diff --git a/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/Shimmer.java b/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/Shimmer.java
index 492f9ee..6b158d3 100644
--- a/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/Shimmer.java
+++ b/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/Shimmer.java
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ public class Shimmer {
   int repeatMode = ValueAnimator.RESTART;
   long animationDuration = 1000L;
   long repeatDelay;
+  long startDelay;
 
   Shimmer() {}
 
@@ -179,7 +180,11 @@ T consumeAttributes(TypedArray a) {
         setRepeatMode(
             a.getInt(R.styleable.ShimmerFrameLayout_shimmer_repeat_mode, mShimmer.repeatMode));
       }
-
+      if (a.hasValue(R.styleable.ShimmerFrameLayout_shimmer_start_delay)) {
+        setStartDelay(
+            a.getInt(
+                R.styleable.ShimmerFrameLayout_shimmer_start_delay, (int) mShimmer.startDelay));
+      }
       if (a.hasValue(R.styleable.ShimmerFrameLayout_shimmer_direction)) {
         int direction =
             a.getInt(R.styleable.ShimmerFrameLayout_shimmer_direction, mShimmer.direction);
@@ -260,6 +265,7 @@ public T copyFrom(Shimmer other) {
       setRepeatCount(other.repeatCount);
       setRepeatMode(other.repeatMode);
       setRepeatDelay(other.repeatDelay);
+      setStartDelay(other.startDelay);
       setDuration(other.animationDuration);
       mShimmer.baseColor = other.baseColor;
       mShimmer.highlightColor = other.highlightColor;
@@ -399,6 +405,15 @@ public T setRepeatDelay(long millis) {
       return getThis();
     }
 
+    /** Sets how long to wait for starting the shimmering animation. */
+    public T setStartDelay(long millis) {
+      if (millis < 0) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Given a negative start delay: " + millis);
+      }
+      mShimmer.startDelay = millis;
+      return getThis();
+    }
+
     /** Sets how long the shimmering animation takes to do one full sweep. */
     public T setDuration(long millis) {
       if (millis < 0) {
diff --git a/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/ShimmerDrawable.java b/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/ShimmerDrawable.java
index b1aaae5..2a0ba1d 100644
--- a/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/ShimmerDrawable.java
+++ b/shimmer/src/main/java/com/facebook/shimmer/ShimmerDrawable.java
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ private void updateValueAnimator() {
     mValueAnimator =
         ValueAnimator.ofFloat(0f, 1f + (float) (mShimmer.repeatDelay / mShimmer.animationDuration));
     mValueAnimator.setRepeatMode(mShimmer.repeatMode);
+    mValueAnimator.setStartDelay(mShimmer.startDelay);
     mValueAnimator.setRepeatCount(mShimmer.repeatCount);
     mValueAnimator.setDuration(mShimmer.animationDuration + mShimmer.repeatDelay);
     mValueAnimator.addUpdateListener(mUpdateListener);
diff --git a/shimmer/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml b/shimmer/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
index e5d5280..d954a0e 100644
--- a/shimmer/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
+++ b/shimmer/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
       <enum name="restart" value="1"/>
       <enum name="reverse" value="2"/>
     </attr>
+    <attr name="shimmer_start_delay" format="integer"/>
     <attr name="shimmer_direction" format="enum">
       <enum name="left_to_right" value="0"/>
       <enum name="top_to_bottom" value="1"/>