Wheekerpedia: R

R is for:

Rabbits: Guinea pigs and rabbits do not make good company. The RSPCA recommend the 2 species are kept seperately.

Red Self:

One of the older Self varieties.

Rex:

Rex Bi Colour

A curly coated variety of guinea pig with upright hairs. Comes in a variety of colours.

Ridgeback:

Young Ridgeback

Young Ridgeback

Ridgebacks are one of the newer varieties (though have been around since the early eighties).  Ideally a Ridgeback will not have any rosettes present. They are Rare Varieties but have got the Guide Standard in showing.

Rimadyl: Is an NSAID and a very effective painkiller and anti inflammatory without some of the side effects seen in Metacam. It also has the added benefit of being out of the body quicker than Metacam so if a guinea pig does not do well on Rimadyl an alternative can be sought. For more information on Rimadyl and NSAIDs read here.

Roan:

Black Roan

A blend of white and coloured hairs with a solid coloured head, though not all guinea pigs that are this colour are genetically roan. A roan to roan mating has a chance of producing babies that are known as lethals. Lethals are often blind and deaf among other things.

Rosette: A rosette is an arrangement of hair found on some guinea pigs. The centre of a rosette on a pure bred guinea pig will have a pin point centre and the hairs will lay back from it in an orderly fashion. Rosettes are responsible for throwing the hair forward in Peruvians and Alpacas, therefore creating a ‘fringe’. Placement of rosettes will influence hairstyle and ridges ( a feature of the Abyssinian guinea pig and Ridgeback).