Breeds
There are thirteen breeds of guinea pigs that are recognized by ARBA. ARBA is the American Rabbit Breeders Association. It is the official registry for guinea pigs in the U.S. and it is the agency that decides what the breed standards are. There are other breeds, like the hairless, that I have seen, but they have not been approved as a breed by ARBA yet. In order to be recognized as a breed, there are a lot of tests that have to be met.
When you are searching for the piggy that is right for you, especially if you want to show him or her, you might want to pay close attention to the breed standards. Those are the requirements for each breed. You will also want to pay close attention to the amount of work involved with each breed. The long-haired breeds require lots of combing and even some wrapping of the hair each day!
There are thirteen breeds of guinea pigs that are recognized by ARBA. ARBA is the American Rabbit Breeders Association. It is the official registry for guinea pigs in the U.S. and it is the agency that decides what the breed standards are. There are other breeds, like the hairless, that I have seen, but they have not been approved as a breed by ARBA yet. In order to be recognized as a breed, there are a lot of tests that have to be met.
When you are searching for the piggy that is right for you, especially if you want to show him or her, you might want to pay close attention to the breed standards. Those are the requirements for each breed. You will also want to pay close attention to the amount of work involved with each breed. The long-haired breeds require lots of combing and even some wrapping of the hair each day!
