Cavia porcellusGuinea PigsSmall

Rex Guinea Pig

Has a short, dense, curly or wavy coat — genetically distinct from the Teddy.

gentlesocialcuriousfriendlycalm

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Photo: Image from Wikipedia: "Rex Guinea Pig" — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%20of%20guinea%20pig%20breeds. Verify licence at commons.wikimedia.org. · CC BY-SA 4.0 (verify per-image licence on Wikimedia Commons)

Origin

United Kingdom

Lifespan

5–6 years

Weight

700–1,200 g

Height

20–30 cm

Diet

Herbivore — unlimited hay, fresh greens, pellets, daily vitamin C.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Caviidae

Genus

Cavia

The Story

Has a short, dense, curly or wavy coat — genetically distinct from the Teddy. Creates a similar plush effect but with actual curl in the individual hairs rather than a kink at the root. The Rex gene is recessive. Very soft, plush texture. Popular show animals in the UK. Known as gentle, easy-going animals with low coat maintenance requirements.

Also Known As

Rex CavyCurly-Coated Cavy

Quick Facts

BreedRex

Breed GroupSHORT-COAT

SizeSmall

ActivityModerate

TrainabilityLow

CountryUnited Kingdom

Lifespan5 - 6 years

Good with KidsGood with PetsHypoallergenic

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Physical Profile

Source: wikimedia

Short, dense, curly coat standing away from the body. Individual hairs have slight curl rather than lying flat. Soft and plush texture. Curly whiskers are present in true Rex individuals.

Grooming

Low

Shedding

Moderate

Coat Colors

any colour

Recognized By

BCCGVarious cavy societies

Image Available

Source: wikimedia

Temperament & Personality

Same gentle, social temperament as American Guinea Pig. Rex cavies often described as particularly calm and easy to handle.

gentlesocialcuriousfriendlycalm

Living Profile

Activity LevelModerate

TrainabilityLow

Noise LevelModerate

Care & Wellness

Professional Care Protocol

Ear Cleaning

Nail Trimming

Special Eye Care

Teeth Care

•Same as American Guinea Pig. Rex coat is very low maintenance — weekly brushing sufficient.

Vaccination Schedule

AdultboosterN/A

SpeciesnotesGuinea pigs require an exotic/small animal vet familiar with cavy medicine. Annual wellness exams recommended. Key monitoring: dental occlusion (open-rooted teeth grow continuously), urinary calcium sludge, vitamin C supplementation (guinea pigs cannot synthesise their own), respiratory health. No standard vaccines administered in most countries.

PuppykittenscheduleN/A — guinea pigs have no routine vaccine schedule.

Health Overview

Same as American Guinea Pig. No breed-specific additional concerns.

Common Conditions

•Name: Vitamin C Deficiency • Severity: HIGH • Prevalence: COMMON • Description: Daily vitamin C essential.

•Name: Dental Malocclusion • Severity: HIGH • Prevalence: COMMON • Description: Unlimited hay essential.

Fun Facts

The Rex mutation affects the same biological mechanism as the Rex mutation in cats and Rex rabbits — guard hairs absent or modified, leaving only softer secondary hairs.

Also Known As

Rex CavyCurly-Coated Cavy

Related Tags

#guinea-pig#curly-coat#plush#low-maintenance#family-pet#show-breed

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