SHORTHAIR—Easiest coat to care for. Hair measures 1 inch or less and lays flat. The coat is non-matting and naturally repels dirt.

ABYSSINIAN—Comical looking with longer fur that averages 2 inches in length and forms rosettes on the body. Rosettes start at a pinpoint and radiate out to form a full circle. Most “abbys” have five rosettes, but may have up to ten.

SILKY—Also know as “sheltie.” Long, soft, silky hair which grows 8 to 10 inches in length if uncut. Groom frequently to keep coat clean and un-matted. Babies resemble shorthairs as the silky coat, although softer, is only slightly longer.

PERUVIAN— Long hair with rosettes. Usually three rosettes; one on each hip and one on the back. Hair grows backward from tail to head. Frequent grooming keeps the coat un-matted. Hair may grow to 20 inches, draping the ground and making bathing necessary. Periodic haircuts will keep your pig cleaner and happier.

TEDDY BEAR— The “teddy’s” coat seems to stand out from the body. Hair is wiry, short and easy to care for. Non-matting, but due to wiry texture, dirt and shavings can be trapped and cause skin irritations. Regular brushing will keep the coat clean.

TEXEL—A long haired teddy bear with a coat identical to the teddy’s. However, the texel’s coat can grow to four inches in length. The coat should be brushed to prevent matting.

CRESTS, COLORS & PATTERNS—A crest is a rosette placed evenly between the ears, on top of the head. It can exist on all coat varieties. Coat colors include white, black, brown, blonde, lilac, agouti, red, blue and others. All colors can be combined with white patterns and markings. Patterns include dalmatian, himalayan, dutch, roan, tortoiseshell and calico.

Because guinea pigs cannot use their front feet to “hold” toys, almost all guinea pig toys are chew toys. And, as a guinea pig’s front teeth continually grow throughout its life, they require plenty of toys for chewing. Guinea pigs usually prefer harder pieces of wood, but you may need to experiment to find out what your pet prefers. Colorful wood parrot chew toys are ideal.

Some guinea pigs like to play with colorful plastic balls designed for cats. They will push these around and may even carry them in their teeth. If you offer one of these plastic balls, watch your pet carefully. If he starts to chew on the ball or break pieces off of it, you will need to remove it.

Because guinea pigs are nervous by nature, tubes and hideaways provide comfortable, safe places to hide or sleep. If made of cardboard or wood, they also provide a safe outlet for chewing.

You will find wheels and running balls made for guinea pigs. If you buy one of these, make sure that it is big enough for an “adult” guinea pig to fit inside.

Guinea pigs do not require a lot of maintenance, but a little routine grooming is important. Guinea pigs will need their nails trimmed about once every 8 to 12 weeks. With styptic powder and the proper nail trimmer, this can be done at home. If you are unsure of what to do, or unable to restrain your guinea pig, this trimming can be done by your veterinarian or pet store.

Brush your pig at least once a week, and more often if you have a long haired pet. A fine-tooth comb or brush works well on shorthairs and abbys. Pin brushes work well for teddys and texels. Peruvians and silkys require a wide-tooth comb and a slicker brush to keep their coats clean, smooth and tangle-free.

The first guinea pigs were domesticated in about 5000 B.C. by the Incas, but were probably used for food. In the 1600’s, the Spaniards were the first Europeans to see these animals. Dutch merchants brought guinea pigs back from the Americas to Europe, where they became popular pets with aristocrats. In the early 1900’s, British immigrants brought them to the United States.

What has made the guinea pig so popular for so many years? They have a friendly temperament with no tendency to bite. They do not jump or climb and thus have minimal caging requirements. They are easy to feed and very hardy with few health problems. Since baby guinea pigs are born fully developed, with fur, teeth and their eyes open, they are easy and fun to breed.

A standard cage measures about 30”x18”x18”. A single pig could live in a smaller home as long as exercise outside the cage is provided. Many pigs live in 30” long glass tanks, which are easy to keep clean. Most popular, are cages made specifically for guinea pigs which have plastic bottoms and wire tops. These are as easy to clean as glass tanks, but much lighter.

Be careful not to buy a rabbit cage. Rabbit cages have wire grates on the bottom. But, since guinea pigs have no fur on the bottom of their feet, they will develop sores if left on wire grates.

The standard bedding is pine or cedar shavings. Pelleted bedding is popular because it is less dusty, more odor-absorbing and dries rapidly when wet. Pelleted bedding can be made of pine, aspen, newspaper or other plant fiber.

Guinea pigs are clean animals and will normally choose one corner of the cage to use as a toilet area. This area should be cleaned daily. Although not as reliable cats or rabbits, some pigs will use a litter box if it is easy for them to get in and out of, and if it is placed in their normal toilet area.

Standard guinea pig food is made of pelleted alfalfa with other grains. Always make sure that you feed fresh pellets and buy only from stores that have a high turnover of food. Fresh pellets will have a slightly sweet, grassy smell. Don’t feed food that is damp or has a moldy smell. Never feed rabbit food to your pet because guinea pigs have different nutritional needs. Guinea pigs require the higher vitamin content, especially vitamin C, provided by guinea pig pellets.

Hay should also be provided daily. It is a good source of roughage and helps prevent hairballs and diarrhea. The two most common types of hay are timothy and alfalfa. Both are excellent foods, but because alfalfa is higher in calories and calcium, older pets may become overweight if fed too much alfalfa.

Guinea pigs love treats This is an excellent way to bond with your new pet. Readily available treats include honey sticks, yogurt drops, dried fruit & veggie mixes, flavored crunchy sticks and seed mixes.

Pigs also love fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots broccoli and dandelion greens (no pesticides please). Fresh foods should be fed only in small amounts because too much can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.

Remember, treats must not replace regular food. They are fun to feed, but too many can cause your guinea pig to get fat and become ill. Treat foods should make up no more than 10% of the diet.

MALE vs. FEMALE—The male guinea pig has an outgoing personality. This tends to make the male friendlier and calmer. He is interested in what’s going on around him and is eager to greet his owner to see if he can get a special treat or his head scratched. This outgoing nature usually means that two male guinea pigs will argue if kept together.

Although female guinea pigs are more nervous, once they settle into their new home and learn the routine, they calm down. But loud noises and / or unexpected movements may still frighten them. However, females are non-aggressive and can usually be kept together without squabbling with each other.

Guinea pigs suffer from very few health problems and have a life expectancy of 4 to 7 years, with 5 being average.

Male guinea pigs are larger than females, but do not usually weigh more than two pounds.

Guinea pigs do best as indoor pets, preferring an average room temperature of 65 to 75 degrees. Unlike rabbits, they do not do well outdoors.

Guinea pigs require vitamin C because they cannot produce it on their own like rabbits and other animals. Therefore, vitamin-fortified food is always required and a vitamin supplement is recommended during growth and stress.

Baby pigs are weaned and ready to leave their parents at four weeks of age.