What breed are my guineas?

[OzzyandBruno]

I was just wondering if anyone could identify the breeds of my guinea pigs? I also thought that Bruno was maybe albino, however I now realise that they are actually quite rare and I think completely white whereas Bruno is also beige, so I’m guessing he isn’t actually albino.

I was also going to ask about roan guinea pigs and lethal whites. I didn’t even know they existed until yesterday, but I realise that Bruno does have red eyes and is mainly white, though I’m probably just worrying seeing as he doesn’t have any eye or hearing problems.

[Rosiethecutepig]

Bruno looks like an American. I can't tell on Ozzy though.

[Rosiethecutepig]

Ozzy has the same mohawk as my guinea pig. I can't tell her breed either.
She looks like an Abyssinian, just with not as many rosettes.

[Soecara]

Guinea pigs with a mohawk are called ridgeback.

Ozzy looks like a true mixed breed, it looks like he has a bit of longhair in him causing some longer fur around his bottom and neck, but he isn't a true longhair as he also has mostly short hair. His colour is a tri-colour, black, white and gold? (I'm not sure on exactly what "red series" colour his orange would classify as).

Bruno is an amercian, lilac and white dutch? tortoiseshell? (I'm not sure on which of those two patterns he would classify as), red eyed.

Red eyes are common in guinea pigs, and you can get red eyed guinea pigs in almost any colour. However even red eyed whites are not albinos, guinea pigs lack the genes to cause albinism, the closest they get is lethal whites which come with a host of potentially deadly defects hence why they are called lethal whites.

Lethal whites are only produced when two guinea pigs with the roan gene are mated and a pup inherits a roan gene from both parents, having two copies of the roan gene is what causes the long list of potential defects. Roaning in guinea pigs is a colour variant where their patches of colours have solid white furs intermixed, however it is possible for this gene to only express in select places not all over the guinea pig, as such it is also possible for the gene to only express where they happen to already be white. So it is possible to get Lethal whites from parents who may not physically look roan themselves but happen to carry the gene in a hidden way.

[4boipigs]

Ozzy pretty much looks like my youngest pig Gimbly, who the rescue labeled as a sheltie/abyssinian mix. He's large, has very soft, thick hair, and has longer hair towards his rear like a sheltie. Same colors too.

[OzzyandBruno]

Yeah that's why I was a bit confused about Ozzy - he has these tufty bits around his head and long fur at the back, but overall he has relatively short hair. Your guinea pig is so cute!

[OzzyandBruno]

Guinea pigs with a mohawk are called ridgeback.

Ozzy looks like a true mixed breed, it looks like he has a bit of longhair in him causing some longer fur around his bottom and neck, but he isn't a true longhair as he also has mostly short hair. His colour is a tri-colour, black, white and gold? (I'm not sure on exactly what "red series" colour his orange would classify as).

Bruno is an amercian, lilac and white dutch? tortoiseshell? (I'm not sure on which of those two patterns he would classify as), red eyed.

Red eyes are common in guinea pigs, and you can get red eyed guinea pigs in almost any colour. However even red eyed whites are not albinos, guinea pigs lack the genes to cause albinism, the closest they get is lethal whites which come with a host of potentially deadly defects hence why they are called lethal whites.

Lethal whites are only produced when two guinea pigs with the roan gene are mated and a pup inherits a roan gene from both parents, having two copies of the roan gene is what causes the long list of potential defects. Roaning in guinea pigs is a colour variant where their patches of colours have solid white furs intermixed, however it is possible for this gene to only express in select places not all over the guinea pig, as such it is also possible for the gene to only express where they happen to already be white. So it is possible to get Lethal whites from parents who may not physically look roan themselves but happen to carry the gene in a hidden way.

Thank you for explaining! Yes Ozzy does have some long fur around his head and bottom so that would make sense. Ah ok, I understand that now thanks

[OzzyandBruno]

Ozzy pretty much looks like my youngest pig Gimbly, who the rescue labeled as a sheltie/abyssinian mix. He's large, has very soft, thick hair, and has longer hair towards his rear like a sheltie. Same colors too.

Oh okay thanks, yes he does sound very similar to Ozzy.

[Guinea Pig Papa]

Both my boys Scooter and Punkin had fur like that. Punkin was mostly shorthair at the front, but grew longer as you went toward his bum. Once you got there his fur was so long I used to call it his "hula skirt", and I had to keep it trimmed.

Scooter had tufts around his ears, on the back of his hind legs and his fur on his bum was slightly longer but not overly so. Scooters fur was always silky smooth while Punkins' was a bit more coarse. Ozzy's colouring is even similar to Scooters'.

[OzzyandBruno]

Both my boys Scooter and Punkin had fur like that. Punkin was mostly shorthair at the front, but grew longer as you went toward his bum. Once you got there his fur was so long I used to call it his "hula skirt", and I had to keep it trimmed.

Scooter had tufts around his ears, on the back of his hind legs and his fur on his bum was slightly longer but not overly so. Scooters fur was always silky smooth while Punkins' was a bit more coarse. Ozzy's colouring is even similar to Scooters'.

Thanks for the reply Haha "hula skirt" thats so cute! Ozzy sounds like a bit of a mix between Punkin and Scooter, though more similar to Scooter.

[Guinea Pig Papa]

You can see Scooter's ear tufts and wisps here :




And while not the greatest pic of Punkin, this is a good idea of his hula skirt.

[OzzyandBruno]

You can see Scooter's ear tufts and wisps here :




And while not the greatest pic of Punkin, this is a good idea of his hula skirt.

Aw cute! I sometimes think Ozzy's ear tufts make him look like a rockhopper penguin but less exaggerated (I think that's what they're called)