The size of the guinea pig depends not only on the age, breed and gender of the pet. The growth and weight of the animal is also affected by the conditions of detention. Lack of nutrients in the diet leads to stunted growth. Overfeeding and overweight also cause serious harm to the body. To what size can a pet grow at home? And how to take care of a pig so that it develops and grows normally? We will consider these issues in the article.
Differences between wild and domestic individuals
What size do guinea pigs reach in the wild? The largest individuals can grow up to 35 cm. Wild pigs differ in appearance from domesticated pets. Animals living in natural conditions have to independently get their own food and hide from predators. Therefore, they have a more muscular body and less weight than domestic ones. Wild animals are very hardy and capable of long runs.
For a long time, different types of guinea pigs were crossed. This helped the animals to maintain their population in vivo. At the same time, large breeds of animals were crossed with small ones. Therefore, in domestic guinea pigs, sizes can vary from 15 to 30 cm. This largely depends on the dimensions of their wild ancestors. In the process of selection, domestic pigs lost their tail. They have a more rounded body than their relatives living in the natural environment.
What is the size of the animal
The following factors affect the size of the guinea pig:
- age;
- floor;
- breed;
- animal care.
Why does the owner need to know the normal size of the pet? First of all, height and weight indicate the animal’s health status. Knowing the normal size of a pig also helps you navigate correctly when buying a pet. By this indicator, one can judge the estimated age and purity of the animal breed.
Next, we will consider in detail the factors affecting the growth and weight of guinea pigs.
Floor
To what sizes does a male guinea pig grow? Adult males can reach a body length of up to 35 cm. They weigh up to 1.5 kg. Mature females are usually much smaller, their growth is not more than 25 cm, and their weight rarely exceeds 1 kg.
Breed
The size of guinea pigs is largely dependent on the breed. In the process of breeding, individuals of different height and weight were crossed, therefore both miniature and large animals are found. The following breeds of domestic guinea pigs are distinguished by the largest dimensions:
- Abyssinian;
- coronet;
- tortoiseshell;
- English rex;
- ridgeback;
- Teddy;
- kui;
- Himalayan
- Peruvian.
These animals often weigh more than 1–1.5 kg.
Newborns
It is interesting to know how large the guinea pig should be at birth. The cubs that were born have a height of 5 to 10 cm. In small breeds, the weight usually does not exceed 45-50 g, and in large breeds it reaches 100-120 g
Much depends on the number of newborns in the litter. The more babies a female carries, the smaller the size of each of them. The order of birth plays a role. The first individuals born are usually larger than the rest.
The size of the babies is also affected by the course of the pregnancy in the female. If the guinea pig is healthy, then it can carry three large cubs, which at birth will weigh at least 100-120 g.
Cubs are considered to be newborns under the age of 7 days. During this period, they practically do not grow.
Age up to 1 year
From the age of 8 days to 1 month, the size of the guinea pig increases rapidly. Cubs grow actively and gain 4–5 g daily. By 30 days from birth, their growth reaches 14–19 cm, and body weight 200–400 g.
By the age of three months, the size of the guinea pig increases by another 5-6 cm, and the weight becomes 10 times more than at birth.
By six months of age, gender differences in size become noticeable. Males look larger and more plump. At 6 months, guinea pigs grow to a size of 20–25 cm. However, during this period, the increase in height and weight slows down somewhat.
The period from 6 to 12 months does not differ in active growth. At this time, the animal is already considered sexually mature. It reaches full physical development and is capable of producing offspring. However, rushing with breeding pets is not worth it. You should wait until the age of 10-12 months, when the body of young animals gets stronger.
In guinea pigs, at 6–12 months, the production of growth hormone decreases significantly. However, the body length of the pet can still increase by several centimeters.
When growth stops
At the age of 1.5 years, the guinea pig stops growing. The animal is considered an adult and reaches its maximum size. If the pet is older than 15 months, then growth growth can no longer be expected.
With proper nutrition in adult pigs, there are no significant fluctuations in body weight. Normally, the weight of the male is from 1 to 1.8 kg, and the female is from 0.7 to 1 kg. If the pet's body weight exceeds these indicators, then the diet should be urgently reviewed. Obesity is very dangerous for these moving and active animals.
At the age of 4, the pig begins to age. In an animal, the reproductive function gradually fades, the previous activity disappears, the metabolism changes. In old age, animals often lose weight. This is a natural occurrence. However, with too sharp weight loss should pay attention to the health of the animal.
With good care, the life expectancy of animals at home is from 6 to 8 years. Shorthair rodents usually live longer than long-haired and bald (hypoallergenic) breeds.
Care
The size of an adult guinea pig largely depends on its conditions of detention in childhood. The main role here is played by the diet of the animal. After all, the pet receives the substances necessary for growth from food.
In order for the pig to reach its maximum size, it is necessary to adhere to the following care recommendations:
- At the age of 20 days, the calves feed on breast milk. The period of breastfeeding should not be artificially shortened. Toddlers, early divorced from their mother, develop worse and grow worse.
- Nursing guinea pigs should be given regular fatty cow or goat milk, as well as cream. This is especially necessary for multiple litter. Such nutrition will improve the production and quality of milk, and in the future will ensure good growth of the cubs.
- Vegetables and fruits, as well as dry hay, should be regularly included in the diet of growing guinea pigs. Root crops and bushes should always be in the cage. Such food will enrich the body of young with useful substances necessary for growth.
- It is useful to give young guinea pigs special supplements with vitamin C. This trace element is practically not produced in their body. Ascorbic acid deficiency slows down the growth of animals.
It is very important to ensure that the animal does not overeat. After all, guinea pigs are quite voracious. From the age of six months, the pet must be periodically released from the cage. Walking around the house and outdoor games can help prevent excessive weight gain.
The largest guinea pigs
The largest dimensions are reached by guinea pigs of the Kui breed. They were previously bred as farm animals. Huge rodents are currently kept at home.
The size of the guinea pig breed Kui can reach up to 50 cm, and weight - up to 4 kg. They reach such dimensions by six months of age. However, the content of these animals is rather complicated. Rodents are nervous and react sharply to any stress. In addition, they are inactive and inactive. Kui has poor health, and life expectancy is only 3-4 years.
We can conclude that it is not always necessary to strive for the pet to reach large dimensions. It must be remembered that overly large animals often have health problems.