Texel Guinea Pig 101: Breed Info and Complete Care Guide!

Texel Guinea Pig is a relatively new Guinea Pig breed. They are long-haired like Sheltie or Silkie Guinea Pigs with prems. Despite being a fairly new cavy breed, their long furry, curly-haired coat has earned them a special spot in the hearts of cavy lovers. Besides their glamorous coats, their popularity is often attributed to their calm and friendly demeanor.

Where having this small fluff ball could be a lot of fun, it is also a slightly larger responsibility—curly coats need regular grooming.

If you are new to the Guinea Pig world and are not familiar with this new cavy breed, you are in the right place. In this article, we will discuss all about this long-haired Guinea Pig breed. How to groom a Texel Guinea Pig? How rare is a Texel Guinea Pig? And are they friendly? Would they make a good pet for you?

Without further ado, let’s get started with a breed overview.

Texel Guinea Pig

Texel Guinea pigs are created by the crossbreeding of Rex Guinea Pig with Silkie Guinea Pig. They inherit the long coat of Silkie guinea pigs and the curls from their Rex parents. Despite being a new breed, Texel Guinea pigs are being widely sought after by cavy lovers. Our guess is that you have also been charmed by their fluffy, fuzzy coats and want to get one for yourself. But before you get yourself a Texel Guinea Pig, you should know that they are a bit high-maintenance pet. Continue reading to learn about their unique Guinea Pig breed.

Texel Guinea Pig History

Texel Guinea Pig is not a purebred like American Guinea Pig or Abyssinian Guinea Pig but rather a mixed Guinea Pig breed—they were developed by the crossbreeding of Silkie Guinea Pig with Rex Guinea Pig. The resulting Texel Guinea Pigs inherit the desirable characteristics of both of its parents—long hairs from Silkie and curls from Rex.

Though the breeders started crossbreeding Rex and Silkie Guinea Pigs in the early 1980s in England, the Texel Guinea Pig breed was only recognized by the American Cavy Breeders Association (ACBA) in 1998. There are a total of 13 officially recognized Guinea Pig breeds. Since their recognition, they have been experiencing a surge in popularity. Given their soft fluffy skin, it is no wonder that they have found a special place in the hearts of many cavy lovers.

Texel Guinea Pig Personality and Temperament

Besides their curly coats, Texel Guinea Pigs are known for their docile and patient nature. They are highly sociable pets and love to be held by their loving owners and also enjoy children’s company, provided they have been adequately socialized at an early age.

Moreover, these long-haired guinea pigs are not as active as short-haired guinea pigs like American Guinea pigs. So, you can get them out of their cage and play with them without worrying about them run-around and escaping. That said, you should keep in mind that all guinea pigs have their individual personalities, and some of them can be equally mischievous and more active.

As Texel Guinea Pigs grow older, they get calmer and quieter like a monk.

Texel Guinea Pig Appearance

Except for their unique curly coats, Texel Guinea Pigs are more and less the same as other guinea pig breeds. They have the same size and weight as others, and male Texel Guinea Pigs are a bit longer and heavier than their female counterparts. That said, much anecdotal evidence shows that Texel Guinea Pigs are slightly stockier and shorter than other Guinea Pig Breeds. Given that this curly long-haired guinea pig breed is relatively new, we could not gather substantial evidence to attest to this claim. That said, according to the ACBA, Texel Guinea Pigs have a cobby body.

Coat

Texel Guinea Pigs have a unique long curly-haired coat covering their entire body. The hair on their head and face is slightly shorter, but one can still see their characteristic curls. The longhair and curly coat mean that they are prone to knotting and matting if not groomed regularly. Therefore, before bringing home a Texel Guinea Pig, you should make sure that you will be able to provide for their grooming requirements besides others.

These curly longhaired guinea pigs come in various colors and patterns, ranging from solid white, back, and gold to tricolor, brindle, and roan. The color of Texel Guinea Pigs is dependent on their genetics. Given that Texel Guinea Pigs come in various colors and patterns, cavy lovers have a wide range of options in choosing a Texel Guinea Pig for them. So if black is your favorite color, perhaps, you can have luck at finding yourself a solid Black Texel Guinea Pig. 

How to Care for a Texel Guinea Pig?

Texel Guinea Pigs are not for first-time pet owners as they have medium to a high maintenance level. Therefore, if you have never cared for a cavy before, you should reconsider getting a Texel Guinea Pig.

Feeding

Guinea pigs are natural herbivores, so you should feed them all kinds of foods they used to forage and graze on in the wild. You should ensure that your Texel Guinea Pigs have constant access to grass or timothy hay. Your Guinea Pig will be chewing on hay all day long, which would help maintain their teeth, which are continuously growing.

In addition to the timothy hay, you should also offer leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits to your Texel Guinea Pigs. But before offering them any fruit or vegetable, you should make sure that it is totally safe for them.

While feeding fruits to your Texel Guinea Pigs, you should remember that they cannot digest sugar well and are prone to growing obese due to excessive caloric intake. Therefore, you should keep a close eye on their caloric intake, especially sugar.

Whatever you are feeding your Texel Guinea Pig, you should ensure that they are getting ample fibers and vitamin C—you can give them vitamin C supplements. Unlike us humans, Guinea Pigs cannot make their vitamin C and thus require an external source.

You should also make sure that your cavy friend has access to fresh water round the clock.

Grooming

The characteristic curly coat of Texel Guinea Pigs is susceptible to knotting and tangling and thus requires a lot of attention from its owners. Their coat needs to be brushed daily to keep it luscious and knot-free.

The grooming period doesn’t have to be a nuisance either for you or your guinea pig, you can make it a fun time for both you and your guinea pig. Where you can enjoy running your fingers through the curly coat of your piglet, you can enjoy delicious guinea pig treats for your furry friend to enjoy as your groom her. This could be a pleasant bonding time with your lovely guinea pig.

It is strongly recommended you brush your Texel Guinea Pig hair daily, but if you have a busy schedule, you should do it at least four to five times a week. Similarly, you should also regularly trim their long coat, especially the hair around privates, to avoid peeing on hair, which can cause matting and tangling.

You should start grooming—brushing and trimming—your Texel Guinea Pig at an early age so that she is comfortable during grooming sessions. Offering delicious treats after the end and during the grooming sessions can work wonders to make your cavy friend obedient and patient.

Enclosure Set-up

Texel Guinea Pigs don’t have any special needs like their cousins. Like other Guinea pig breeds, they need a clean and spacious space. The enclosure should be adequately ventilated and have dry bedding. The bedding should also be changed regularly as the soiled bedding may get entangled in Texel cavies’ long curly fur. Similarly, wood chips can also easily get stuck in their furry coats. Thus, you should use fleece cage liners or paper-based bedding for Texel Guinea Pigs.

Guineas are social creatures, and if you decide to keep more than one Guinea Pigs, you should increase their enclosure size depending on the number of cavies you are keeping.

You should also make sure that the Texel Guinea Pig cage has all the necessary accessories—a good water bottle, hay rack, food dish, hide house, chew toys, tunnels, etc. These toys will provide the required mental and physical stimulation to your cavy.

Texel Guinea Pig Health

Texel Guinea Pig is overall a healthy guinea pig breed, but like other breeds, they are also susceptible to several health issues. But you need not worry as you can easily avoid these issues by taking good care of your cavy.

Texel Guinea Pigs and Other Pets

Certainly, Texel Guinea Pigs are very social and amiable creatures; combining them with other pets is never a good idea. This is because of the small size and docile temperament of Guinea Pigs. While Texel Guinea pigs won’t have a problem with your cat, dog, or ferret, these pets may harm your tiny friend. Therefore, if you have any other pet living under your roof, you should reconsider bringing home a Texel Guinea Pig or any Guinea Pig for that matter.

Guinea Pigs are social creatures, and they would love to have a company, but this company cannot be anyone other than a guinea pig. Yes, the best companion for a guinea pig is another guinea pig.

How Much is a Texel Guinea Pig?

Depending on the breeder and availability, a Texel Guinea Pig usually costs anywhere around $20 to $50 and sometimes $70. Texel Guinea Pig is a relatively new and widely sought-after breed, so they could be pretty hard to find at times. Therefore, you may need to pay more than their usual price at times.

Where to buy a Texel Guinea Pig?

While we vigorously promote “adopt not shop,” it could be a bit hard to find a Texel Guinea Pig in a shelter. You could still check out local Guinea pig spaces on social media; you might find a guinea pig is up for adoption.

If you have no luck, we advise that you only get your guinea pig from a reputable breeder and avoid pet shops. You should only make the purchase if the breeder gives an initial health guarantee. If a breeder is reluctant, you should take your cue and get out of there.

Texel Guinea Pig Names

Having difficulty finding a name for your new Texel guinea pig, check the list of guinea pig names given below.

Need more guinea pig name ideas?

Check out our posts: Guinea Pig Names, Boy Guinea Pig Names, Girl Guinea Pig Names, and Cute Guinea Pig Names.