Coronet guinea pigs: the crest, long coat and grooming

What is a Coronet cavy?

A Coronet is a long-haired breed of guinea pig. "Cavy" is the word breeders and clubs use for guinea pigs, so a Coronet cavy and a Coronet guinea pig are the same animal. The British Cavy Council (BCC) standard, last updated on 1 January 2024, describes it as smooth-haired apart from its crest, long-coated, with a crest (the coronet) on its forehead.

Picture a Sheltie (called a Silkie in the US), the long, straight-haired breed whose coat flows back from the face, and add a single crown of hair on top of the head. That is a Coronet. Our guinea pig breeds guide shows where it sits among the other breeds.

How to recognise a Coronet guinea pig

• One rosette on the front of the head, radiating from a pinpoint centre, ideally symmetrical and reaching well down the nose
• No other rosettes anywhere on the body; the BCC disqualifies show Coronets with extra rosettes
• Long, straight, soft and silky hair that flows freely over the whole body
• A "sweep" of hair over the back end that is slightly longer than the sides
• A bold, broad head with large, drooping ears and big, bright eyes
• A short, cobby, thick-set body under all that hair

The crest is the key. A long-haired guinea pig with no crest is usually a Sheltie; one with rosettes all over is likely to be an Abyssinian cross. A rescue guinea pig may be a mix, and that changes nothing about its care.

Coronet vs other long-haired guinea pigs

The BCC groups the Coronet with five other long-haired breeds. The differences are the crest and the coat.

For the other long coats, see our guides to the Peruvian guinea pig and curly-haired guinea pigs. For a short-coated breed with rosettes, see the Abyssinian.

Coronet size, colours and lifespan

The MSD Veterinary Manual gives an average adult guinea pig weight of about 815 g to 1 kg (1.8 to 2.2 lb), and a lifespan of 5 to 8 years. No source we found gives different figures for the Coronet. The BCC standard asks for a body of good size for its age with plenty of firm flesh, and allows any colour or mixture of colours, so you will see self colours, agoutis, tortoiseshells and patched Coronets.

The coat makes them look twice their size. Weigh your guinea pig weekly on kitchen scales: under that hair, weight loss is easy to miss and is often the first sign of illness. Our guinea pig lifespan guide covers each life stage.

Coronet temperament

How to groom a Coronet guinea pig

Comb most days. A groomer quoted by PetMD recommends daily combing for long-haired guinea pigs, naming the Coronet among them, plus a professional groom every four to six weeks. A vet practice quoted by Burgess sets the minimum at two to three times a week. The BCC standard says the coat grows about 2.5 cm (1 in) for every month of the guinea pig's age, so a two-year-old in full coat could have hair well past its feet.

1. Get the right tools. A stainless steel comb, a soft bristle brush for the face, and round-ended scissors. PetMD's experts advise against wire brushes, which irritate the skin.
2. Settle on your lap. Sit down with the guinea pig on a towel on your lap, facing away from you, with a handful of hay or a leaf of romaine lettuce to nibble.
3. Comb with the hair. Work from the head back, a small section at a time, combing in the direction the hair grows. Hold the hair near the skin so you don't tug.
4. Brush the crest gently. Use the soft brush around the face and crest; the crest naturally radiates out, so don't try to flatten it.
5. Snip, don't drag, mats. Burgess's advice is not to keep working at a tangle that won't comb out. Cut it out with round-ended scissors, fingers between the blade and the skin, a little at a time.
6. Trim the hem. Trim the coat so it clears the floor, and keep the hair short around the bottom so urine and droppings can't collect there.
7. Check while you are there. Look at the skin for lumps, sores, scurf or bald patches, and check the bottom is clean.

Bathing and drying

Only when the coat is truly dirty. Burgess suggests a bottom-only wash in shallow water with guinea pig shampoo when the back end is soiled, more often for long-haired guinea pigs. PetMD's experts advise against a hairdryer: dry with towels, then let the guinea pig air-dry in a warm, quiet room before combing. Never put a cotton bud (cotton swab) inside the ear.

What a Coronet needs that other guinea pigs don't

Bedding that doesn't tangle

Long hair picks up whatever it lies in. The RSPCA advises dry, dust-free bedding and warns against straw and fluffy materials, and Humane World for Animals recommends paper-based bedding 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in) deep. For a Coronet, fleece liners or paper bedding stay out of the coat far better than shavings. Our guinea pig bedding guide compares the options.

A cool, dry room

The RSPCA puts the ideal room temperature for guinea pigs at 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F), warns that above 26°C (79°F) can cause heatstroke and below 15°C (59°F) can chill them. A heavy coat holds heat, so in a heatwave a trimmed Coronet copes far better. A wet coat chills a guinea pig fast, which is one more reason to dry thoroughly after any wash. Our guinea pig temperature guide covers heat and cold.

Everything else is standard

Space, diet and company are the same as any guinea pig. Humane World for Animals sets 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) as the minimum for two guinea pigs and prefers 1 m² (10.5 sq ft), about 76 × 127 cm (30 × 50 in). See our guinea pig cage size guide. Guinea pigs can't make their own vitamin C, so it has to come from food every day; our guinea pig diet guide and vitamin C guide cover how.

Weekly care checklist

• Comb out the whole coat at least two or three times, ideally daily
• Weigh your guinea pig and note it down
• Check under the hair at the back end for soiling or sore skin
• Check the teeth for broken or uneven front teeth
• Check the ears for crusts or a bad smell
• Wipe the grease gland at the base of the spine if it looks waxy
• Check the nails; Burgess suggests a trim every one to two months
• Replace soiled bedding so the coat stays clean

Common Coronet health problems

Coronets get the same illnesses as any guinea pig, plus the problems a long coat brings.

• Matted, soiled hair: sore or infected skin underneath. Trim and clean it, and see a vet if the skin is raw.
• Flystrike: flies lay eggs in dirty hair in warm weather. Check the bottom daily in summer and ring a vet at once if you see maggots.
• Overheating: fast breathing, lying flat and limp, not responding. Move to a cool room and ring a vet straight away.
• Mites and lice: scratching, scurf, hair loss. Easy to miss under a long coat. A vet prescribes treatment.
• Dental problems: Burgess calls a guinea pig that stops eating or drinking a vet emergency.
• Vitamin C deficiency: guinea pigs need it from food every day. Our vitamin C guide lists the signs; see a vet if you spot them.

Our guinea pig health guide covers the signs to watch for.

Where to find a Coronet guinea pig

Try rescues first. Long-haired guinea pigs are often given up when owners find the grooming harder than expected, so rescues regularly have Coronets and Coronet crosses, often already trimmed and paired. In England and Wales, the RSPCA's Find a Pet search includes guinea pigs, and many local guinea pig rescues rehome across the UK. In the US, local humane societies and small-animal rescues are the place to start. Our guide on where to get a guinea pig covers what to ask a rescue.

If you want a show-line Coronet, the British Cavy Council's breed clubs can point you to breeders. Ask any breeder:

• Can I see the parents and how they are kept?
• Is this guinea pig used to being combed and trimmed?
• Will you show me how you groom the coat?
• How old is it? It should be fully weaned and eating hay and greens on its own.
• Do you sell in same-sex pairs, or can you help me find a companion?

Prices vary too much between rescues and breeders to quote reliably. For running costs, see our guinea pig cost guide, and for the full basics of keeping them, our complete guinea pig care guide.