petcarefun.info

July 16th, 2009 by KittyKitty

As in any pet care, the wild origins dictate a lot of what is important in Guinea Pig care. The guinea pig is a species of rodent sometimes known as the Cacy. They are not in fact pigs, as their name would have suggested.  They come from the Andes, and studies have shown they are descendants of closely related species such as Cavia aperea, C. fulgida, or C. tschudii, so therefore do not exist as a wild species.
They play an important role in both the folk culture of many Indigenous South American tribes and more importantly as a food source (how could they?). It was domesticated 5000 years ago for food and have appeared in many folk stories and are regularly used in metaphors.
The guinea pig came to Europe in the 16th century by traders and has since enjoyed widespread reputation as a household pet.  In the early days they were seen as an exotic pet and even Queen Elisabeth I had one. The metaphor “guinea pig” comes from their use in biological testing from the 17th century.
They are very gentle easy to look after and are responsive to handling and feeding and are therefore popular with pet sitters. They hate exploring and will not try to escape, even if the cage door is left open (no promises!). Guinea pigs will often make a noise like a whistle on occasions of interest, like for when the owner comes – or they hear the food container opening.
There are several breeds of domesticated guinea pigs, which differ in color and hair differences. The most common varieties are the shorthair (or American shorthair), the Abyssinian whose coat is ruffled. More specialist long hair types include the Peruvian and the Sheltie (or Silkie) and the curly long hair Texel.

So should I choose a Guinea Pig?

They are very sociable pets – so require time for fuss, or else they will become lonely and this might lead to stress and sickness. This is especially important if you are buying one for the kids, on the basis that they will look after the guinea pig. Noting they typically live for about five, but may live for 8 years and the Guinness Book of Records has the record age for a guinea pig at 14 years.
Guinea pigs are particularly large for rodents, weighing between 700 and 1200g (1.5-2.5 pounds), and measuring between 20 and 25 cm (8–10 inches) in length. Which means that you need to have more space for the cage. Though as a robust animal, this could be located in a shed or a protected spot outside. They will deal with cold better than excessive heat. Try to avoid wire mesh floored crates, as this can hurt their feet and potentially lead to infection.
As for many animals you should not put two males together as they will fight  together when they become mature at about 6 months for leadership. However you can have as many females together as you want, and they will get along very well. Obviously you do not want to add a male to the group as they breed very easily.

Grass is their normal diet in the wild, which they digest with the help of their long colon. This is however not long enough, so if they are eating a lot of grass you will see them eat their faeces. Like humans they cannot produce vitamin C and will need to acquire obtrain this through their diet, otherwise scurvy will kill them. Scurvy shows itself through sluggishness.  So give them often fresh, raw fruits and vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli, apple, carrot, celery, and spinach). Alternatively, but not a preferred option through dietary supplements. They are fussy eaters when mature, so with a young one feed a wide variety of foods. They like to eat continuously, so ensure there is hay available for them to eat.
They, as well as scurvy, can also suffer from respiratory tract infections, diarrhea,  abscesses due to infection (often in the neck, due to hay embedded in the throat, or from external scratches), and infections by lice, mites or fungus.

They are lively throughout the day, with periods of sleep inter dispersed with activity. They like to groom themselves and will groom others.