Longhaired Breeds

Long-haired cavies are more complicated to look after. They are better pets for people who are experienced in looking after guinea pigs and have more time to look after their pets. During the summer or if you live in a hot climate you have to cut the hair regulary to prevent heat stroke and / or circulatory troubles. Also the fur has to be cut to avoid it getting tangled around their feet, stopping them from socialising and exercising. The fur at their bottom should be cut very short to avoid infections.

• Silkie Guinea Pig

  
  The Silkie is like the American but with longer hair! The fur is lying rearwards and the fur on its head is quite shorter. Silkie does not have any swirls.

• Coronet Guinea Pig

  
  The Coronet Cavy is like the Silkie but it has a short-haired crest on its head. The fur beside the head is long-haired and lying rearwards. So it is a perfect combination of a Silkie and a Crested.

• Peruvian Guinea Pig

  
  The very special characteristics of a Peruvian cavy is that its scalp hair falls down over its eyes if you won't prevent it. The hair of a Peruvian is almost the longest of all cavies. Pay attention to it if you get one!

• Angora Guinea Pig

  
  Angora is a old definition and still well known in Europe but might not be familiar elsewhere today. The Angora cavy has eight cowlicks at the same place like the Aby : four on its back, two at its haunch two at the front.

• Texel Guinea Pig

  
  A Texel does not have any swirls but curly hair like a long-haired Rex. The fur on its head is short and curly too.

• Merino Guinea Pig

  
  The Merino is the curly version of a Coronet cavy. It has long curly fur on its body and short frizzly fur on its head. Merinos have swirls on its forehead.

• Mohair Guinea Pig

  
  The mohair is not a offical accepted breed - neither the name nor the breed is accepted in any guinea pig breeders. It is a combination of a Angora (Silkie) and Texel and has long curly fur with cowlicks.

• Alpaca Guinea Pig

  
  The Alpace is a Peruvian with curly fur. It has two cowlicks and swirls on its head too. Not to mention it looks like a cloud!

• Lunkarya Guinea Pig

  
  The "sheep-cavy". This is a quite new and rare breed and can be qualified as the long-haired version of a Curly Cavy. There are three different types known: Lunkarya-Silkie, Linkarya-Peruvian als well as Lunkarya-Coronet. The fur is long and abrasive so it's easier to look after than the smoother furred long breeds.