Believe it or not it's a Peruvian cavy
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381810)
Rockingham, Australia
October 1, 2018 8:11am CST
The goats at Perth Royal Show in Western Australia were housed in a big pavilion labelled ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. The goats shared the area with llamas, alpacas, cavies (guinea pigs), rabbits and some petting areas and animal-related stalls. There were competitions for all the various animals and I took this photo of one of the guinea pigs being judges.
Guinea pigs come in a range of colours and types. I remember doing a series of articles on them for Infobarrel. I think this is a Peruvian guinea pig or cavy. Its topcoat can grow to two feet but the undercoat only grows to about seven inches. As you might imagine, they need a lot of care and careful grooming if their coat is to remain free of tangles.
At one point I couldn't work out which way the cavy was facing. The view was the same wherever I stood. Have you ever seen such a furry ball?
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15 responses
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
1 Oct 18
@LadyDuck i immediately knew who you were referring to!
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
1 Oct 18
Someone could wear that as a wig!
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
1 Oct 18
I have seen them and like you sometimes couldnt figure out which end was which.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Oct 18
Anna said it reminded her of someone's ginger wig. LOL
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32760)
• Calgary, Alberta
1 Oct 18
It's fascinating how the food of my people now have evolved into beloved pets around the world. These fluffy breeds don't exist in Peru even if the animal came from Peru. Are guinea pigs here are short haired since we raise them here for food.
We breed them for food but I understand why they became popular pets and new breeds got created.
Sorry for being weirdo.
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@CaptAlbertWhisker (32760)
• Calgary, Alberta
2 Oct 18
@JudyEv They are related to Capybaras. The wild guinea pigs I think are dark brown in color but when my ancestors domesticated different colors happen.
When we got colonized by Spain, They brought the cavies in Europe and it became a global pet. We still don't see them as pets here though. They are just more practical to raise in the mountains over chickens.
I am fascinated though with those fluffy and furry varieties created by western countries because those breeds dont exists there.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Oct 18
@CaptAlbertWhisker No, the fancy ones are only useful as pets. People have to keep trying to 'improve' on Nature.
@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Oct 18
You're not weirdo at all. I know that they are raised for food in Peru and I guess other South American countries. Sometimes they have roomsful of them - maybe under houses or in a shed or something. I don't think there was a class for the fattest cavy. And South American's capybara has become a pet too, hasn't it?
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
1 Oct 18
i guess it's better to be mistaken for a wig than a mop!
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@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
2 Oct 18
@JudyEv braids would be cute. i bet that would go viral.
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@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Oct 18
@hereandthere I don't think I'll suggest it. They all seemed very serious about their cavies. 
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@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Oct 18
They take a lot of looking after but they are cute.
@Dena91 (17029)
• United States
1 Oct 18
Wow that is a hairy guinea pig. Don't believe that I have heard of them before. I never had a desire to have a guinea pig as a pet. I remember some of my firends did when I was a kid but it seemed they had a short life span. And we had cats so not sure that would be fair to bring a guinea pig into our home.
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