White Crested Guinea Pig

Coat and looks how to spot one

short, smooth coat with a single white crest (rosette) on the forehead

Apart from one feature it looks like the classic smooth American guinea pig: short, sleek, glossy fur lying flat over a rounded, sturdy body with a broad head. The one feature is the crest, a single neat whorl of white hair on the forehead between the eyes and ears, which sets it apart at a glance. In show animals the crest should be a deep, even circle with a pinpoint centre, and the white should appear only there.38910

Personality what they are like

Generally an easy-going, gentle guinea pig that seldom shows aggression. It can be a little reserved or shy at first, especially if not used to being handled, but becomes confident and friendly with regular, gentle contact. Breed guides describe it as bright and curious, and suitable for first-time keepers.21711

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Guinea pigs are busy animals that can be on the go for up to 20 hours a day, napping in short spells. Offer daily time in a larger, safe run or room with tunnels, hides and things to explore. Contented guinea pigs often leap and twist in the air, a habit owners call 'popcorning'.54

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Low maintenance: the short, smooth coat only needs an occasional brush to remove loose hair. Check and trim nails about monthly (more or less often depending on how much the guinea pig wears them down), and provide plenty of hay so the teeth stay naturally worn.21

Home where they are happiest

A roomy enclosure tall enough for them to stand up on their hind legs (around 30 cm of height so youngsters can hop), with solid floors and a deep layer of dust-free bedding rather than wire grids. Provide one more hiding place than there are guinea pigs. Indoors aim for about 17-20 C; protect them from heat above about 26 C and bring outdoor guinea pigs inside when it falls below about 15 C. Spot-clean daily and do a full clean at least weekly.12

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Good-quality hay available at all times should make up most of the diet, plus fresh grass where possible. Add a daily portion of grass-based guinea pig pellets (per the maker's guidance, replaced rather than topped up) and a daily mix of fresh vegetables and herbs such as parsley, bell pepper, celery, cucumber and romaine. Guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, so it has to come from food every day (roughly 10 mg per day). Fruit only as an occasional small treat, and fresh water always available, checked twice a day.1354

Company who they like around

Very sociable: guinea pigs should live with at least one other friendly guinea pig and do best in pairs or small groups. Wild cavies live in close family groups of about 5-10.512

The story where it all began

Guinea pigs were domesticated in the Andes of South America, possibly as early as 5000 BC, and reached Europe with Spanish, Dutch and English traders in the 1500s, where they became fashionable pets. Crested guinea pigs, whose only difference from the smooth shorthair is a whorl of hair on the forehead, were developed by fanciers in two styles: the English Crested, with a crest matching the body, and the crest of a contrasting colour. The contrasting, white-crowned type was taken up and refined in the United States and is accepted by the American Cavy Breeders Association as the White Crested; secondary sources date that recognition to 1974. The ACBA standard insists the white be confined to the crest, so the breed is not produced in white-marked patterns. In Britain the same look is standardised by the British Cavy Council under the name American Crested.41031287

Recognised by the official bits

American Cavy Breeders Association (ARBA Standard of Perfection)

One of the 13 ACBA-recognised breeds, shown as 'White Crested'. Built to the American standard but must carry a white crest, a rosette centred on the line running from the nose tip to the middle of the ears, with no white anywhere else on the body. No Satin form is recognised.3

American Cavy Breeders Association

Listed among the 13 ACBA breeds in a vet-reviewed breed identification guide.14

American Cavy Breeders Association

Secondary sources give 1974 as the year the ACBA recognised the White Crested as a breed (no primary confirmation found).1

British Cavy Council

Standardised in the UK as the 'American Crested': points are head, eyes and ears 18, crest 40 (formation 20, colour 20), body shape 15, colour 18, coat 9. The crest must be a full circle of a contrasting colour, usually white, and crest-coloured patches or a blaze elsewhere disqualify. A separate 'English Crested' has a crest the same colour as the body.8