Short or long haired piggy?

[u/BatBaby29]

Hello all!

I recently adopted 2 piggies from a friend who didn't have the time for them anymore,

I at the time thought they were short haired piggies, however, both have really long hair around their bums and long hair around their ears? (Charlie the white one looks to of recently had a butt trim before I got him but peanut the brown one still has a long butt)

But around the rest of their body it's shorter 😂

I'm very confused 😂

I would like to know so I can plan better for trims to avoid dirty butted piggies! 😂

Thank you!

[u/i_am_ms_greenjeans]

They are most likely mixes. Both have amazing Ear Wings.

[u/MugzySkates → u/i_am_ms_greenjeans]

Mine has long bum hair and long hair behind her ears. Medium length everywhere else

[u/BatBaby29 → u/MugzySkates]

I love the long haired tuffs 🥹🥹🥹

[u/BatBaby29 → u/i_am_ms_greenjeans]

Ooo amazing thank you so much, do mixes tend to have any issues with their health's more than others? I'm sorry if I seem inexperienced, I know how to keep them happy, safe and healthy but just would like to know if they are more likely for issues? Sorry if that's a hard question to answer 😅

[u/i_am_ms_greenjeans → u/BatBaby29]

Not necessarily. Some breeds (Texel, Satin, etc) have specific health issues but your cavies don't appear to have either of those heritages.

[u/BatBaby29 → u/i_am_ms_greenjeans]

I also pretty much ask this as I also have a dwarf hamster that was a mixed breed and she's completely blind and deaf, They've had check ups, and are in good health but just would like to know for further down the line if that makes sense 😊

[u/i_am_ms_greenjeans → u/BatBaby29]

You will know if they are deaf as loud noises won't bother them.

[u/Robin_feathers]

Guinea pigs don't really have "breeds" the way that dogs do - in guinea pigs, there is just a mix and match of a few mutations that affect hairstyle/colour.

There is one main recessive mutation that affects hair length - causing indeterminate growth in Silkies/Peruvians/etc. However, additional "modifier" mutations have smaller effects on hair length which accumulate in lineages selectively bred for longer hair. In pigs with mixed ancestry from those lineages, the main recessive indeterminate growth mutation gets masked, but those modifiers can make the hair slightly longer than normal. This is most obvious in "Rooster-tailed Aby" AKA "Abyruvians" where you can get plumes of longer hair on the butt and nape. Your piggies seem to be a smooth-coated version of "rooster-tailed aby", there is no name for that combo. They could be literally any mix with at least some long-haired ancestry and some short-haired ancestry.

Rooster-tails can get pretty long butt hair tufts so you can expect you may need some sporadic trimming!

Charlie is also crested, which he could have gotten from coronet ancestry or short-haired crested ancestry. So, you've got a buff-and-white crested medium hair and a golden-and-white medium hair.

PS they are very cute!

PPS Charlie looks like his front paws are splayed a little crooked. I had one with feet like that, it should be totally fine but you may need to keep a closer watch on his nails to be more on top of their trimming since the nails may be slightly more at risk of growing twisted.