Guinea pig breeds

Guinea pigs are considered one of the most popular pets. You can find them either in bird markets or in pet stores. However, these animals will be completely outbred. And for those who want to breed them, this is unacceptable, because the offspring can be unpredictable.

Therefore, it is best to buy gilts from breeders who have all the documents confirming their origin. Today there are many specialized clubs where you can buy guinea pigs with good pedigrees. There are more than 80 types of breeds, which differ in both the length of the coat and its structure.

Unusual and beautiful guinea pigs with long fur are completely different, and with the most unusual names. At first glance, it is very difficult to understand which animal is in front of your eyes: a shaggy dog ​​or a downy rabbit. These purebred "hippies" appeared thanks to the incredible efforts of breeders. Almost all rodents have thick and long hair, which in some breeds can exceed 45 centimeters.

These guinea pigs are very pleasant to touch, as they are quite soft to the touch. Their fur, unlike other relatives, has no parting, but simply falls back. The hair on the head is thicker and looks a bit like a mane. Like other long-haired animals, the Sheltie are friendly and calm.

They are the most active representatives of all long-haired guinea pigs. Their characteristic feature is a single rosette on the head. Long fur flows on both sides, but does not cover their muzzle.

This beauty has a very long and curly hair. It looks a bit like sheep's wool. In addition, it grows towards the head. There are 2 rosettes on the sacrum, one more is located on the head, and looks like a bang.

On the face, the coat is slightly harsher than on the rest of the body. Alpaca guinea pigs are quite compact, with small and neat ears. Their color is very different - from black to golden. In rare cases, you can even find two-colored or three-colored alpacas.

This is the most beautiful breed of long-haired guinea pigs, and she appeared as a result of crossing two breeds: Sheltie and Royal (Rex). Their curly hair grows away from the head. In addition, it cascades along the entire back from parting, framing the head without long hair. The hairs can be up to 15 centimeters long.

This breed of pigs is a bit like fluffy lumps that you want to pick up. They have beautiful big eyes and small, rose-shaped ears. Texels are quite varied in color. Even white guinea pigs can be found among them.

Such guinea pigs are also called royal in another way, and all thanks to their beautiful and curly hair. Their head is decorated with a rosette that resembles a crown. The coat is very long, so the owners often have to cut their pets in the summer. Their color can be both white and gray, as well as combine several shades at the same time.

This breed of pigs has become quite popular due to its docile nature, as well as its beautiful appearance. Their coat is very soft and long and therefore requires constant grooming. There are rosettes on the sacrum as well as on the nose. The animals' faces are covered with long bangs.

Peruvian guinea pigs can be monochromatic or multi-colored, but most often their color is silver-gray. They live no more than 6 years and weigh up to 1.5 kilograms.

This is the largest breed of guinea pigs, sometimes weighing up to 4 kilograms. Most often they are grown for meat. Kui are considered more smooth-haired pig breeds, but among them it is worth noting Peruvian animals that are bred as decorative creatures.

This species does not reproduce well, and also has a tendency to various diseases. In addition, they are very aggressive in nature. Almost all Kui have 5 or 6 toes on their paws, however, this does not bother them at all. Most of them do not live very long, within 3 years.

Such animals are distinguished by short hair, the length of which does not exceed 3 centimeters.

The coat of these pigs is silky and pleasant to the touch. It fits snugly against her skin. Their color is quite varied and can be either one-color or two-color.

This breed of pigs differs in that it has a tuft on its head. It is located between her ears and eyes. They can be divided into 2 subspecies: English and American. They differ only in color. American guinea pigs are completely solid and have a white crest on their heads. English subspecies are monochromatic only.

This breed of pigs is considered smooth-haired. However, its fur is not located in one direction, but is collected in separate bunches. There are no more than 8 of them on the animal, but they are all evenly placed on the sides.

Their body is muscular and long, but the legs are short and straight. The wool of the Abyssinians is very hard, and does not exceed 3.5 centimeters. It often happens that they suffer from obesity or various heart diseases.

A characteristic feature of this breed of pigs is considered to be a very coarse and wavy coat.She is all upright and her appearance resembles fluff. Rexes come in a variety of colors. In addition, small children are very fond of them.

The breed received this name due to the incredible similarity with small bears. The teddy coat is very soft to the touch. Its length does not exceed 2 centimeters, so it always stands upright. Their eyes are large and very expressive. The color of the teddy is quite varied. It can be solid or two-colored, for example, the pig is white, with black or brown spots.

Despite their resemblance to hulking bears, these pets are distinguished by their energy. They love to run and play. At the same time, they do not bite, and show their displeasure only with a formidable look. Such beauties live up to 7 years.

If we talk about English selfies, then this type of pig is considered the most ancient of all existing breeds. They differ from their congeners in their uniform color, for example, they can be completely cream or black, lilac or any other color.

Such beauties appeared in the 20s of the last century in England. If we talk about their description, then they have a very short hair and a small compact body. Most often, the color of the eyes and even the legs completely coincides with the color of their body, but selfies with red eyes are also found. In addition, their eyes and ears are very large.

These pigs grow very slowly, and only after 2 years they reach the size of an adult animal. Their weight does not exceed 2 kilograms. Such pets are not only non-aggressive towards others, but also among themselves.

Today, there are several rather original breeds of guinea pigs in the world, which are not widespread.

• Luncaria. This is the youngest type of pig, which is considered incredibly beautiful, and even exotic. Their coat is curly and uneven, however, if the animal is washed and combed, it will look elegant. Wavy curls are located throughout the body, only the pig's face remains open. Luncaria can have a different color. They are calm and friendly, live up to 6 years.

• Another not very common type is curly. It is very similar to the previous pigs. The only thing is that his coat is a little shorter and not so shaggy.

• Mini yak. This breed of guinea pigs was born thanks to the crossing of Peruvian and Abyssinian pigs. The result is animals whose fur is a bit like the wool of a yak. It is tough to the touch and grows to a certain length. On the head of each pig there is a rosette, like a parrot. They can have any color.

• Ridgeback. This breed of pigs appeared quite recently. Their distinctive feature is the presence of a low ridge on the back, which gives them some aggressiveness. However, by themselves, they are friendly and docile.

• Himalayans... This breed, like the previous one, is not yet very well known, since it was bred not so long ago. It is distinguished by its white color, with small black or gray spots.

• "Cakes". The pigs got this affectionate name due to their unusual color. The back of the animal is a bit like a chessboard, which consists of white, black and red.

These unusual animals cannot be left aside. This breed was bred artificially, and has already become very popular, especially among people with allergies. After all, their body has no wool. Today there are two breeds of hairless pigs: Baldwin and Skinny.

• Skinny. They were born in the 80s of the last century. They have no fur, only a few hairs on the nose, as well as on the paws. Accordingly, the skin of this breed of pigs is very soft and velvety.Skinny is distinguished by silver, black or even lilac color. These animals have an excellent appetite, so they need to be well fed.

• Baldwin... Unlike the skinny, this pig breed is completely bald. Their skin feels like rubber. At birth, they are covered with fur, but after 2 weeks they become bald.

Before buying these interesting rodents, be sure to find out everything about them. It is very important to take into account their character, what they eat, how they need to be looked after. And only after that, determine the most acceptable option for yourself.

Hairless pig breeds are quite popular. But when buying them, one must take into account the fact that they are very sensitive to temperature extremes, and also require increased attention. Besides, their price will be high. Most often they are chosen by people with allergies or those families in which there are small children.

Not too rare breeds will be no less beautiful and popular. For example, when buying smooth-haired pigs, a person makes it easier for himself to care for them. Even these animals have a more developed immune system. But those who decide to have long-haired pets should know that they will also need to be combed, and this takes more time. And they cost a little more.

To summarize, we can say that the breeds of guinea pigs are quite diverse. Therefore, you can choose an animal for every taste. But when choosing an animal for yourself, one must also remember that this pet will require constant attention and care from a person. Only in this case, the pet will love and understand its owner, and the owner himself will receive many joyful moments, because guinea pigs are incredibly funny and interesting.

For what a newbie needs to know about guinea pigs, see the next video.