The guinea pig is perhaps the only animal whose name does not match either its appearance or lifestyle. Pigs are rodents that came to us from the dry valleys of Peru, so they don’t know how to swim. How many guinea pigs live in nature depends on many factors. Usually these numbers do not exceed 4-5 years. At home, where the animal is carefully looked after and protected from all dangers, their age can reach 8 years or more. The main thing is to properly feed the animal and provide him with good conditions. How many domesticated guinea pigs live depends entirely on the attitude of their owner.
In order for the animal to feel comfortable, its house must be spacious, bright, clean and dry. It can not be placed in a draft, near batteries, in open sunny places and in rooms where the temperature is below 18 ° C. You also need to consider that a pig can get out of the house and die. Therefore, the walls of her home should not be lower than 35-40 cm. In the warmer months, you can leave animals on the street, but not in the sun. It is very useful to give pigs the opportunity to walk around the apartment. At this time, you need to ensure that the animal is not injured and does not bite anything.
Cleanliness in the cell should be maintained regularly, for which every two days the litter completely changes.
A major role in how many guinea pigs live is played by proper nutrition. It must be varied, well balanced and must necessarily include vitamins and mineral supplements. To prevent the animal from becoming obese, you need to feed it in the morning and in the evening, pouring as much feed into the feeder as the pig can completely eat in 2 hours.
By their nature, these animals are rodents, so the guinea pigs live as long as they grow their teeth. If they become too long, the animal will refuse to eat and die. To prevent this from happening, pigs must be given chocks from fruit trees or thick twigs. If the teeth of the mumps still grew above normal, they need to be sawn. Guinea pig food includes dry and succulent ingredients. Dry herbs include dried grass (hay), oats, oatmeal, and compound feed. All this is sold in specialized stores.
Juicy feed can be harvested independently. These are twigs of fruit
trees, aspen and willow, leaves of plantain, dandelion, parsley, dill, yarrow, clover.
It is advisable to dry the grass a little before serving up the table and give it in small portions. Some herbs are poisonous to the animal. These include buttercup, euphorbia, hemlock, nightshade and some others. It is also necessary to give pigs raw carrots and beets, a little cabbage, boiled potatoes and cucumbers. Fruits are given only in small quantities. Pigs like apples, bananas, pumpkin and melon.
How many guinea pigs live depends on whether they get vitamins. They must be given strictly according to the attached instructions. It should be remembered that hay is a must in the diet of mumps. Without it, the animal dies. It is also imperative that pigs add vitamin C to the water, which they themselves do not produce, and glucose. Such additives help animals cope with many diseases. Antibiotics are very difficult for these animals to tolerate, so the owners must carefully monitor the behavior of the pets and their well-being in order to prevent the disease or take immediate measures if the pig refuses to eat, is inactive if it has loose stools.
How many years guinea pigs live, depends not only on their diet, but also on the condition of the coat.
To prevent it from falling off, pets, especially long-haired breeds, need to be combed regularly with a special comb. Shorthair can be combed out only during molting. If the wool has fallen off, it must be cut with manicure scissors. Bathing pigs is allowed only in case of severe contamination and in case of disease with lice, lice, or other parasites. When bathing, you can’t wet the animal’s head, and after water procedures it must be thoroughly dried with a non-hot hairdryer. Cosmetic grooming also includes cutting the nails. In nature, they grind on their own. At home, the owners of the animal should do this using sharp scissors and trying not to damage the blood vessels. Therefore, only the edges of the nails are cut off where there are no blood streaks in the light. The eyes of the animal should be wiped with a slightly damp soft cloth. In healthy pigs, small secretions may form in them. But if the eyes are watery, swollen, reddened or festering, then the animal is sick.
If you follow these simple rules, the guinea pig will feel great and delight its owner.