Guinea
Pig
History
Guinea Pigs form the Family Caviidae which is broken down
into different Genera and then Species. The Spaniards introduced
pet guinea pigs to Europe in 1554. They obtained them from
the Inca Indians of Peru who kept them as pets as early
as 1450. These rodent-like animals no longer exist in the
wild.
Like swine, boy guinea pigs are called boars and females
sows. Adult female guinea pigs weigh about a pound (450gms)
while males weight in at about a pound and a half (700gm).
They come in four basic varieties, long and shorthair,
straight and swirled and an endless variety of colors.
With good care and proper diet, guinea pigs should live
4-7 years. A few will reach 8 years of age.
In the wild, guinea pigs gathered together into herds
for survival, and these herd instincts are still a part
of the domesticated guinea pig's life. In their herds,
guinea pigs observe a very strict dominance ranking: a
single, dominant male serves as the head of a harem of
females.
Young male guinea pigs will fight for dominance, hissing
and rattling their teeth, until the weaker male submits
and is driven away. Two or more males can live together,
provided they are given sufficient room and are never in
contact with a female. Otherwise, there is no escape for
the losers in a dominance fight, and they must be removed
or they will die from starvation and exhaustion, as the
alpha male drives them from food, water and sleeping spots.
Females also engage in dominance battles with each other,
as the males do, but their goal is to obtain the highest
ranking among their peers, which essentially earns the
right to go wherever they please, whenever they please.
Guinea pigs communicate with both sound and body language.
When walking around together in the cage, or on the floor,
they will often times squeak and grunt as they move about,
which is a sign of general contentment. Guinea pigs love
company. Researchers have counted at least eleven different
sounds that guinea pigs make in communicating with each
other and their owners. If a guinea pig, particularly a
baby, gets lonely, it will squeal loudly, asking for reassurance.
Guinea pigs that are housed alone will often make this
sound, requesting human contact from their owners. The
guinea pig will also squeal loudly when it suspects that
food is on the way.
The main part of your guinea pig's diet should consist
of about 2 handfuls of hay and 2-3 tablespoons of guinea
pig pellets every day. Guinea pigs can't make vitamin C.
You can provide this by giving them a small fresh vegetable
or fruit treat that has vitamin C in it every day, or you
can feed them chewable vitamin C pills, or sprinkle crushed
vitamin C on their pellets and other foods.
Guinea pigs need fresh water every day. An 8 ounce water
bottle is best. A bowl of water does not work well, as
it can be easily tipped over and bedding can be kicked
in it.
Guinea pigs need to be housed in a cage with high sides
to hold in bedding and that allows at least 4 square feet
for the first piggy, then on additional 2 square fee for
each more. The cage should have a solid plastic or metal
floor. Wood floors soak up urine and wire floors will hurt
the delicate feet of a guinea pig. Aquariums offer little
ventilation and can lead to respiratory problems.
Aspen bedding is a safe choice for guinea pigs. Cedar
and Pine bedding can be dangerous because of aromatic oils
are too strong for guinea pigs' delicate noses and can
eventually make them sick or even kill them. Newspaper
and wood pulp in pellet form works well. Corn cob bedding
must be cleaned every few days or it can mold and make
your piggy sick.
Even with a large cage most guinea pigs will need 30 minutes
to an hour of exercise time every day. Even if your cavies
don't run around during this time the change of scenery
adds a bit of variety to their lives. It's easiest to block
off one room or a section of a room for the guinea pigs
to play in. You should put all electrical cords, magazines,
books, and newspapers above their reach.
Guinea pigs enjoy a variety of toys. A proven favorite
is a PVC pipe. Guinea pigs also like paper towel tubes,
bricks stacked in a pyramid shape, mirrors, bells hanging
from strings, wooden blocks, plastic baby keys, paper or
plastic sacks, old towels, small boxes, and even a string
of paper clips hanging down to the cage. Although toys
will entertain your guinea pig for short periods of time,
there is nothing that comes close to a good cuddle. Wrap
your guinea pig in a towel and cuddle and pet them until
they have to go to the bathroom. This is one of a guinea
pig's favorite activities and it's the highlight of the
day for them so be sure to cuddle with your guinea pig
and enjoy the pleasures of your pet.
The best place always to buy a guinea pig is directly
from a private, hobbyist or show guinea pig breeder but
this may not always be possible and therefore many guinea
pig owners buy their first guinea pig from a pet shop.
However, it should also be remembered when looking to buy
a pet guinea pig that many rescue homes also have guinea
pigs looking for new homes.
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