KaimykCavies

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The Teddy breed of guinea pig is very popular as a show exhibit and as a pet. It hasn’t been called a ‘Teddy’ without reason. Its unique dense, fuzzy coat gives it a ‘Teddy bear’ appearance that many a soft toy would envy. The coat is wiry and resilient.The Teddy goes through several ‘stages’ before reaching his adult appearance. Between two and five weeks of age, the coat may fluff out and kink, growing close to the body and reaching about of an inch in length. Even the whiskers may be kinked. From five to twelve weeks, the coat may flatten or become scruffy. If the animal is well bred, the curly, springy texture will return as the Teddy matures around five or six months of age. The hair on the belly curls in a C shape. There are two strains of Teddy guinea pig. The Plush, or Soft, variety has soft fluffy hairs in the coat while the Wirehaired, or Harsh, variety has wiry, slightly longer hair. The hair may even obscure the face. These two types appear to be genetically different.Teddy guinea pigs are prone to dry skin. Dietary supplements will help to combat this condition. Such items as sunflower seeds, wheat germ, calf manna and oats will all help. Not washing your Teddy unless absolutely necessary will also assist in keeping a nice coat on your pet.The docile Teddy lives around six years and is a hardy, quiet pet. Being one of the short-haired varieties, it is easy to maintain as it doesn’t need a lot of grooming and it is inexpensive to keep. They do not need a lot of space but will do better if they have plenty of exercise. They are a medium size with rather broad shoulders. The flesh is firm and they have broad crowns. The eyes are large and bright and they have a Roman nose.

 

Author Judy Evans