It has a stocky body, a short neck, a short snout, and very short limbs; no tail, or a vestigial tail. The cavy’s coat is short, and thick, with a fine undercoat - long-haired varieties are relatively rare (Peruvian Silkie and Texel).
The animal's body length varies from 20 to 25 cm and weighs from 700 to 1200 g (some breeds can weigh as much as 3 kg when fully grown). Males are noticeably larger than females.
The two front limbs of the domestic cavy end in four toes, and the hind limbs end in three. Each toe is equipped with a pad and a claw. Sensory hairs are located on the lateral surface of the head, near the nose, as well as under the chin and near the eyes.
