The long-haired guinea pig, the photo of which is in this article, is a pet. Her wild ancestors exist for nearly 40 million years. Over time, guinea pigs were domesticated by humans. And thanks to the selection, exotic species have appeared. The most popular for home content are long-haired.
A bit of history
Scientists suggest that wild guinea pigs themselves came in search of heat to human housing. The Indians, who lived in pre-Columbian America, kept these animals as livestock and ate, and also sacrificed to the gods.
In Europe, guinea pigs appeared only in the 16th century. Longhair guinea pigs first appeared in France. Now there are nurseries for long-haired guinea pigs all over the world. And animal lovers began their breeding.
Description of long-haired pigs
One of the favorite pets is the long-haired guinea pig. The description of the different breeds may vary, but there are common signs. All pigs have a small oval-shaped body. Head - with a "Roman" profile, large ears and large bulging eyes. Paws are short, tail is practically absent.
The nose is large, with a small hump. The structure of the teeth is special. The lower and upper incisors are large, with no roots. They grow all their lives. Sharpen naturally. There are short distances between incisors and molars.
Long-haired from simple guinea pigs differ precisely in the length of their hair, which can reach 20, and in Peruvian even 50 cm. Moreover, the hair grows not only on the body, but also on the head. The breeds of long-haired guinea pigs are distinguished by the structure of the coat and its color. The color scheme is very diverse.
It can be either plain or colorful, combining three colors. The most common color has red shades. But sometimes there are guinea pigs with pure white hair or completely black.
Breeds of long-haired guinea pigs
Longhair breeds of guinea pigs are conventionally divided into two main groups: with straight or curly hair. But they are all unpretentious to the conditions of detention. There are many breeds. The most popular are described below:
- Sheltie . This breed of pigs has a smooth and soft coat. It grows from the muzzle to the body. Any sockets and vortices are unacceptable. On the muzzle the hair is short, with sideburns. Color can be monophonic or colorful.
- Coronet . The breed was bred in England. The name of the pig was obtained because of a woolen rosette in the form of a crown on the head. The muzzle is framed by whiskers. On the body, the hair is straight and silky, without rosettes and vortices. It grows, starting from the muzzle. Color can be monophonic or colorful. From a Sheltie breed, a coronet differs only in a socket on its head.
- Texel . These guinea pigs have curly, elastic hair. It grows from the muzzle to the sacrum. Colors can be very diverse.
- Merino . This breed is named for curly long hair and a rosette on its head. It is she who distinguishes them from texels .
- Alpaca . The breed is identical to the Peruvian. The pigs have thick bangs on their heads. Wool grows to the muzzle. On the sacrum are two sockets. Alpaca differs from Peruvian pigs in curly hair.
- Swiss teddy. The breed is very valuable and rare. Outwardly, the pigs look like a ball of wool. They are quite thick, hard to the touch, upright and slightly curly. Its length is approximately six centimeters, the same throughout the pig body. Curly hair on the tummy. The standard does not allow eddies and sockets, except one on the head. Color - plain or colorful.
- Lunkaria . This breed is also considered exotic. It differs from other breeds in hard and curly ringlets.
Character
The long-haired guinea pig is a very friendly pet. These exotic rodents are sociable, mobile. When they get used to the house and the owners, they are very willing to make contact. They love attention to their person. Get along well with rabbits. But other animals and birds (dogs, cats, parrots, etc.) can be dangerous for them.
Guinea pigs are quite peaceful and bite very rarely. But young children cannot be left alone with them, as kids can injure a small animal. And the animal, scared - to bite. Children from the age of six or eight can take care of them.
Guinea pigs are perfectly trained. They quickly remember their name and easily respond to it. They can recognize even simple commands or certain sounds. They are tamed quickly, provided that enough attention is paid to them. You need to talk to guinea pigs. They are very fond of being stroked and picked up.
Nutrition
The long-haired guinea pig eats the same way as its usual brothers. The diet should include grass, hay and crops. The grass is slightly dried before serving. Be sure to give pigs carrots, cucumbers, beets with tops, apples and greens. But all of the above should be included in the diet in small portions.
Potatoes can only be given boiled, and very little. Cereals are better to soak a little and feed them in the morning. Useful sprouted grain. Feeding should be twice a day. The uneaten food is removed from the cage after two hours. Water should be filtered and fresh.
Long-haired guinea pigs: care and maintenance
To maintain guinea pigs, you need a spacious cage (at least 60x40x60) so that the animal can move freely. It is installed away from drafts and the sun, to which animals are very sensitive. The house is located in a cage low, as pigs can not fall even from a small height.
A pallet is desirable as it facilitates cleaning. In the cage there should be a drinking bowl and two bowls for food, as well as a small nursery for grass and hay. In the cage you need to fix a piece of chalk and a strong branch (for grinding teeth). Sawdust or shavings are suitable for bedding. Cleaning is done daily. Litter changes every other day. Guinea pigs need to be released on a daily walk.
The hair is combed daily with a soft brush. At least 3-4 times a week. Washing guinea pigs is not recommended at all. But if necessary, then only after severe pollution. Wool is dried with a towel or hair dryer. If it is very long, it is cleaned in paper papillots. The ears are inspected regularly and, if necessary, cleaned with cotton buds. Claws are trimmed once a month.
Disease
The long-haired guinea pig is very rarely ill and is immune to even infectious diseases. But there are a number of diseases to which animals can be affected:
- obesity;
- scurvy;
- rickets;
- cold;
- epilepsy;
- keratitis;
- heart disease
- allergies
- pneumonia;
- conjunctivitis;
- tumors;
- ear otitis media;
- paralysis;
- skin infections;
- ringworm;
- salmonellosis and some other diseases.
Sound signals
The long-haired guinea pig makes sounds, many of which are of particular importance. Pregnant women tweet like birds. And they do it in the dark and sing like this for up to five minutes. But this phenomenon is very rare. When courtship males rumble a mating song. The dominant female can make the same sounds if she lives with her relatives. When the pig is stroked, it can purr softly with pleasure, like a cat.