New Zealand Unique & Rare Guinea Pigs | Cavy Club NZ

Our Cavy Club NZ Mission:

We are an Independent Cavy Club dedicated entirely to the breed preservation, exhibition and safeguarding of vulnerable pedigree guinea pigs in NZ. Our primary mission is to protect and promote our heritage, unique and rare cavy breeds that are developed right here in New Zealand, such as the NZ Plume, Tweed, and Panda.

Whether you are an exhibitor or simply just love guinea pigs, join us to celebrate and protect these special kiwi breeds!

New Zealand’s Unique, Rare & Heritage Pedigree Guinea Pig Breeds

New Zealand Plume

Created in Wellington in 1976, the iconic New Zealand Plume is famous for its rare, spectacular "rooster tail". This roughcoat breed features a well-raised, mohawk-like ridge of hair roughly 1cm in height that runs straight down the body from the shoulders. At the rump, two rosettes push the coat sharply upward to form a high-arched dramatic plume.

Continue reading about the heritage NZ Plume breed

New Zealand Peruvian

Celebrating 50 years of long-haired pedigree elegance! Created in Wellington in 1976, this is New Zealand’s genuine longhair cavy breed. Their long, thick coat falls forward from two center-back rosettes, with the dominant rosette sweeping the hair into a spectacular, elegant full circle around the body.

Continue reading about the heritage NZ Peruvian breed

Tweed

The Tweed is New Zealand's newest fully standardised pedigree success story. Created here in New Zealand by cavy judge Christa Krey, this striking breed features a beautifully even mixture of chocolate and white hair, mirroring the classic texture of tweed fabric. The variety achieved full show standards with the New Zealand Cavy Judges Association in 2016.

Continue reading about our new Tweed breed

Panda

Black, White, and Bold. One of the greatest appeals of this 35-year-old unique pedigree breed is the stark contrast between its hair and visible skin. The hair is pure white, while the exposed skin is as deep black as possible - including black eyes, ears, mouth, nostrils, and foot pads. This incredible variety was created right here in New Zealand by cavy judge Christa Krey.

Continue reading about our unique Panda breed

Bonnet - Extinct

New Zealand's lost unique breed would have celebrated over 26 years of history today. Created in Whangārei by cavy judge Ethel McKeown around the year 2000, the Bonnet was a fascinating variety featuring unique ruffles, rosettes, and reverse-growing hair. Its loss is a sad but powerful reminder of why active conservation is vital to protect our remaining Kiwi pedigree breeds from disappearing forever.

Continue reading about the NZ extinct Bonnet breed

Dark Eyed White

We proudly support this rare, imported pedigree cavy breed. The Dark Eyed White features a pure snow-white coat paired with striking dark eyes - a truly remarkable combination. They are also available in beautiful satin and crested varieties. Unfortunately, breeding numbers are currently too low nationwide, making this stunning variety exceptionally rare in New Zealand.

Continue reading about the imported DE White breed

Cavy Show Results

Independent Cavy Clubs

Exhibition Support

Historically, the New Zealand cavy fancy has treated all pedigree breeds with equal respect. Today, however, our unique homegrown pedigree breeds are only recognised and championed by Independent Cavy Clubs across the country.

To cut through any conflicting information online, look no further: this platform is your single, definitive source for verified information on New Zealand-created pedigree guinea pig breeds.

Breeding Education

Master the art of cavy breed preservation with expert guidance.

We dive deep into breed genetics, facts, grooming, media and the history of each breed.

Whether you want to show or simply protect New Zealand's vulnerable pedigree breeds, our club provides trusted advice and how you can help the mission. Mentorships are available for those who are interested in exhibiting.

Promotion

Our cavy club is the voice for New Zealand’s unique pedigree cavies. We work tirelessly to protect our rare kiwi breeds and connect a passionate community together.

Actively promoting our local unique breeds ensures that the New Zealand genetic breakthroughs and contributions made by Kiwi breeders over 50 years for our NZ cavy fancy are preserved for the future.

Celebrating 50 Years of Kiwi Cavy Fancy History & The Two NZ Heritage Pedigree Breeds

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Kiwi cavy fancy and our two New Zealand heritage unique pedigree breeds: the iconic New Zealand Plume and New Zealand Peruvian.

The New Zealand cavy fancy officially began in January 1976 at a historic meeting in Wellington. Both unique breeds had show standards drawn up as many people wanted to breed and show guinea pigs but there weren’t many imported back then. Therefore, the two kiwi breeds filled a need and helped to start the New Zealand cavy fancy. With a rich history, cavy breed preservation is important to protect their future and legacy.

Today, the NZ Unique & Rare Guinea Pigs Cavy Club proudly carries this foundational legacy forward. As a core pillar of the Independent Cavy Clubs of New Zealand, we provide a dedicated sanctuary and competitive platform for these historic heritage breeds alongside other unique local varieties like the Tweed and Panda.

NZ Peruvian: NZ Unique and Rare Cavy Breed

Frequently Asked Questions

Our top 3 queries about New Zealand's unique and rare pedigree Guinea Pigs.

What does Pedigree mean?

A pedigree cavy (guinea pig) is a purebred animal with a documented, traceable family history (lineage) that meets specific Show Standards established by the New Zealand Cavy Judges Association which formed in 1976 and have been officiating in New Zealand cavy shows ever since.

A Show Standard is an official written document that describes a top-quality example of its breed, that we all aim for.

While the New Zealand cavy fancy has traditionally viewed all pedigree breeds as equals regardless of origin, today, New Zealand breeds are primarily supported and recognized by only the Independent Cavy Clubs.

What is Cavy Breed Preservation?

Breed preservation is the intentional, systematic effort by breeders to protect New Zealand's unique, rare and historically significant cavy breeds. We use the word 'unique' to describe pedigree breeds that were created in New Zealand by New Zealanders.

Breed preservation is vital to safeguard our New Zealand rare breeds so that their existence will continue into the future. A breed can become rare and then extinct in a very short time if nobody is watching.

The loss of the Bonnet serves as a wake-up call for the cavy fancy, highlighting how fragile our kiwi breeds are and why our preservation work is so critical.

What is a Preservation Guinea Pig Breeder?

A Preservation Breeder is a dedicated enthusiast with a registered stud name under Independent Cavy Clubs, specifically committed to one or more New Zealand’s unique and rare pedigree cavy breeds.

The Preservation Breeders adhere strictly to the New Zealand Cavy Judges Association show standards to ensure the highest show quality. By meticulously documenting lineage and selectively breeding to eliminate faults while enhancing desirable traits.

They serve as the guardians of our kiwi cavy heritage.

Meet the Preservation Breeders

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