Colors of guinea pigs: black, white, red, agouti and others (photo)

Wild guinea pigs do not have a variety of colors and brown, gray and sand tones are inherent in them, due to which they become less noticeable to predators. But since people domesticated these rodents, and breeders have been breeding new breeds, the colors of guinea pigs amaze with their unusual colors and bright original shades.

Solid color (self) in guinea pigs

Short-haired guinea pigs with a solid color are isolated in a separate breed called the English Self, as they were bred by British breeders. Other breeds can also have a solid color. A distinctive feature of animals is that their fur coat is dyed in a certain solid color, without admixture of other shades. Paw pads, ears and nose should match the color of the coat, although they may be slightly lighter than the rest of the body.

The color palette of the Selfie comes in a variety of colors, ranging from light tones (white, beige, gold) to rich dark hues such as blue, black and chocolate.

White

The white guinea pig has a snow-white fur coat without a single speck. The paws and ears of animals are white or pale pink. The eyes are black or brown with a red tint.

Cream

The fur of pigs is milky with a slight shade of pale yellow.

Beige

Beige guinea pigs have light cream fur, with a yellowish or sandy tint. The eyes of animals are brown or red.

Saffron and buff

The fur of pigs with this coloring is distinguished by a deep light yellow tone, similar to the color of roasted peanuts. If the animal has black eyes, then it is referred to as a buff color variant. Animals with dark red eyes are called saffron.

buffalo

This is a new and still rare hair color in guinea pigs, characterized by a rich dark yellow tint. It differs from the golden or saffron color in an even tone, without an apricot or lemon tint. Paws and ears have such a deep yellow tint, eyes are brown or red.

Gold

The coat of rodents is colored light red or has a reddish-carrot hue. The fur of pigs is shiny with a golden tint.

Red

In animals, the fur coat is painted in a thick reddish-red color with a copper tint. The ears and eyes of the animals have a dark brown tint. Interestingly, males with a red self have a more saturated and bright color, while females have a muted reddish fur color.

Black

The fur of the animals is evenly colored in a rich jet black color. Ears, paw pads and eyes also have a deep black tint.

Blue

In fact, the animals do not have blue, but a dark blue coat color, which only in bright light casts a bluish tint. Ears, eyes and paws match in tone with the main color.

Chocolate

The coat of animals has a rich dark brown color, chocolate or coffee hue. The eyes of rodents are black or ruby ​​red.

slate

It differs from the chocolate color by a lighter brown tone, comparable to the color of milk chocolate.

Lilac (lilac)

The animals have dark smoky gray fur with a slight lilac tint. The ears and paw pads are also gray, and the eyes are black or dark brown.

Satin (satin)

Satin is not a color, but a type of coat. Satin guinea pigs have a soft, smooth and extremely shiny coat. The fur of rodents resembles satin or silk, as it shimmers with a glossy sheen. The color of the fur coat can be anything, but golden, buffalo and lilac colors are considered the rarest and most valuable.

Agouti color in guinea pigs

The color of the agouti ornamental guinea pigs inherited from their wild relatives. The main color of the fur of the animals is black, gray or dark brown, but with one feature – each hair is colored with two or three shades. This color, in which light and dark stripes alternate on the hair, is also called ticking. The coat on the belly, around the eyes and nose is lighter than on the rest of the body, creating a delightful iridescent effect.

The colors of guinea pigs belonging to the agouti type are not only diverse, but also original. For example, animals with lemon, chocolate and brown colors look very beautiful and unusual.

Lemon

At the base, the hair is of a rich black tone, the middle part of the hair is colored yellow, and the tip is a dark tone. The belly is monophonic, light lemon.

Cover (Cinnamon)

Cinnamon agouti is characterized by a deep brown color, in which the tips of the hairs are colored with a silvery tint. The abdomen, the area around the eyes and nose are light gray.

Argent

In argent guinea pigs, the basic tone of the fur is light, and not dark, like in other agoutis. At the base, the animals are painted beige or purple, and the tips of the hairs have different tones: white, cream, golden and lemon yellow.

Gold

The main color of the animals is black, smoothly turning into a golden yellow tone at the tip of the hair. The belly is painted with a bright golden or orange color.

Silver

In silver agoutis, the main color is dark gray, the middle part of the hair has a silver tint, and the tip of the hair is jet black. The abdomen of animals is painted in a uniform light gray tone.

Cream

The colors of the rodents combine brown and light cream shades. The abdomen and the area around the eyes and nose are painted beige or cream.

Chocolate

One of the most beautiful representatives of agouti. The main chocolate color is diluted in the middle of the hair with a golden-red hue and ends with a rich brown color. The belly is bright red.

Marked colors of guinea pigs

In guinea pigs, the combination of two or three colors is called markings. Different shades in the color of rodents intertwine or overlap each other, creating an intricate pattern and a beautiful pattern.

Bicolor and tricolor guinea pigs can be of different breeds, ranging from regular shorthaired to longhaired, such as the Sheltie, Coronet, and Texel.

Two color

On the body of rodents there are two different tones in the form of longitudinal stripes, which are divided into clear sections and do not mix with each other. The most common are white-red and white-black colors.

Tricolor

The colors of animals combine three different shades – black, white and red.

Голландский

The most common color of these rodents. Two colors are combined on their body, one of which must be white, and the second can be red, black and chocolate. The neck, thorax and mid-back are white, while the head and hindquarters are dark in tone.

Dalmatian

The main color of the rodent is white, and black or dark brown spots are scattered all over the body in a chaotic manner. The head must be black, but a white stripe on the forehead or bridge of the nose is acceptable.

Magpie

An interesting and unusual color that combines black and white. On the body of animals there are monochromatic light and dark spots, diluted with areas where black and white are woven together, creating a beautiful pattern.

Harlequin

The color is the same as that of magpies, only instead of white, black is intertwined with beige, light red or cream.

Brindle

The animals are painted in fiery red, which is diluted with spots and stripes of black.

Roan

The roan color is represented by a black or red tone, on which there are interspersed with white hairs. The head is painted with a solid base color. Pigs with a dark color are called Blue Roans, if the color is red, then Strawberry Roans.

Tortoiseshell

In tortoiseshell guinea pigs, black is combined with cream, beige, or chocolate.

Tortoiseshell with white

This color is typical only for short-haired pigs. On their body, black, white and red spots are combined, which are placed in a checkerboard pattern.

Fixed pattern guinea pig colors

Rodents with fixed colors have a clear pattern on the body, fixed by the breed standard.

Himalayan (common or Russian)

With this color, the animals resemble Siamese cats. Their body is white, cream or light beige, and the paw ears and muzzle are painted in a dark tone (black, gray, chocolate).

Know Foxy

Rodents have a dark coat color with white or red tan on the belly, chest and around the eyes. A chocolate or black guinea pig with red tan is called a tan. Foxes are rodents with white tan markings that contrast sharply with the dark color of the fur.

otter

This color is represented by a chocolate-gray color. The body of the animal is painted in a smoky gray, coffee or chocolate shade.

Brindle (variegated)

A beautiful and unusual color in black and red colors, inherent in long-haired guinea pigs, in which their body is colored with these colors in equal proportions.

Although the colors of these cute and cute rodents delight with their diversity and combination of different shades, breeders do not stop there. Therefore, we can expect that in the near future there will be animals with new unusual colors and unique patterns on their soft fluffy fur coat.