Guinea Pig Supplies

Abyssinian - A guinea pig with hair that grows in swirls to form rosettes all over its body.
Agouti - The colour of the original wild guinea pigs. Each hair has 2 separate colour bands & the tips of the hairs are dark creating a ticked appearance.
Alfafa - A plant used as a food source for guinea pigs as hay & pellets like these great ones Sergeant's Geisler Superior Nutrition 3-Pound Guinea Pig Diet
Alpaca - A Peruvian guinea pig that carries the Rex gene, which causes the coat to be curly.
American - The name for smooth coated guinea pigs in the USA.
Ascorbic acid - Vitamin C.
Bale - Large bags of wood shavings used as bedding like this great bag, Kaytee Pine Bedding (2500 cu in)
Belly Band - The large unticked area of an Agouti.
Boar - A male guinea pig.
Bonnet Strings - Streaks of non ticked hair coming down from the chin on an Agouti - considered a fault in showing.
Boucle - The North American name for an Alpaca.
Bumblefoot - The swelling of a guinea pigs foot if bacteria enters cuts on their foot pad.
Cateract - The cloudy white film covering the eye.
Carrier - Small specially made cage to transport animals.
Cavia Porcellus - Scientific name for the guinea pig.
Cavy - Tailess rodent from South America, also the proper name for the guinea pig.
Checkerboard Pattern- The ideal pattern of markings on a Tortoiseshell guinea pig.
Chirping - High pitched sound usually made by the female guinea pigs most often at night.
Cloudy Tears - Milky discharge that appears in the corners of the eyes when its irritated & is flushing itself out.
Collagen - Protein found in the bones thats necessary for growth & proper development.
Coprophagy - Term used to describe when a guinea pig eats their own droppings to reabsorb valuable vitamins.
Coronet - A crested silky.
Crest - The single rosette of hair on a guinea pigs head.
Dilute - The lighter shade of a dark colour such as black or brown.
Diurnal - Awake during the day.
Duncan Hartley - Special line of white guinea pigs used in research.
ear tag - Permanent metal clip or temporary adhesive label used to identify purebred show cavies.
English - The name used for smooth coated guinea pigs in Europe.
Exotic Animal Specialist - A veterinarain with special training to look after guinea pigs & other small pets.
Free Feed - A term used for any food that is freely available to a guinea pig so they may eat as much as they want.
Frizzle - A long haired cavy crossed with a Teddy.
Frontal - The long fringe of hair covering a Peruvian's face.
Gestation - The length of time from conception to birth.
Grease Spot - A spot of sticky hair on a guinea pigs rump, caused by secretions from the oil gland.
Impaction - A condition that affects males when they are unable to pass softer droppings, & they become trapped in the skin fold of the anus causing a painful lupm.
Incisors - A guinea pigs front teeth.
In-Pig - A term to describe a pregnant guinea pig.
Intermediate - Young guinea pigs up to 6 months of age.
Junior - Young guinea pigs up to 4 moths of age.
Malocclusion - Improper alignment of the teeth.
Marked - Guinea Pigs with specifc patterns & markings arranged in an orderly fashion.
Merino - A crested Texel.
Mites - Tiny parasites that burrow in the skin & inside the ears, causing irritation & itching.
Molars - The Guinea Pigs back teeth used for grinding food.
Nest Box - A small floorless box usally made from wood, with windows & a door placed inside the guinea pigs cage for sleeping & hiding just like this one, Super Pet Woodland Get-A-Way Large Guinea Pig House
Neuter - A surgical proceedure that alters a male Guinea Pig so he can't reproduce.
Oestrus - The period of time when a female Guinea Pig is capable of conceiving.
Otoscope - An instrument used by a Vet to look inside the ears & mouth.
Pecking Order - A system of rank found in multiple Guinea Pig dwellings.
Pedigree - The recorded line of a pure bred Guinea Pig.
Pellets - Prepared Guinea Pig food that is the foundation of a Guinea Pigs food like this one, Guinea Pig Pellets 25lb
Peruvian - A Guinea Pig with long hair that grows forward over the body from rosettes (preferably only 2) on the rump.
Purring - An affectionate sound made by a Guinea Pig.
Piglets - Baby Guinea Pigs.
Points -The extremities of a Guinea Pigs body (ears, nose & feet) that are darker than the rest of the body.
Quick - The living tissue inside the toenails.
Rare-Variety - A new breed of Guinea Pig not yet officially recognised.
Rex - A Guinea Pig with kinked plush hair bred in Europe.
Rosette - The swirl of hair found on an Abyssinian.
Run - Outdoor enclosure with open floor for Guinea Pigs to graze on grass, like this one that's Awesome WARE Premium + Back Yard Hutch
Salmonella - A harmful food bacteria.
Sanctioned - A type of Guinea Pig show held under authorisation of a specific club or organisation.
Satin - A variety of Guinea Pig with a glossy coat due to hollow hair shafts that reflect the light.
Scurvy - The harmful condition thats the result of lack of Vitamin C.
Self - A variety of Guinea Pig thats the same colour all over the whole body.
Senior - A Guinea Pig over 4 years old.
Sheltie - Guinea Pig with long hair that grows straight, without swirls.
Silky - The North American name for the Sheltie.
Sipper Tube - The drinking device on a good LM Animal Farms Water Wells Wide Mouth Water Bottle for Rabbits, Guinea Pigs & Ferrets (64 oz.).
Slicker - A brush with soft wire bristles set close together, for grooming thick coated Guinea Pigslike this Super Pet Pro-Slicker Brush for Pet Critters
Smooth Coat - A Guinea Pig with smooth short hair.
Soduim Ascorbate- Vitamin C crystals.
Sow - A female Guinea Pig
Standard of Perfection - A guideline that purebred Guinea Pigs are judged against.
Standards Committee - A group of people within a Guinea Pig club who decide whether or not a new breed is to be acceped or standardised.
Styptic Powder - A special powder that clots the blood on the toenails of a Guinea Pig, if the quick has been cut.
Sweep - The long hair that passes down the sides & rump of a Guinea Pig.
Teddy - A Guinea Pig with kinked, plush hair, bred in North America. Similar to a Rex but genetically different.
Texel - A long haired Rex Guinea Pig.
Ticked - The appearance of the dark haired tips on the Agouti.
Timothy Grass - A particular type of grass that hay for Guinea Pigs is made from, like this good one from Peter's 48-Ounce Timothy Hay for Rabbits and Small Animals