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Guinea pigs have become favorite pets for thousands of people around the world. Your best bet is to choose a pet store or even an animal shelter. They have been domesticated for the past 500 years, but that doesn’t mean they still don’t spend time in the wild. Naturally, they live in South America, which makes them resistant to various climatic conditions. When they have a family of their own, they sometimes live in a group of up to 10 other individuals.
These rodents bond fairly well with their hosts, although they thrive in the wild. They cannot make vitamin C in their own body, so they need to add it to the food they consume. They don’t require much work from their owner, but by offering a balanced amount of hay, fresh produce, and other food sources, they will keep them healthy. They squeak, chirp, and purr to express their opinion, often reacting happily when they see food or a friend they like.
While you may know what guinea pigs look like, there are several types of this species. These breeds include:
- Peruvian guinea pig
- American guinea pig
- Abyssinian guinea pig
- Skinny pig
- Teddy guinea pig
- Texel Guinea Pig
- Rex guinea pig
- Himalayan guinea pig
- English crested guinea pig
- Caronet
- American crested guinea pig
Peruvian guinea pig
Peruvian guinea pigs have long and thick hair that requires regular grooming. However, in Peru, guinea pigs are not kept as pets, but as a delicacy, often with potatoes and salsa. If kept as a pet, their rosettes become incredibly long. If you let it grow fully, it can even be difficult to distinguish between the front and back of the dark blue.
The Peruvian guinea pig, also known as Silkies, Shelties or Cuy, has one of the longest lifespans among this type of animal – 12-14 years. They are incredibly curious, but their behavior is much calmer than other types. They are usually larger than other breeds – 10-14 inches in length.
American guinea pig
If you look at pet stores, it is most likely that you will find American guinea pigs. Their short coats do not have fancy rosettes, but they have many different colors (often in the same coat!), Including red, brown, black, white, and other shades. There is very little care for them, although they can shed and cause allergic reactions in their owners. In general, they are easy to keep as a pet for the first time while maintaining a friendly disposition. The size of an American guinea pig is about 8-16 inches and weighs no more than 3 pounds.
Abyssinian guinea pig
Abyssinians have a rougher coat texture with a friendly and outgoing demeanor than most other guinea pigs on this list. These rosetted curls on the coat form the comb-like patches of fur for which this breed is famous. They have several colors at once, but their high energy can seem a little daunting to young children. The Abyssinian guinea pig is about 8-12 inches long, although females often do not reach their full potential size.
Skinny guinea pig
The skinny pig is completely naked except for a small amount of hair on the nose, feet, legs and back. They must be carefully supervised to reduce the risk of skin irritation or infection, and their bedding must be soft enough to avoid abrasions. Regular cleansing sessions are a must for their cells, and their diet should include more energetic nutrients to keep up with their metabolism. The average skinny pig is about 9-12 inches long and 1-2 pounds in weight. They often live to be seven years old with proper medical care.
Teddy Guinea Pig
Known to be the friendliest of the different types, Teddy guinea pigs tend to maintain this behavior with their owner. They don’t like sharing their space with others, but they love spending time with people. Their most notable feature is their upturned nose, with many colors and color combinations. Weekly brushing is the easiest way to keep their thick and coarse hair healthy, although it doesn’t get longer than average. Teddy can be up to 12 inches long and 1 to 4 pounds depending on age. Males are often more visible in adulthood.
Texel Guinea Pig
The spring coat of the Texel guinea pig gives it a curly look. Even though navy blue looks like it has short hair, it gets much longer when brushed. The coat on the muzzle remains short, but begins to elongate from the crown to the back for a smooth transition. These animals do not need much grooming and brushing their coats can affect their coats. At about 8-10 inches long, Texel pigs live up to 10 years.
Rex Guinea Pig
The Rex guinea pig has a woolly coat with short hair. Unlike other species, this breed has rather droopy ears. They grow up to 17 inches in length, which is longer than most other varieties. Fortunately, their soft coats are perfect for their affectionate nature, giving them an outgoing look with their family. While this coat requires some brushing and other maintenance, there is no particular care for it.
Himalayan guinea pig
The Himalayan guinea pig is completely white and has no other colors to brighten their target. They have brown or black spots like a Himalayan cat or rabbit on their ears, with red eyes and short hair. They cannot be exposed to a lot of sunlight as they are albinos, but they are incredibly friendly. People who have never owned one of these pets before may want to choose a simpler pet because their condition requires constant and specialized care. This guinea pig falls in the middle of the size range of 8 to 12 inches in length.
English crested guinea pig
While most of these breeds are quite friendly and outgoing with their owners, the English Crested seems to be the exception. They have the same curious personality, but otherwise they tend to be reserved and shy. They will not like being lifted, and even less like being stroked.
With a projected life expectancy of no more than 6 years, these eggs are found in different colors, but there are restrictions for the English Crested category. They are often much easier to breed than the American Crested, but the only notable feature is their crown. To differ from the American Crested, only the English Crested matches the crown hair with the rest of the body. The English Crested Lady is relatively small compared to other breeds, reaching only 8-10 inches in maturity. They weigh between 1.5 and 2.6 pounds.
Coronet
Coronet combines features of the other types presented here. They have only one rosette on their forehead, and the rest of the coat is long and silky. They have an affectionate and playful demeanor, but need regular grooming to avoid tangles and tangles. Although males can be larger than females, the Coronet is 8 to 16 inches in length and weighs up to 3 pounds.
American crested guinea pig
The American crested guinea pig is relatively similar in behavior and size to the English crested guinea pig. First of all, the difference lies in the tuft of fur on the head or “crown”. Although the crown of an English Crested is the same as the hair, the easiest way to tell if a guinea pig is an American Crested is with the white crown. Only American Crested breeds have a white crown.
Next: the nine best animals with the shortest lifespan
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