Breeds
All breeds of guinea pigs are related to wild cousins living in South America. When people domesticated (tamed) guinea pigs, they began breeding the guinea pigs for certain desired physical traits, such as hair of a certain color or length.
For example, long-haired guinea pigs are the result of breeders mating guinea pigs that had hair slightly longer than the hair of ordinary guinea pigs. Breeders selected guinea pigs with longer hair and mated them for many generations. Over many years, breeders developed guinea pigs with very long hair.
Silkies, which are also called shelties, are a breed of guinea pig. They were bred to have long hair on their body but short hair on their face. The hair on a Silky's face does not cover its eyes.
What Are Some Other Breeds of Guinea Pig?
Currently, there are 13 breeds of guinea pig recognized by the American Cavy Breeders Association (an organization that sanctions guinea pig shows in the United States). Each breed of guinea pig has distinctive hair and markings. Guinea pigs with hair of all one color are described as having a self pattern. Other guinea pigs have fur patterns described as marked, solid, or agouti (uh GOO tee), which is made up of bands of dark and light fur.
There are short-haired and long-haired breeds. Some guinea pigs have shiny coats; others have coarse, rough coats. There are even guinea pigs that have swirls, called rosettes, in their hair.
Long-haired guinea pigs require more grooming than short-haired breeds, but many people like how long hair makes their guinea pig look.
Who Is as Cute as a Teddy Bear?
The Teddy guinea pig gets its name from the texture and appearance of its coat, which is similar to a teddy bear's fur. An adult Teddy has a coat that is thick and the hairs are bent in such a way as to make them stand straight up.
A Teddy's coat is short, ideally about 3?4 inch (1.9 centimeters) in length. Because of their short coat, Teddies do not need to be groomed as often as long-haired guinea pigs do.
There are two varieties of Teddy guinea pigsplush and harsh. Plush Teddies have a coat of soft, fluffy hair. The coat of harsh Teddies is wiry and a bit longer than the coat of plush Teddies. A harsh Teddy's coat may partly cover its face.
Who Has Flowery Fur?
The Abyssinian (ab uh SIHN ee uhn) guinea pig, also called the Aby or Abby, is easily recognized by its unique coat of fur. The coat consists of rosettesa word used to describe anything that is formed like a rose. On the Aby, these rosettes are sections of swirled hair that spread out in all directions from a central point. Ridges of fur surround these rosettes. An Abyssinian's coat is coarse and short to medium in length. The fur may be a single color or a combination of colors, including brown, gold, red, and white.
Abyssinians are a popular breed of guinea pig. Although Abyssinians may be difficult to groom because their fur grows in so many different directions, they do not require frequent groomingonly once a week to remove loose, dead hair.
Who Needs Frequent Grooming?
Peruvian guinea pigs are often kept as pets, but they require extra care and attention. These guinea pigs should be groomed daily.
Peruvian guinea pigs have long, thick hair. A Peruvian's hair usually parts straight down its back. The hair on its head grows forward, covering its large, droopy ears and large eyes. Pet owners often trim the hair around a Peruvian's eyes. Peruvians that are shown in competitions, however, must have all their long hair.
Peruvians are often bathed before a show. When a show Peruvian's hair reaches about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) long, its owner will often “wrap” the guinea pig's coat. In wrapping, a section of the hair is placed in a piece of cloth or paper towel, then that wrap is bundled using a rubber band. This treatment keeps the hair out of the guinea pig's way and keeps the hair neat and clean. Only when the owner is ready to show a Peruvian are the wraps taken off to display the animal's long, beautiful coat.
Who Has a Curly Coat?
The first thing you will notice about a Texel guinea pig is its curly coat. Long, thick, soft curls cover the entire body of an adult Texel, even its belly. In fact, Texels without belly curls are not allowed to compete in guinea pig shows in the United States.
Texels have a short, compact body. The head of a Texel is wide and rounded. These guinea pigs are bred in a variety of colors.
Because the Texel's long, curly coat can become easily tangled, it must be groomed often and carefully. Pet owners may have their Texel's coat clipped short so that it is easier to care for. Owners who plan to enter their Texel in a guinea pig show, however, cannot clip their animal's coat and must take special care to keep it in good condition.
