Difference Between Silkie & Abyssinian Guinea Pigs

They may not be as diverse as dogs, but the 13 recognized breeds of guinea pigs can look as different as a pug and a poodle. This is true for silkie and Abyssinian guinea pigs, who share a similar body shape but almost look like two different animals, thanks to their extreme hair styles.

  1. Coat Type

    • Silkie guinea pigs, or cavies, live up to their name with long, silky, flowing hair that extends several inches past their body. The hair is soft and shiny, and is a pleasure to touch. Abyssinian cavies, on the other hand, have short, wiry hair that stands up in round patches, or rosettes, over the entire body. The hair creates a distinctive pattern, with ridges of raised hair in between the rosettes, but it is not soft to the touch.

    Shape and Size

    • Underneath the very different types of hair, silkie and Abyssinian cavies are very similar in size and body type. They should have thick, short bodies that are well-filled out with flesh and muscle, not thin or long. Both breeds should also have round heads, big round eyes, medium-sized ears that flop over slightly and rounded hips and buttocks. There shouldn't be any bony spots on either breed. The Abyssinian may look a little more compact because of the shape of the rosettes along his back, while the silkie might appear longer and thinner because of the flowing hair, but they should actually be around the same size and shape.

    Silkie

    • The long hair on a silkie includes the mane, the side sweep and the rear sweep, or hair that grows from the side and the rear. While there isn't a specific requirement for length, it should all be approximately the same so that it's hard to tell where the side sweeps stop and the rear sweep begins. The mane falls back from the head and should blend into the rear sweep. There is no obvious natural part in the middle of the hair since the mane covers the back where the side sweeps meet.

    Abyssinian

    • An Abyssinian guinea pig should have at least eight rosettes, spaced evenly on his body in a checkerboard pattern. The rosettes should be well-defined and perfectly round, without any ruffles or extra hairs that disrupt the pattern. The edges of the rosettes should also form ridges across the back sides and shoulders. The edges of the rosettes around the face should also form what looks like a large mustache on either side of the lips.

    Grooming Commitment

    • While housing and food requirements are similar for silkie and Abyssinian guinea pigs, silkies require a commitment to regular grooming. They must be brushed daily and long fur may need to be clipped regularly around their bottoms and feet. The fur should also be wrapped when they are around other animals or turned out in areas where it could become tangled or caught on objects. Some silkies require regular baths if they drag their long hair through dirt or urine. Abyssinian cavies, on the other hand, only need to be brushed when they are shedding to help remove loose hair. Both breeds need their ears cleaned weekly and nails clipped monthly as part of a regular grooming routine.