Guinea pigs are cavies. They are rodents with very sharp front teeth. Their teeth never stop growing and are used for gnawing. Guinea pigs seem to be timid because they are always alert, and run and hide when they are startled by sudden movements, strangers, loud noises and strange surroundings. They are very affectionate once they get to know you.
Guinea pigs come in many colors and patterns.
They also can have different hair styles. They can have tufty, wiry, short or long hair. There are currently eleven different breeds of guinea pigs. Here are some of the kinds of guinea pigs. The patterns in their coats have names like tortoiseshell and dutch.