Different Types Of Short Haired Guinea Pigs

There are a lot of different types of guinea pigs as pets. However, when you stop to think about this animal, you probably think of what is known as the short haired or the short coated guinea pig (a.k.a. cavy). These guinea pig breeds are known for their short hair. According to guinea pig facts it is also the one that most closely resembles the species' relatives and ancestors (the Cavia genus).

Different Guinea Pig Breeds

Whenever you stop and think about guinea pig breeds (a.k.a. cavies), you probably think of short haired guinea pig breeds. They are known for their short, smooth hair and wide nose. While you will still need to groom these guinea pigs on a regular basis, they don’t require the same amount of maintenance as long-haired guinea pig breeds. There are actually several different types of short hair guinea pigs
available for you to choose from.

Different Types of Short Haired Guinea Pigs

There are several types of short haired guinea pigs including:
1.
American or English short haired guinea pig breeds are the most commonly kept as pets because they don't require a lot of grooming. They come in a wide variety of colors.
2. Crested guinea pigs look quite similar to the American or English short hair guinea pig breeds but they have a crest on their forehead. This crest is either the same color as the rest of their body or it may be white but their body is usually one solid color.
3. Agouti guinea pigs have short, coarse hair that's mostly dark but flecked with either a darker or a lighter color.
4. Dalmation guinea pigs have short white fur with darker patches just like a dalmation dog.
5. Teddy guinea pigs have short coarse fur that's either wiry or fuzzy. They look like a teddy bear, which is why they got their name.
6. Rex guinea pigs look like the Teddy but are genetically different.

Different Guinea Pig Breeds’ Patterns

There are 3 main patterns that guinea pig breeds are available in:
1. Marked Pattern: This is unusually white with another color mixed in throughout
it.
2. Self Pattern: This is solid-colored throughout the guinea pig’s whole body.
3. Solid Pattern: This is similar to the self pattern but it tends to include a mixture of other colors as well. This colored fur cannot create any type of pattern or marking. If it does, then the guinea pig has a self pattern.

Conclusion

There really are a lot of different guinea pig breeds, all of which are available in a wide array of patterns. This is great because it creates many different types of guinea pigs for a pet owner to choose from, with no 2 guinea pigs ever looking the same. Many people really are drawn to guinea pigs for this very reason today.