As in any pet care, the wild origins dictate a lot of what is important in Guinea Pig care. The guinea pig is a type of rodent sometimes known as the Cacy. They are not in fact pigs, as their name would have suggested. They come from the moutains of South America, and studies have shown they have been breed from closely related species such as Cavia aperea, C. fulgida, or C. tschudii, and do not exist naturally in the wild.
The guinea pig plays 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 nourishment and have appeared in the history and culture and are repeatedly used in metaphors.
They came to Europe in the 16th century by European traders and since then has seen widespread fame as a family pet. Originally they were seen as an exotic pet and even Queen Elisabeth I had one. They were widely used for biological experimentation since the 17th century, giving way to the metaphor “guinea pig” for a test subject, though more recently they have been replaced by mice and rats.
They are extremely calm 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 types of domesticated guinea pigs, which differ in hair and color differences. The most common breeds are the shorthair (or American shorthair), the Abyssinian whose coat is ruffled. More specialist long hair types include the curly long hair Texel and the long haired Sheltie or Peruvian breeds.
So is a Guinea Pig the right pet for me?
They are very companionable animals – so you need to be able to dedicate enough time for them, or else they will feel lonely and this might cause them to be stressed and go ill. This is especially important if you are buying one for the kids, on the basis that the kids will care for the guinea pig. Noting they typically live for four or five years, but may live as long as 8 years and the Guinness Book of Records has the record age for a guinea pig at 14 years.
Guinea pigs are particularly big for rodents, weighing between 700 and 1200g (1.5-2.5 pounds), and measuring between 20 and 25 cm (8–10 inches) in length. So they need quite a large cage. Though as a robust pet, this could be located in a shed or a protected spot outside. They put up with cold better than excessive heat. Try to avoid wire mesh floored cages, as this can damage their feet and potentially lead to infection.
As for many animals you should not put two males together as they will fightfor domination when they are mature at 6 months or so. However you can have as many females together as you want, and they will get along very well. Guinea pigs breed easily, so do not add a male to the females.
They are grass eaters, 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 attain this through their food, otherwise scurvy will kill them. Scurvy shows itself through sluggishness. So feed them often fresh, raw fruits and vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli, apple, carrot, celery, and spinach). Alternatively, but not a preferred option through dietary vitamins. They are fussy eaters when mature, so with a young one feed a varied foods. They like to eat continuously, so make sure there is hay available for them to eat.
Guinea pigs, as well as scurvy, may 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 mites, lice or fungus.
They are energetic throughout the day, with periods of sleep inter dispersed with activity. They often groom themselves and will groom others.
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