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Guinea pig breeds

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Guinea pig breeds

The actual name of the guinea pig is the domestic guinea pig. Due to its relatively simple breeding and low requirements, we often keep it in our homes as a pet. The Indians living in South America were the first people to domesticate this rodent from the guinea pig family. Currently, we can distinguish many breeds of guinea pigs, differentiated by their length or type of fur. Smooth-haired, hairless and long-haired are the three main groups of guinea pigs.

Hairless Guinea Pigs

Skinny

Skinny guinea pigs are characterized by an almost complete lack of fur. The muzzle, limbs and genitals are the only places where it occurs. The skin of the guinea pig is velvety and incredibly sensitive to touch. As a result, it is susceptible to injuries. This is a breed artificially bred in a laboratory.

Short-haired guinea pigs

The short-haired guinea pig still remains the most popular guinea pig among breeders. The main breeds of short-haired guinea pigs include: American, Abyssinian, Crested, American Crested, Peruvian, Somali, Curly, Ridgeback, Teddy and Rex.

American

This breed came to Europe in the 15th century and is currently the most popular breed on our continent. It is characterized by short and smooth fur and an oval nose. Its fur fits perfectly to the body and is quite dense.

Abyssinian

The Abyssinian pig, also known as the rosette because of the specific appearance of its fur, enjoys considerable popularity among breeders. Their rosettes are created by appropriately distributing the fur in many places on the head and body. In the case of purebred Abyssinian pigs, the number of rosettes is at least eight. The hair of this breed is quite stiff and rough, which can be noticed to the touch.

Crested

This breed is very similar to the American smooth-haired guinea pig, but in the case of the crested breed, there is one rosette on the head, called a crown, which usually has a clearly visible center. The short fur fits very smoothly to the body of the guinea pig.

American Crested

The American Crested guinea pig has a so-called crown like the Crested guinea pig mentioned above, but its crown is white and the rest of the fur is one color. There can be no other shade of fur because then it disqualifies such a guinea pig as an American Crested. There is, however, a variety of Irish Crested - a guinea pig that appears with any color, but there should be two rosettes on its paws.

Kurzhaarer Peruaner (short-haired Peruvian)

The Kurzhaarer Peruaner is a short-haired guinea pig called the Peruvian Short-Haired. In this guinea pig, its hair grows in many directions. It has two whorls on its hips that make the hair grow in different directions. The Peruvian Short-Haired is a very rare breed of guinea pig, like the Texel, Teddy, and Merino.

Somalia

The Somali is an extremely interesting breed. It is a cross between the Abyssinian and the Teddy or Rex. Unfortunately, it does not occur on our continent. However, they are extremely popular in Australia.

Curly

The Curly breed has very curly hair that looks extremely soft and delicate. However, in reality, it is very rough. It is a cross between the Abyssinian and Rex breeds. However, it is only recognized in the German and English standards as a separate breed. It was bred in Scandinavian countries.

Ridgeback

The Ridgeback guinea pig breed has a very interesting coat pattern because the line of hair that runs along the spine is extremely distinct and creates something like a mohawk. It is a cross between the Peruvian or Abyssinian guinea pig and other smooth-haired breeds. There is also a Crested Ridgeback variety, which is characterized by an additional rosette on the head. Ridgeback guinea pigs gain their characteristic features around the fourth week of life.

Teddy

One of the most popular guinea pig breeds is Teddy. He looks like a stuffed animal, hence his name. His fur can reach up to 6 cm and he can weigh up to 1 kg. Floppy ears, a very oval head and widely spaced paws are the characteristics of this breed.

Rex

The Rex breed has very smooth and quite soft fur. According to the breed standard, all hair should be at a 90 degree angle to the body.

Long-haired guinea pigs

The long-haired guinea pig comes in many breeds such as: Peruvian, Boucle, Shelties, Texel, Coronet, Merino and Lunkarya.

Peruvian

The most popular and well-known breed of long-haired guinea pigs. Its fur can be up to 50 cm long and spreads out to the sides of the body along the spine. Sometimes the fur covers the body so much that it is difficult to locate where the head is and where the back of the pig is.

Bounce

The Peruvian variety with very curly hair is called the Alpaca or Bounce breed. This breed also often has rosettes.

Shelties

The Shieltie, also known as the Silkie, is very similar to the Peruvian Guinea Pig, but can never have any rosettes or hair growing towards the face. The Silkie has long, smooth fur that flows freely over the body. When viewed from above, the Silkie and its coat form a teardrop shape. It is generally believed that the hair is slightly longer at the back.

Texel

The Texel is a cross between the Sheltie and the Rex. They were originally bred in the UK. They are characterised by their long, curly coat and fur that is thicker and shorter around the face. The hair is quite rough but breeders are trying to eliminate this characteristic.

Coronet

The Coronet breed resembles the Silkie with smooth hair growing back and around their body, but has a rosette on the forehead. As with the short-haired Crested breeds, this rosette should be symmetrical and distinct, with a small center and no loose hairs. A variety of Coronet with curly hair and a rosette on the head is the Merino.

Lunkarya

The Lunkarya is a relatively new breed group first developed in Sweden and popular mainly in Scandinavian countries. It has a long, rough, curly coat that should be very thick and long. The group has three breed varieties: the Peruvian Lunkarya (with a pronounced fringe), the Sheltie Lunkarya (with hair flowing down the back of the body) and the Lunkarya Coronet (with a rosette on the forehead).

Popular Guinea Pig Breeds
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