Thanks to genetics, Abyssinian guinea pigs, like many other animal breeds, come in various colors and coat styles.
Besides being aesthetic, the many colors of Abyssinian guinea pigs are another dimension of animal diversity. Furthermore, acquainting yourself with the coat colors of this guinea pig breed can help you make the best decision if you decide to get one as a pet.
We discuss some of the various coat colors of Abyssinian guinea pigs in this article. So, if you are curious about Abyssinian guinea pig colors, or you need the info to make a decision, this article should help you out.
Table of Contents
Agouti
You can describe agouti Abyssinian guinea pigs as having a salt and pepper pattern. Their coat has two bands of alternating pigmentation on most body parts.
While the head, legs, and backs of agouti Abyssinian guinea pigs typically conform with the salt and pepper pattern, the eye region and the stomach usually have one band of pigmentation.
Besides the usual agouti color, there is a variant called solid agouti. Unlike regular agouti Abyssinian guinea pigs, solid agouti Abyssinian guinea pigs have the salt and pepper pattern all over. But they are pretty rare.
Albino
Albino Abyssinian guinea pigs typically have a pure white coat and red eyes. However, they may sometimes have minimal patches of black fur around the ears, feet, and nose.
Albino Abyssinian guinea pigs are pretty rare. This is unsurprising since their coloration comes from an uncommon genetic defect that reduces melanin production.
Albino Abyssinian guinea pigs are prone to various congenital disorders. So, they may not live as long as non-albino Abyssinian guinea pigs.
Some Albino Abyssinian guinea pigs are born blind in a single eye or both eyes. Some even lose their hearing. Overall, albino Abyssinian guinea pigs are more fragile, so you should handle them gently.
If you get an albino Abyssinian guinea pig, you will have to visit the vet regularly. Doing this can help ensure the guinea pig lives a quality life. You must also feed it properly and keep its environment hygienic.
Brindle
The coat of brindle Abyssinian guinea pigs comes with dark-colored and white fur. The brindle color pattern is similar to the tortoiseshell. However, the different colorations have different color ranges and outlines.
Brindle Abyssinian guinea pigs can have more colors than red and black, and the patterns are random instead of square.
Under ideal conditions, the coat of brindle Abyssinian guinea pigs should have more than just red and black fur. But in some cases, red and black hairs dominate.
The fur of brindle Abyssinian guinea pigs is typically glossy. However, it may not be smooth.
Dalmatian
The color of the Dalmatian Abyssinian guinea pigs comes from the Dalmatian dog breed. Accordingly, Dalmatian Abyssinian guinea pigs have about the same black and white markings as Dalmatians.
Dalmatian Abyssinian guinea pigs have white coats with black spots. The area around their eyes and cheeks is typically covered with black fur. The mid-face, on the other hand, is usually white.
Dalmatian Abyssinian guinea pigs usually have no spots on their faces. However, a few individuals with spotted faces exist.
The chances of malformation in the progeny are high with the dalmatian gene. So, experts do not recommend breeding Dalmatian Abyssinian guinea pigs with other Dalmatian Abyssinian guinea pigs.
Dutch
Dutch Abyssinian guinea pigs typically have white fur on their mid-face and a white band around their mid-body.
The white fur in the mid-face area has a triangular pattern that tapers toward the top of the head. Then the area around their eyes and cheeks and the rear side of the body are either brown or black.
Himalayan
Himalayan Abyssinian guinea pigs are a variant of the Albino Abyssinian guinea pigs. They have predominantly white fur and red eyes. However, their ears, nose, and feet may be black or brown, contrasting with the rest of the coat.
In the early days of a Himalayan Abyssinian guinea pig’s life, it may be hard to tell what color its nose, ears, and feet will take on. However, after a few months, you should be able to tell.
In guinea pig shows, the difference in contrast between the dark points (ears, nose, and feet) and the white coat is vital. The sharper the contrast, the more points a guinea pig gets.
Roan
Roan Abyssinian guinea pigs have two colors in their coats. But unlike the usual bi-colored guinea pigs, they do not have patches or spots. Instead, the two colors in the fur of roan Abyssinian guinea pigs blend into each other.
Roan Abyssinian guinea pigs typically come with a mixture of white hairs and hairs of a darker color.
The roan pattern usually covers most of the body of roan Abyssinian guinea pigs. However, the face and feet typically have a solid color. The solid color could be either of the two colors.
As with Dalmatian Abyssinian guinea pigs, experts do not recommend breeding roan Abyssinian guinea pigs with other roan Abyssinian guinea pigs. If you do mate them, there may be malformations.
Breeding them with non-roan Abyssinian guinea pigs is a safer way to go.
Self
Self Abyssinian guinea pigs have solid-colored coats. Their fur is the same color all over, and it is smooth and non-coarse.
Self is perhaps the most common type of coloration in Abyssinian guinea pigs. It comes in 12 colors, including black, cream, chocolate, and lilac.
If you are getting a self Abyssinian guinea pig for exhibition purposes, it must be absolutely uniform all over.
No region of your self Abyssinian guinea pig can have a color or shade different from other parts.
Tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell Abyssinian guinea pigs have two fur colors; their coats consist of alternating red and black furs in defined rectangular/block patterns.
Tortoiseshell Abyssinian guinea pigs have dark eyes, and overall, they are elegant. When judges assess them in shows, they look out for well-defined patterns. The more defined the patches are, the better.