Abyssinian Guinea Pig

With a heap of personality and a quirky side too, the Abyssinian guinea pig is one perfect pet. By Carrol Baker.

Fun, lively, and just a little bit crazy — that’s how breeder Jazzy Howlett from Cavameer Cavies describes the Abyssinian guinea pig.  And it’s easy to see why. This gorgeous breed of guinea pig is quirky, sociable, and has lots of personality. They also have a very supercute hairdo!

The Abyssinian guinea pig has a very distinctive look, with swirly, spiky hair that forms little tufts (called rosettes) all over their body. “The little Mohawk hair sticking up is as cute as it gets!” says Jazzy. The first guinea pig she owned as a child was a tri-colour Abyssinian called Amber Rose. “We had a lot of fun and adventures with Amber Rose,” remembers Jazzy with a grin. “We used to take her out to visit friends and sometimes I’d sneak her into school. I’m sure the teachers knew, though.”

Abyssinian guinea pigs come in many different colours, including tri-colour — tortoiseshell, white and brindle — black and gold, roan, red, red and white, black, and black and white. To keep your guinea pig’s coat looking slick and funky, give them a bath occasionally and a brush here and there, suggests Jazzy.