The Rex Guinea Pig, often referred to as the "Gentle Giant", is one of the largest of all Guinea Pigs. The Rex is a very popular breed of cavy and it is no surprise why, since they have wonderful temperaments, beautiful coats, and nice personalities!

The Rex Guinea Pig is a fairly new breed of guinea pig, but one that is taking the guinea pig fancier's world by storm! These striking cavies are rapidly increasing in popularity. Caring for the Rex does not differ from the care required of most Guinea Pigs. Guinea pigs are playful animals and should be given plenty of toys as well as at least 30 minutes of exercise time out of their enclosures each day. Guinea pigs are also intelligent animals and some can even be trained! They can be fed a standard commercial guinea pig diet. It is important that whatever food is given, it allow the guinea pig to gnaw. In the wild guinea pigs wear down their teeth, which continue to grow throughout their lives, by chewing and gnawing on roughage. This must be replicated in captivity. In addition, guinea pigs cannot naturally synthesize vitamin C, so they should be given supplements. Grass or hay can also be fed in addition to their commercial pelleted diet. A great way to supplement their vitamin C is by giving fresh fruits and vegetables. They need about 20 milligrams of vitamin C each day. Good choices for fresh vegetables and fruits include skinless melon, cauliflower stalks, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and apples. Water should be provided in an 8 oz. bottle as opposed to a bowl, as guinea pigs are prone to knocking them over. Guinea pigs seem to do well in housing that provides at least two feet square of living space. Wire floored cages are generally not recommended because they can get their feet stuck between them. This experience can be both painful and potentially dangerous to your Guinea Pig. In addition, even if the wire flooring is small enough that it will not allow the feet to slip, a guinea pig's feet are delicate and sensitive, and this type of flooring can still cause discomfort. Glass Aquariums are also not recommended because they are not designed to let air flow as freely as those cages designed for guinea pigs. An enclosure that allows good air circulation and has solid plastic or metal floors is best. Wooden floors may looks nice for a while, but they tend to absorb urine, and after a while they can smell bad. If you decide to house more than one guinea pig be sure to allow at least an additional square foot per guinea pig. In addition to the main enclosure, there are also other things that are important to add. One of the most important is bedding. Guinea pigs love their bedding and it is important they be given bedding that is not dangerous or harmful in any way. Cedar bedding can overpower your guinea pig's delicate senses and may cause their demise. Cedar is generally not recommended for any guinea pig enclosure. Pine bedding can also be dangerous. If you want to use a wood bedding, Aspen is usually the wood of choice. In addition to wood bedding, there are many paper bedding products available, and finally newspaper also makes wonderful bedding, though it may not be as nice to look at as some of the commercial choices. Cages should be cleaned regularly to avoid unpleasant odors and unsanitary living conditions. Some people also recommended giving guinea pigs a bath biannually. All in all the guinea pig makes an excellent pet. In addition to being playful they are known to be quite affectionate, many loving to be snuggled for long periods of time!

The Rex Guinea Pig may well be the largest of all guinea pig breeds. These beautiful giants are accepted in a wide array of colors and patterns. Rex Guinea Pigs are often referred to as "coat cavies" since they are bred for the texture of their coats rather than their coloration. This flexibility in coloring can be great fun in the show ring since so many differences are seen. Like other 'rexxed' animals, the Rex Guinea Pig's distinction is its curly coat. Many rexxed animals lack guard hairs, and this is not true with the Rex Guinea Pig. Their coat can also be described as wire haired. The Rex Guinea Pig's crimped coat should be springy to the touch, harsh, and dense. The hairs should all stand away from the body. Flat soft coats are considered faults. There has been some debate, since a paper published in 1991, that centers on whether or not the Guinea Pig should be classified as a rodent. At this time they are still officially classified as rodents and will be treated as such until more information is revealed.

Rex Guinea Pigs coats' trap dust, dirt, and seeds, and may be prone to fungal or bacterial infection, so be sure to keep them clean. If the coat is very harsh, the skin may be dry or itchy, and rubbing dog conditioner into the skin will aid with this. At 12 weeks, Rex Guinea Pigs with very curly coats grow up with long, soft coats. At 12 to 20 weeks many high-quality Rexes look terrible because they are beginning to grow their adult coats. Beware of side hair partings! Rex Guinea Pigs have their mature coat at 15 months to three years. Since Rexes are so large, they often out-grow their show categories before they have reached an appropriate age.

Be careful when feeding clover and cabbage, while both these foods are healthy for your guinea pig, they can cause gas.

When breeding Rex Cavies patience is the key. It may take several generations of many litters to produce a good show quality guinea pig. Out-crossing seems to be debated, and can cause coat problems.

Guinea Pigs will generally be ready for breeding by 12 weeks of age, though they reach sexual maturity before then. Females are usually sexually mature as early as four to five weeks! Males tend to mature later, being sexually mature by eight to ten weeks. Mature females will go into estrus approximately every two weeks. Each "heat" lasts about 15 hours. The average female guinea pig will undergo a gestation period of 63 days. The litter consists of two to four babies. Babies are born with their eyes open! At birth they are very small weighing only 85 to 90 grams (3 oz) at birth on average. Babies are weaned sometime between 21 and 28 days after birth. It is generally not recommended to continue breeding guinea pigs after they reach two years of age.