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| Updated January 2011 | |
| Head, Eyes & Ears of which |
Head - To have a pronounced Roman nose. Eyes - To have good width of muzzle, squared off at the end but rounded at the corners. Ears - To be large and drooping, with lower rim parallel to the ground & set with good width between |
| Body Shape | To have short, broad, cobby body with very deep, broad shoulders. To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh. To have good size appropriate to age. |
| Colour | Top colour to be lustrous and of glossy sheen, of even shade all over the head & body. Hair on feet to match body colour. Undercolour to match top colour down to the skin, giving an appearance free from flakiness. Colours of coat, eyes, ears and pads to match Descriptions below. |
| Coat | To be soft & silky, clean and short, groomed free of guard hairs. |
Colour of coat to be slate blue. Eyes dark. Ears and pads slate.
Any Full Standard for these colours is likely to be based on that for the English Self.
The English Self is a solid (single) coloured cavy bred for Head qualities (head, eyes & ears), Body Shape (particularly shoulders and breadth & compactness of body, Colour and Coat.
The Outline of the English Self cavy should consist of a series of gentle curves, rising from the nostrils to the peak of the shoulders, then dipping to the back and levelling briefly before again dipping over the rear.
Viewed from above the overall impression should be of a brick, rounded at the corners.
Size is very desirable, but not at the expense of cobbyness or quality.
Condition is very important. The cavy should carry plenty of firm flesh but not be gross or flabby.
The sex of the exhibit will usually be apparent from its facial qualities. Boars, if complying with the standard, should not be penalised when in competition with sows on account of slightly different head shape.
Normally the upper weight limit for an U/5 months Self cavy will be 30 oz or thereabouts.
For a cavy of 8 months it will be 37 oz or thereabouts.
Although the judge's discretion is absolute as regards whether a cavy is eligible for the class in which it is entered, judges should give careful consideration in cases where these weight limits are exceeded.
The colours of young Lilac and Beige cavies are appreciably darker than those expected in adult exhibits of these breeds. This should be taken into account when judging young classes of Beige and Lilacs.
The belly colour of a Beige indicates the colour that it is likely to attain when it reaches adulthood.
Wash 2: Designed by Simon Neesam for the British Cavy Council © 2009