Three Breeds of Guinea Pigs

Along with rabbits, guinea pigs have because very popular household pets. Even though guinea pigs are part of the rodent species, they aren’t necessarily known for acting or even looking like a normal rodent (rats, mice, etc). Also, despite their name, these creatures are not pigs of any sort nor do they come from Guinea. In fact, guinea pigs originated in the Andes. Over the years, guinea pigs have become known as pets around the world. Western societies have enjoyed guinea pigs of members of their families for many, many years. Three of the more popular breeds of guinea pigs would include: the American guinea pig (also known as the English Cavy), Abyssinian guinea pig and the Peruvian guinea pig.

The American guinea pig has a smooth and short coat. This breed can be found in a wide variety of colors and patterns. The American is one of the most popular and oldest breeds of guinea pig known today. The next breed of guinea pig to talk about is the Abyssinian. The Abyssinian breed has a very distinctive appearance. The coat is made up of multiple swirls of hair (often referred to as rosettes). The hair is dense and coarse and radiates in circles from multiple locations on the body.

The third breed of guinea pig is the Peruvian. The Peruvian guinea pig breed has a smooth and straight coat and can grow several inches in length. There is a natural part in the middle of the hair down to the center of the back. The hair also grows forward over the head. The coat of the Peruvian often requires a great deal of daily grooming so owners tend to cut the hair to make it more manageable.