog breed, which is on the verge of extinction

The Peruvian Inca Orchid, or simply the Hairless Peruvian, is one of the rarest and strangest canids on Earth. This bizarre ornamental animal was bred by the Peruvians back in ancient times before the advent of the Inca civilization, who subsequently continued the selection of dogs, choosing only the lightest in color from the litter.

This breed barely survived until the beginning of the 21st century. The Peruvian government has sounded the alarm, and now all archaeological institutions on the South American coast are ordered to acquire at least one pair of such dogs. To date, the Inca Orchid is officially registered as the only dog ​​breed bred in Peru.

As the name of the breed suggests, these dogs are completely hairless, but sometimes puppies are born with a slight amount of hair. Most often, tufts of hair grow on the tips of their tail, forehead and paws, and they are black, brown or gray. Some of the Peruvian orchids have large pink freckles that blend into their skin color as the dog ages.

9. Kittens that were shaved to sell at a higher price as an elite breed

In Alberta, USA, there is a scammer who is deceiving buyers by selling them shaved kittens. The swindler passes them off as a more expensive and elite breed called the Sphinx. At first these kittens look just like Sphynxes, but then their fur grows back in just a few weeks, leaving their new owners in shock.

It turned out that the lack of fur when purchasing an animal was not a sign of thoroughbred, but rather real violence against the cats. Cruel scammers would pull out their whiskers, shave their hair with a machine, or remove it with depilatory cream.

10. Bald hedgehog

Before you is nothing more than... an ordinary hedgehog! Although it would be more accurate to say that he is still very unusual, because Nelson does not have the usual spines for his species. The baby now lives at a wildlife rescue center in Norfolk, UK.

The shelter staff still cannot answer the question why he was left without his protective spikes, and how he lived to such a size in a dangerous natural environment full of hungry predators. Center worker Tonya Garner (Tonya Garner) suggests that Nelson could have lost his quills after suffering stress or trauma, although he appears to be a very healthy and full-fledged animal, with the exception of his bald head the size of his entire body.

It is unknown whether his spines will grow back, but today the hedgehog is given regular massages and rubbed into his skin special means to stimulate the growth of new needles.

Have you ever seen bald animals? Surely in every person’s life there have been at least a couple of such unforgettable encounters. But sometimes it seems that Mother Nature is still full of ideas, and man has learned to penetrate the holy of holies, having first mastered selection and then genetic engineering.

Our article will tell you about amazing animals that lack vegetation on their bodies. Perhaps some of them will truly surprise you.

Hairless

Scientists have found that not only people suffer from baldness. Animals and birds are also susceptible to this phenomenon. The reasons for this can be different, but, as a rule, they are either hereditary in nature or caused by a disease.

But the bald animal is not always a mutant or a sick sufferer. Much here depends on age. For example, do you know which animals are born bald? The young of many marsupials remain naked for a long time, growing hair only at the end of a long “intra-marsal” period.

Therefore, it is worth remembering that for some animals the absence of hair at a certain age is normal.

Changed beyond recognition

But let's take a look at some naked wildlife. This hedgehog has no spines and its skin is almost devoid of hair. It is not known exactly why Betty (that is the name of this animal) has such a shocking appearance for a hedgehog.

In one of the zoos there lives a male gorilla, practically devoid of body hair. Many people find this creature frightening, because its resemblance to humans is even more noticeable. This guy suffers from alopecia.

Another is considered to be the bear Dolores, who lives in one of the zoos in Germany. Her baldness is caused by a gene mutation.

There are many hairless animals in the wild. It has been established that squirrels, foxes, raccoons, hares, beavers and many other representatives of the fauna are naked.

Hairless pets

Many people know about hairless cats and dogs. Such breeds are a real salvation for those who dream of a pet, but suffer from allergies to wool.

For some, hairless cats evoke unpleasant associations, and there are many not very good rumors about their character. But many Sphynx owners note that under the folded bald skin there is a kind, grateful heart, and the intelligence of these animals is quite high. They are attached to their owner and are loyal to him.

There are not many hairless dog breeds. Officially, the canine community recognizes only three such breeds: the Peruvian Greyhound, the Mexican Greyhound, and the Chinese Crested. But in fact, there are more breeds, just not all of them have official status yet.

There are other pets that are hairless. Rats, hamsters and guinea pigs were bred artificially through selective breeding. Some representatives of hairless rodent breeds have vegetation on their faces and rear parts paw

By the way, a hairless animal that looks like a rat may turn out to be a squirrel, shrew, chipmunk or other rodent. Without fur it is difficult to make an identification. But a furless rat can hardly be confused with someone else.

Caring for a bald pet

When planning to adopt an unusual animal, remember important rules. Firstly, do not trust spontaneous markets or undocumented sellers. In pursuit of profit, unscrupulous people may sell a gullible buyer not a purebred animal, but a sick one. It is advisable to purchase your future pet from a nursery with a good reputation. Well, you definitely shouldn’t pick it up on the street. If we are talking about a sphinx with a characteristic appearance, it is difficult to make a mistake (although the foundling needs an examination by a veterinarian in any case). But a hairless rat or dog may well turn out to be sick, for example, with ringworm.

Secondly, remember that hairless animals have a kind of thermoregulation. Simply put, they can freeze when a person feels comfortable. Many owners recommend taking care of clothing for their pet.

An attentive owner will certainly quickly get used to the characteristics of the pet’s character, physiology and behavior. Be sensitive to the hairless baby, and you will quickly master the basics of keeping it.

Animals without hair really look unusual. They not only attract with their special appearance, but also make us think once again about how defenseless and vulnerable our neighbors on the planet are.

Humans are far from the only creatures that suffer from hair loss. Caused by illness or old age, baldness can also cause suffering in animals. Loss of hair, feathers or fur is called alopecia. She can have many various reasons, such as natural processes in the body (seasonality or old age), biological dysfunctions (imbalance of vitamins and minerals), genetic mutations and various diseases.

Some breeds of hairless animals were bred by humans.

Do you think bald heads look as cute as those with fur?

Rabbit

This cute bunny was born in 2009 and instantly became famous on the Internet due to the fact that he was completely bald. But, fortunately, after 3 months he grew a fur coat and became as fluffy as his brothers and sisters.

Bear

Dolores is a female bear who, at the zoo in Leipzig, Gerania, in the company of other female bears, suffered from sudden hair loss. Experts believe the baldness was caused by genetic mutation, although the animals do not have any other symptoms of disease.

Hedgehog

This is cutie Betty, a hairless hedgehog from an animal rescue center in the UK. She is absolutely healthy and is not at all worried about the loss of needles, the cause of which remains unknown.

Parrot

Oscar is a 35-year-old female cockatoo who suffered from a disease that affects the bird's beak and feathers. She pulled out her own feathers because they irritated her too much.

Raccoon

Hairless squirrels are not that rare; their hair loss is usually associated with disease caused by ticks.

Guinea pig

Skinny is a breed of guinea pig. Almost bare skin with residual hair on the head and paws. The mutation was first recorded in 1978 in one of the Montreal institutes, where three females were kept with one male, who apparently was the carrier of this gene - three females gave birth to skinny offspring.

Penguin

This hairless baby penguin was born without feathers and abandoned by his parents in an aquarium in China. Aquarium workers decided that the lack of feathers was caused by feeding difficulties. But the little penguin survived and even grew new fur.

Rat

Hairless rats are bred by crossing different combinations of genes. Such rats participate in laboratory research and provide valuable data about various types diseases.

Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees, like other apes and humans, sometimes suffer from alopecia, a disease that causes hair to be lost all over the body. These poor creatures attract many curious visitors to the zoo where they are kept.

Dog

These are Peruvian hairless dogs. Machu Picchu (4-month-old puppy) was offered as a pet to US President Barack Obama. Peruvian hairless dogs are ideal for people with allergies.

If a child with allergies asks to have pet, do not rush to refuse him - choose a hypoallergenic pet together with your baby.

Every child dreams of having a four-legged friend. But if the baby is allergic, such simple and innocent joy is not available to him. Parents, not wanting to risk the child’s health, remain adamant in the face of children’s tears and persuasion.

However, there are animals whose presence in the house will not harm a child suffering from allergies. Parents can safely get them without fear that after playing with a new pet in the evening, the child will wake up in the morning with a stuffy nose, cough and conjunctivitis.

Hypoallergenic pets for the home, which ones you are not allergic to: list

So, if a child is allergic, this is not a death sentence, but a need to make a more careful choice when buying a pet.

IMPORTANT: Not only animal fur can cause allergic reaction, but also his saliva, sebum, urine.

What animals bring joy to children, and not a cough with a runny nose?

First of all, it should be noted fish and turtles. You can still start lizard, chameleon or any other safe reptile.

Turtle is a hypoallergenic pet

Many people want to have at home a soft, fluffy and warm animal that will happily respond to affection and take part in games with pleasure. The leader among medium-sized hypoallergenic pets is chinchilla- a cheerful, nimble, curious animal.

Also suitable are various rodents contained exclusively in a cage - decorative rats, guinea pigs (skinny, baldwin), Syrian hamsters.

You can start Sphynx cat, elf cat, Devon Rex or Cornish Rex. However, caution must be exercised here. If a child is allergic not to cat fur, but to skin secretions, saliva or urine, the symptoms of the disease will not take long to appear.

IMPORTANT: If you decide to get four-legged friend from the cat family, give preference to light-colored sterilized cats. It is with such animals that the risk of developing allergies is minimal.

The option of purchasing a dog can also be considered. Suitable ones for this purpose are:

• bichon frize
• Chinese Crested
• Kerry Blue Terrier
• maltese dog
• poodle
• schnauzer
• Irish Water Spaniel
• soft coated wheaten terrier
• bedlington terrier

Chinese Crested is a dog breed that does not cause allergies.

Pets without fur

Despite the small number of hairless animals, their species range is quite diverse.

Topping the list are reptiles: fish, turtles, lizards, chameleons, snakes.

IMPORTANT: It must be remembered that all these cold-blooded animals require special housing conditions, careful care and adherence to a diet. If you decide to make such a little friend for your baby, read in advance the information regarding all the pros and cons of such a choice.

Turtles can act as carriers of one of the intestinal infections – salmonellosis. Therefore, even after short-term contact with such a pet, you must wash your hands very thoroughly.

No less popular, despite the terrible high cost, are hairless cats of the sphinx and elf breeds. To prevent the skin oils of these hairless cuties from causing allergies, they need to be bathed frequently, which, by the way, they love very much.

Aquarium fish- pets without hair

Scientists also made some people bald guinea pigs, breeding breeds skinny and baldwin. Caring for such pets is no different from caring for their furry brothers.

There are also several breeds of hairless dogs:

• In first place in popularity is an animal with a very exotic appearance - Chinese Crested. She can be classified as a combi breed, since her head is crowned with a chic bang, followed by a long mane, the ends of her paws are decorated with luxurious cuffs and she will not be ashamed of the hair on her tail
• Is completely hairless mexican hairless dog or Xoloitzcuintle. This breed comes in two varieties: hairless and coated, and both types can be in the same litter
• Another hairless one is considered Peruvian hairless dog, also called the Peruvian orchid for its charming tuft on its head

There are also hairless rats, which are very cute and defenseless in appearance, unlike their furry counterparts. Despite the presence of several breeds in nature - dumbo, manx– they are all usually called, like cats, sphinxes.

Hypoallergenic Guinea Pigs

Just a dozen years ago, such animals were considered rare, even exotic. Now this is a way out, although quite expensive for parents raising a child with allergies.

Among them are the breeds baldwin and skinny. The first ones are born with fur, but shed it on the sixth day. However, adult representatives of these breeds have a small fluff, giving them a velvety appearance.

IMPORTANT: Take care of these guinea pigs it is necessary in the same way as for their “hairy” relatives. However, it is necessary to give much more food, because such a pet spends a lot of energy to warm its body.

Hypoallergenic hamsters

These include Syrian hamsters - thirteen-centimeter cute rodents with a red-sandy color. These hamsters are long-lived - with good care will delight your baby for four years. They are very clean and unpretentious, hardy and playful.

IMPORTANT: You cannot bathe such hamsters; they do an excellent job of their own hygiene.

Hypoallergenic rodents

Bald sphinx rats to this day they are not often found, since even with wool these representatives of the fauna leave many indifferent. However, if a child suffers from allergies, it is very a good option for a pet.

Hairless rats are very smart: they know how to distinguish their own from strangers, respond to their name, can play for a long time and with interest, sit on a shoulder or, in a moment of danger, hide in a pocket.

So, there are a lot of hypoallergenic pets for children. The main thing is that the child shows patience, care and love, for which the animal will repay a hundredfold.

Video: Animals for allergy sufferers