Crested Guinea Pig

Crested guinea pigs are easy to spot. As their name suggests, they have a crown-like crest (or rosette) of hair on the top of their head. Apart from this, they look rather like the American short-haired guinea pigs, with short, smooth hair.

There are two types of crested guinea pigs; American crested guinea pig and Self crested guinea pigs (also known as English crested guinea pig). The American crested will have a crest that is a different colour to the rest of its body (like the white crested guinea pig for example). In contrast, the self crested guinea pig will have a crest that is the same colour as its body.

| APPEARANCE: Short-haired with smooth fur. A distinctive crest on the top of its head.

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES: American crested, English crested, White crested.

| FUN FACTS: Hilary, the guinea pig in the hit TV series, Fleabag, was a white crested guinea pig.

| PERSONALITY: Sometimes shy, but generally known for being good natured, playful and intelligent.

| HANDLING: Generally very passive in nature so ideal for children.

| GROOMING: Do not require regular hair grooming. Occasional brushing will suffice.    

At HayPigs!® we have had five Crested guinea pigs, Pepper, Harlequin, Jet, Elsa and Bea.