A fluffy, very funny, and most importantly, unpretentious pet can be a Peruvian guinea pig. Itโs easy to maintain and even for a child for whom this animal can become a best friend.
general description
This breed was bred primarily for exhibitions, but is now actively in demand in home maintenance. The animal is friendly and sociable. A small cell is enough for him, the state of which must be monitored. It is also necessary to check the availability of food, communicate with the animal - here are a few rules that are easy to follow. The Peruvian guinea pig has an easygoing disposition and responds well to human affection. She is completely non-aggressive, which makes her an ideal pet for a family with small children.
Appearance
Representatives of this breed are distinguished by a short body, a wide head and voluminous shoulders. Their main feature is a very thick, silky and absolutely straight coat with a length of 15-20 cm. If the pig freezes, it may seem that this is not a beast at all, but some kind of wig, and this is not a joke. Itโs even difficult to immediately determine which side the muzzle is on! These guinea pigs are frequent guests of all kinds of exhibitions, where hundreds of rapt eyes are riveted to themselves, sitting with aristocratic pride in their cages.
At first glance, it seems that long hair will cause a lot of trouble, but this is not so. Combing it is very easy - it is not at all confused. The Peruvian pig has two rosettes on the body (the so-called point from which the hair grows around the circumference), and a slight twist on the nose. On the legs and abdomen, the hair is short, which greatly facilitates care and does not hamper the movement of the pig. But on her head she falls on her forehead, closing a cute little face with big eyes, and on her back you can observe an even parting. The coloring is the most diverse. The weight of adults ranges from 0.7 to 1.8 kg. When acquiring such a pet, it is important to know how many years Peruvian guinea pigs live. With proper maintenance, their life expectancy can be up to 8 years.
Care
The cage must be selected with a pallet. Well, if it has a lot of houses, ladders, toys and all kinds of loopholes. Everything should be heavy or attached to the wall (floor) so that food does not spill out and water does not spill. In a large cage, you can build a separate toilet, because animals get used to walking in one place. This simplifies daily cleaning. Usually well-lit places are preferred by Peruvian guinea pigs. Keeping them in the back of the room or in a dark corner can affect the health and mood of the pet.
It is recommended to put the cage closer to the window, but only to the place where drafts are completely absent. Sometimes you can let your pet run around the apartment, however, you need to carefully monitor him - it is likely that he will want to hide or chew on furniture or carpet. Running pigs is very useful: it strengthens the legs, allows the pet to warm up properly. In summer, you can take the animal out to the street or take it on a trip, taking care of a special bag in advance. On the road for him, you must definitely take food and water. It is advisable that the pet spend more time with people, play, run. This helps his physical development and improves health.
Hygiene
Despite its name, guinea pigs are very afraid of water. Nevertheless, sometimes it is necessary to wash them. Bathing water should be warm enough. Place the pet in the basin, apply a special shampoo to the wetted coat. After washing, the fur coat must be dried with a hairdryer, turning it on at a low power so as not to frighten the animal. At least once a week, you should clean your ears, cut the claws and examine the teeth of an adult pet.
Feeding
The diet is no different from the nutrition of other species of guinea pigs. The basic rule is that the feed should be balanced. Although the Peruvian guinea pig is small, its intestines are quite long (as much as two meters), so the digestion process is long and can reach 7 hours. Be sure to always have access to water in the drinker, you can put in a cage a mineral stone or a piece of wood with a bark - for brushing your teeth.
In no case should you feed the pig from your table. What a person consumes is very harmful to the animal. Various sweets, eggs, fried seeds, meat, smoked meats should be excluded from the diet, otherwise the troubles in the form of allergies or indigestion cannot be avoided.
You need to feed the pig 2-3 times at certain hours - for example, in the morning at 9.00, at lunch (at 14.00) and in the evening (at 20.00). It is important! Otherwise, there will be problems with the intestines, which will lead to obesity, which is especially dangerous for rodents. In addition to being overweight, the risk of various diseases increases, the most common among which is obesity. In addition, the animal will not be able to maintain hygiene due to movement restrictions.
It is useful to give hay, vegetables, fruits (carrots, cabbage, apples), specialized feed sold in stores. You can buy vitamins for wool. Then it will become even more silky and will not fall out. It is very important to give foods containing vitamin C, the Peruvian guinea pig especially needs it. Nutrition and care for these animals are the main components for their full existence. Therefore, with proper feeding, the pet will be able to deliver a lot of positive emotions to the owners for several years.
Health
Always carefully monitor the condition of the animal. Although with proper care they rarely get sick, but anything can happen. A healthy animal has a shiny coat. The ears, nose and eyes are always clean.
In case of any suspicion of a violation of the health of the pet, you must immediately show it to the vet. Especially if the body temperature rises, the eyes watery or there is no appetite. The most common problems that occur in animals such as the Peruvian guinea pig are tumors, bruises, cystitis, and skin diseases caused by parasites.
Breeding
Around the age of 12 months, puberty begins. It is not recommended to breed pigs that are more than 3 years old. Pregnancy usually lasts 63 days. In the litter, as a rule, from 2 to 4 cubs, which in 3-4 weeks should be removed from the mother.
How to choose a pet
It is best to go after him to a specialized nursery of Peruvian guinea pigs. By purchasing an animal from your hands, you will not receive guarantees that the animal was not sick and that he was given the necessary vaccinations. Better to overpay than to buy a sick animal, which then will have to be treated. You should pay attention to the appearance of the animal: the condition of the coat, teeth, behavior. A healthy pig should be active, curious. It is important that the coat is clean, dry. The presence of bald spots may indicate infection with parasites - a problem that, like many animals, Peruvian guinea pigs suffer. The price for one animal usually ranges from 2 to 4 thousand rubles.
We are responsible for those who have tamed. If you take good care of the pet, then in return he will give love, devotion, and possibly joy from winning victories at exhibitions.