Recently it has become fashionable to keep any animals at home. Not only dogs, cats and parrots are popular - now they are actively buying guinea pigs, which seem to be small, and many do not even think that they also need certain living conditions. You need to know when and how to feed them, how to care for them. The better the breeding conditions for the animal, the longer the guinea pig will live . Breeding such rodents requires special conditions of maintenance and care.
Pig description
Guinea pig belongs to the domestic rodent of the family of mumps. In appearance it is a small animal, the weight of which can reach 1.5 kilograms. Active and mischievous is the guinea pig. Breeding of such rodents, their crossbreeding and rearing of cubs usually does not require human experience.
A wide muzzle with huge bulging eyes will always watch with love the actions of its master. Large hanging ears and a plump small body of the animal also attract people and encourage them to acquire such an animal. In addition, she is very kind and trusting, affectionate and sincere. And this cannot but please children and adults.
She got her original name “overseas pig” because she was first brought to Russia from somewhere across the seas. The head of the animal resembled a pig. She had another name. For example, cavy or guinea pig.
Species of rodent
Breeding guinea pigs at home requires not only knowledge of what it needs to be fed and how to care for it, but it is also necessary to understand what species and breeds are. Currently, all such rodents are divided into five species: short-haired, long-haired, wire-haired, rare breeds and mumps without hair.
A man tamed a guinea pig in the fifth millennium BC. This was done by the Indian tribes who settled in Colombia, Peru. They are often depicted on objects of art.
Cavey Characteristic
Children and adults often like the appearance of a guinea pig. Breeding these rodents always pleases children, because you want to have offspring from your beloved pet.
To date, guinea pigs can have a different body color: cream, white, chocolate and even tri-color. They have excellent eyesight and excellent hearing, as well as a well-developed sense of smell. Despite the fact that the pigs swim perfectly, they do not like water. The daily routine of such a rodent is similar to the way a person spends day and night. So, she sleeps about six hours at night, and the rest of the time she is awake.
The maintenance of guinea pigs at home requires the owners and the implementation of certain care requirements. So, throughout the year, pigs can shed a little. It is better if they still live not alone, but at least in pairs. These rodents, like cats, wash their paws. If you tame them, they turn out to be affectionate and gentle, grateful to the person for his care and affection.
Pigs should not be left in the drafts, as they are afraid of both severe cold and overheating. They must not fall.
Content Features
Guinea pig, the breeding of which has its positive and negative sides, lives no more than eight years. Rare cases have been recorded when rodents survived to 15 years. But the life span of an animal depends primarily on the conditions of detention and nutrition. Guinea pig is trained, although difficult. Still, it can be taught various tricks. It is worth the owner of such an animal to take care of the cell. So, it should be spacious. For one rodent, the cage should be at least 30 × 60 centimeters in size. It is proved that the more spacious the cage, the more comfortable the pig will be.
From what are the conditions of the guinea pig, its health will depend. The most common diseases of such rodents are colds, eye diseases, digestive disorders and parasites. Properly need to build and nutrition. Then there will be no smell from such an animal.
Many owners sometimes encounter problems with guinea pigs. Despite the fact that these rodents are ideal for children, they do not take up much space, nevertheless, there are some difficulties in their maintenance. First of all, they are very noisy. Each sound has its own specific meaning.
If you contain such a mumps, you should remember that these rodents do not like the cold, too much heat and loneliness. They get used to a person for a long time, shy, but then they love and trust him.
Rodent Care
Guinea pigs are considered unpretentious pets, so interest in them has grown so much in recent years. Caring for them is very simple. First of all, you should take care of the cell, which should be spacious. Be sure to pour sawdust or other filler on its bottom. In the cage there should be two feeders and a drinking bowl, a flat stone for grinding nails and a salt stone, twigs of different trees so that the pet can nibble them. And also, if desired, it is possible to install manholes, shelves and ladders for your favorite rodent.
Currently, the owner of the guinea pig can acquire a cage made of wood, bark or plastic. You need to clean the cage at least once or twice a week. Usually they relieve the need for the same place, so from the very beginning it’s worth putting a special tray there, which changes easily, and accustom them to it. Such animals do not like loneliness, so you should always buy them in pairs. Guinea pigs, which can be crossed if they are in the same cage, are usually separated by a wire divider. And that they were not lonely, it is enough for them to see or sniff each other.
If the cage is spacious, then walking your pet every day is optional. To do this, it’s better to still have an aviary so that the guinea pig does not accidentally chew on furniture. If walks are made on the street, then you need to make sure that some larger animal does not catch it, and also that the pet simply does not run away and does not hide in any mink.
Caring for a pig means taking care of its oral cavity, and especially about its teeth. They grow all their lives, and teeth cutting in guinea pigs must be done constantly. Typically, rodents will grind them if they put young branches.
But sometimes the help of a person is still required. So, the incisors can grow back, and if you do not cut them, then they can pierce the rodent with either tongue or gum. There are also such animals in which the incisors are located incorrectly from birth. Then it is impossible to do without the help of a veterinarian. Every four months he will shorten his overgrown teeth.
Pet care is also required. So, they need to be cleaned once a week with a dry cloth. If suddenly there will be an unpleasant smell from the ears or any discharge will begin, you should immediately contact a veterinarian, as these are usually the first symptoms of an ear parasite. If the discharge appeared in the eyes, then it is necessary to wipe them with a napkin, which is slightly moistened in boiled water. Any redness of the eyes or tears indicate a disease, and a specialist consultation is also necessary here.
Many owners, when acquiring a pet, think about how to cut the guinea pig's nails. They begin to be trimmed after a year and do it no more than once a year. To trim the claws you need to use a special nail clipper. The procedure must be performed carefully so as not to scare or injure the pet. Better if the vet does it. Indeed, a blood vessel is located on the claw of a rodent, which will heal for a long time after damage, and its damage can lead to blood poisoning.
Guinea pig hair also needs care. If it is short-haired, then once a week is enough, if the coat is long, then it needs to be combed every day. To do this, you need to have a comb with long teeth, and after it you can walk through the fur and a soft brush. If combing is difficult, then the coat can be slightly moistened with water. Those pieces of wool that cannot be untangled are simply cut with scissors.
Bathing
Usually guinea pigs are not bathed, if not necessary. For example, if the rodent had diarrhea or his coat in the mud. For such washing, you can use a shallow bowl in which slightly warm water is poured, not more than four centimeters. There is a special shampoo for rodents or you can use a baby.
When bathing, water should not get into the nose, eyes and ears. Immediately after you need to carefully and thoroughly wipe the animal.
Feeding
In order for the pet to develop correctly, be healthy, he needs proper nutrition. Most often, the wrong diet leads to illness or death of the animal. What should be included in the diet of guinea pigs? First of all, this is fresh hay, a balanced grain mixture, grass or fresh fruits or vegetables, salt stone, young tree branches and crackers that can be easily prepared at home.
You should not experiment and offer her new foods every time, as the guinea pig’s stomach is weak, and a new food can cause either an upset or diarrhea. The pet should always have fresh water in the drinker, in which vitamin C must be added. Hay should always be in the cage. You need to feed the rodent twice a day. One serving is two tablespoons of food.
Pet breeding
Any veterinarian will say that guinea pigs reach puberty early. But look for them a couple should not start before the pet turns ten months old. It is worth considering that for breeding it is better to reduce rodents of the same breed and about the same age. But it’s only worthwhile to ensure that there is no relationship between them. Not suitable for breeding and those animals that are suffering from obesity.
Pregnancy is a better plan for your pet. Fertilization is believed to be good if it occurs before the end of November. This will allow the female to feed her babies before spring molting. Otherwise, it may adversely affect the health of the rodent. Do not happen to females more than three times a year. The guinea pig’s estrus lasts only two days, but then repeats itself after twelve days.
The first twelve hours are considered the most favorable for fertilization. Note that the pig is ready to become a mother, you can by her posture. So, she slega lifts the back and spreads her legs. So she can stand motionless for several minutes. Males, on the contrary, are always ready for mating. If fertilization was normal, and estrus did not occur, then such a female should be planted separately. Pregnancy in a guinea pig lasts about ten months.
When bearing offspring, the toxicosis that occurs in the last weeks of pregnancy becomes the biggest problem for the female. This condition can lead to the death of the animal. Signs of toxicosis include eating, cramps, salivation, and dull and unusually tousled hair. Lack of water or vitamins, unhealthy diet or stress can be causes of such a painful condition.
During this period, the female needs special care. So, she needs quiet walks at least once a day. It is necessary to ensure that the room has a stable temperature. During this period, you should not take the animal in your arms so that it does not worry. If the female’s coat is long, then it is recommended to cut it before delivery.
Births in guinea pigs pass quickly. They last no more than thirty minutes. Toddlers are born sighted and with well-developed hearing and incisors. They weigh no more than 140 grams. During one birth, three to five individuals may be born. Kids grow up quickly and already on the second day they begin to eat with their mother. By the month they can be sent to another cage.
Guinea pig disease
The most common disease is parasites. If the animals do not have enough light or vitamins, then they may develop rickets. If rodents are not kept properly, fractures can occur. Often, guinea pigs also suffer from colds. If the nutrition is not properly organized, then the digestive system will suffer from the pet.
If a plague is found in a pig, it should be euthanized. There is no cure for this viral disease, which is fatal. May occur in guinea pigs and paralysis of the limbs. In such cases, specialist assistance is needed.