Choose a pet shop that has been recommended to you by friends or one that you know keeps their animals in clean comfortable conditions . Have you decided which type of guinea pig you would like? There are lots to choose from .The Pet shop probably won 't have all these , but , it will have some .

COLOURS AND VARIETIES

1. The English Self : These are single coloured , with smooth short hair . Each colour is recognised as a separate breed : Self Chocolate , Self Red , Self Lilac , Self Golden , Self Beige , Self Cream , Self Black , Self White.

2. Dutch , Agouti , Himalayan , Roan , Dalmatian , Tortoiseshell , and Tortoiseshell and White. These are also smooth coated but have a variety of patterns and markings.

Dutch : Dutch guinea pigs sold as pets are unlikely to have perfect markings like breeders try to achieve , with an unbroken saddle band and a white blaze down the centre of the face . But they are still good for pets.

Agouti : This quite rare breed resembles the wild guinea pigs of Peru . They have a pepper-and-salt effect that is the result of the hair being tipped with black .There are Silver Agoutis , Golden Agoutis , Cinnamon Agoutis , Lemon Agoutis , and Salmon Agoutis .

Himalayan : These , again , quite rare guinea pigs are marked like Siamese cats , with black , or brown noses , ears and feet , known as 'points'. The 'points' become coloured when the guinea pig is 5 or 6 months old .

Roan : This breed looks like a Roan pony , mixed black and white hairs , with a black head and feet , making a pinkish affect .

Dalmatian : These rare breed of guinea pigs are the same as a Dalmatian dog , a white coat , covered with black spots .

Tortoiseshell : This colour is most common in Abyssinians , (see next page) with ginger-brown and white patches , which breeders try to make into neat squares , of roughly equal size , arranged alternately on either side of the body .

Tortoiseshell and white : The same as Tortoiseshell , but , with white added on , also more common.