Guinea pig

Cavia porcellus

Domestic guinea pigs

Domesticated guinea pigs come in many varieties which have been developed since their arrival in Europe and North America. These varieties vary widely in hair and color composition. The most common varieties found in pet stores are the English Short Hair (also called American) which has a smooth, glossy, short coat, and the Abyssinian which has a rough coat made of cowlicks, crests, and swirls called rosettes. Each of these varieties come in a number of colors and color patterns. The rarer Peruvian has very long hair, hanging all the way to the ground. A rare new breed known as the Texel has long hair like the Peruvian, but this hair is curly and doesn't come over their face.

Related Topics:
Domesticated - Europe - North America - Colors - Patterns - Curly

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All over the world there are Cavy Clubs and Associations dedicated to the showing and breeding of guinea pigs. ACBA (American Cavy Breeders Association) is the governing body in the U.S. In Canada, the OCC (Ontario Cavy Club) is the most prominent club, and many others exist. Each club publishes it's own Standard of Perfection and determines what breeds are eligible for showing.

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ACBA has many accepted breeds. These include:

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• Abyssinian: The Abyssinian cavy has 10 rosettes ? one on each shoulder, four across the "saddle", one on each hip, and two on the rump. An ideal Abyssinian has a harsh textured coat that stands on end in straight ridges, forming the rosette pattern. Rosettes should have pinpoint centers.
  
• American (AKA Smooth Coat): The American cavy has short smooth hair all over the body.
  
• Crested: A Crested is like an American, but has a single rosette on the top of the head. According to ACBA standards, the Crest must be white coloured with no white present on the body of the animal. Other clubs allow the crest to be any colour.
  
• Teddy: A Teddy guinea pig has short, rough hair that stands on end all over the body, resembling a plush teddy bear.
  
• Silkie: A Silkie has long hair, sometimes up to 24 inches, that flows back over its body. When viewed from above it should be a teardrop shape.
  
• Peruvian: A Peruvian cavy has long hair like a Silkie, but the hair flows over the whole body from the center and spreads out, covering the face. When viewed from above it should look like an oval and the head cannot be distinguished from the rear.
  
• Coronet: A Coronet cavy has long hair like a Silkie, and a crest like a Crested.
  
• Texel: A Texel is like a Silkie, but with curls. The curls should ideally be tightly wound corkscrew curls.
  
• Merino and Boucle: Merino is the curly equivalent of a Coronet and a Boucle is the curly equivalent of a Peruvian. These breeds are not yet accepted according to ACBA regulations.
  

All breeds also come in a Satin variety. A satin cavy has a different type of hair shaft that reflects light, giving it a beautiful, shiny appearance.

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Cavies come in many colours, including Black, White, Red, Buff/Cream (blonde), Chocolate and Beige.

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Agouti coloured cavies have a hair tip and root that are different colours, much like someone whose roots are showing from dyeing their hair. Golden Agouti has a red tip and black root, Silver Agouti has a white tip and black root and Dilute Agouti can have a variety of different combinations.

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Parti coloured cavies have two or more colours on the body, often white and another colour. To be eligible for showing, each colour must be present in at least a one inch by one inch patch. An ideal cavy has several patches of each color on its body, evenly distributed so that the animal has an equal amount of each color no matter what angle the animal is viewed from.

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Tortoiseshell coloured cavies are black and red.

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Roan cavies have white and one or more coloured hair intermixed throughout the body.

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Brindle cavies have two different colour hair intermixed throughout the body like a Roan.

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Dalmation cavies have white hair and black spots. Dalmations also have a unique eye colour ? blue with a red rim.

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Guinea pigs are widely considered to be good pets. They are generally easy to care for, and while they do require frequent cage cleaning and companionship, with a little diligence all their needs can easily be met. They are considered by many to be very cute and are very verbal (they squeak) in contact with humans. Guinea pigs who become familiar with their human seem to consider them part of their herd, and become distraught when separated for long periods.

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Habitat

Guinea pigs require ample space to run, jump, play, hide and rest. Their cage should ideally be as large as possible; 7.5 square feet (0.7 square metres) for one guinea pig is about the minimum to allow space for moving about, exercise, and exploration, as they are naturally curious animals. If the guinea pig is kept in a smaller cage such as those sold commonly sold in pet stores, it is essential to allow them daily time to move outside the cage (and this is always a good idea no matter how big the cage is.) Wire floors should not be used unless the gaps between the wire are very small; most wire-floor cages sold in pet stores are unacceptable. Guinea pigs do not have hair on the soles of their feet. It is possible that wire-floored caging may be associated with a foot infection commonly known as "bumblefoot" (ulcerative pododermatitis).12 More importantly, wired flooring is usually spaced too large for guinea pigs' small feet, and may cause injuries if a foot gets caught while running or jumping in the air (as happy pigs will do from time to time). Most commercially built guinea pig cages are now built with solid floors.

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"Cubes and Coroplast" style cages are now a common choice. They were conceived by Teresa Murphy, founder of Cavy Spirit cavy rescue in San Mateo, CA http://www.cavyspirit.com. This inexpensive, DIY design constructed from corrugated plastic (Coroplast) and wire square shelving (Creative Cubes, etc.) has also been adapted to rabbit and other small animal owners around the world.

Related Topics:
DIY - Corrugated plastic

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Guinea pigs are herd animals and in general, do best in groups of two or more. Groups of sows, or groups of sow(s) and a neutered boar are common combinations. Groups of boars may also get along, provided their cage has enough space, they are not introduced to a female (most of the time), and proper introduction techniques are employed.

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It is not advisable to keep guinea pigs and rabbits together as it is not uncommon for a guinea pig to be badly, if not fatally, injured by a rabbit suddenly kicking out with its paws or an "overly-romantic" (dominant or in-heat) rabbit repeatedly trying to mount a guinea pig. However there are exceptions to every rule and some rabbit/cavy pairs have been known to co-exist peacefully. Guinea pigs should not be kept in the same cage or enclosure with domesticated rats (or any other species of rodents for that matter). Guinea pigs have a natural fear of rats and although their friendly appearance does not show it, a threatened cavy can seriously injure a domesticated rat, and vice versa.

Related Topics:
Domesticated rats - Rodents

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Domestic guinea pigs' cages are often lined with wood shavings or a similar material. Bedding made from cedar and pine, both softwoods, were commonly used in past decades but are now believed to contain harmful phenols (aromatic hydrocarbons) and oils (particularly cedar). These phenols have been suggested to cause and/or exacerbate upper respiratory infections (a serious and life-threatening problem in cavies). Part of cedar and pine's historical popularity was likely due to their cheap price and the fact that the same phenols which may harm some animals are known to repell certain insects. Cedar shavings are known to cause liver problems in rabbits. Many retail stores and manufacturers still advertise softwood beddings as safe for guinea pigs, but there is growing pressure to stop the practice as well as a wider array of safer products being produced. Safer beddings include those made from hardwoods (such as aspen), hemp, paper, or grain. Avoid dusty beddings that could also contribute to respiratory problems.

Related Topics:
Cedar - Pine - Softwoods - Hardwoods - Aspen - Hemp

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Diet

Guinea pigs should be fed hay, fresh vegetables, and a commercial food made for guinea pigs. Rabbit food should not be fed as it is not fortified with vitamin C and may contain hormones and/or antibiotics.

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Like humans but unlike most other mammals, guinea pigs cannot synthesize their own vitamin C and must obtain this vital nutrient from food. Also like humans, if guinea pigs cannot get enough vitamin C they will suffer from scurvy and ultimately die. Cavies should recieve between 25-50mg of vitamin C daily. Vitamin C does not have a long shelf life; commercial pellets may not be a reliable source of this vitamin. Fresh fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C are a great source. Commercial vitamin C pills are also an excellent source. There are several approaches for feeding the pills, but in practice most guinea pigs quickly learn to like them. After a brief period of 'friendly-force-feeding', the animals start eating the pills from their owners' hands, making it an ideal source of essential vitamin C. Vitamin C supplements should not be put into water. Especially with multiple cavies, this method makes it difficult to determine how much vitamin C is consumed. Also, vitamin C is unstable in sunlight and in the presence of certain chemicals commonly added to tap water.

Related Topics:
Humans - Mammal - Vitamin C - Scurvy

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Guinea pigs are probably the smallest grass-eating mammals. Grass digestion requires a special digestive system: whereas most grass-eating mammals are quite large and have a long digestive tract, guinea pigs use a more unusual method: they practice coprophagy, the eating of one's own feces. However, they do not consume their feces indiscriminately. They produce special soft pellets, called "cecotropes," which contain the B vitamins and bacteria required for proper digestion. These pellets are not the same as regular feces. They share this behaviour with rabbits.

Related Topics:
Coprophagy - Rabbits

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Cavies need unlimited grass hay such as timothy hay. Alfalfa hay, a legume hay richer in calcium and protein, may be appropriate in addition to free-fed grass hay for young guinea pigs (under 8 months to a year). Hay provides roughage and long-strand fiber needed in their diet which pellets alone do not provide. Alfalfa and other foods rich in calcium (such as spinach) should only be fed to adults in moderation. Diets with imbalanced Ca:P ratios may result in health problems and may possibly contribute to the formation of certain types of bladder stones and bladder sludge.

Related Topics:
Timothy hay - Alfalfa

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Cavies should be fed approximately one cup of fresh vegetables daily. Favorites include parsley, apples, bell peppers, oranges, and dark leafy greens such as lettuce and kale. Oranges can be fed, but some guinea pigs will develop irritations on their lips from the acid. Foods higher in sugar, calcium and oxalic acid should be limited. Cavies should not be fed "watery" vegetables such as celery stalks or iceberg lettuce, as these are low in nutritional value and can give them diarrhea.

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Pelleted food is available under many different brand names, however most experts feel many brands are unacceptable to meet a cavy's needs. Seed mixes often have artificial colorings or animal products that are not suitable for guinea pigs. Seeds are high in fat and seed mixes may encourage selective eating habits. Alfalfa-based pellets (the most common pellet based food available) should be fed only to cavies one year of age or younger. Timothy-based should be fed to cavies older than one year. A number of timothy hay brands make commercially prepared pellets based on dehydrated timothy hay, which is ideal for guinea pigs over six months that are not pregnant or lactating.

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Vitamin supplements available through pet stores, unless directed for use by your veterinarian, are typically unnecessary for the pet cavy receiving an adequate diet. As previously mentioned, more reliable methods of providing vitamin C exist; in addition, many supplements contain fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K, E) which in excessive amounts may have detrimental health effects.

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Health

Guinea pigs need to be seen by a vet just like any other pet. Be sure your vet is "cavy savvy" and knows about the special needs of guinea pigs. A lot of antibiotic medications, like those that are penicillin based, are toxic to guinea pigs.

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Common ailments in domestic guinea pigs include respiratory infections, diarrhea, scurvy (vitamin C deficiency, symptoms include hindleg paralysis), abscesses (large amounts of a thick pus that create a bulge, often in their neck, due to infected internal scratches from hay that is too hard or infected external scratches received in a variety of ways), and infections by lice, mites or fungus.

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Mange mites (Trixacarus caviae) are a common cause of hairloss, whose symptoms also may include excessive scratching, unusually aggressive behavior when touched (due to pain), and in some instances, seizures. If not treated, mange mites can be fatal. Mange mites are not visible to the naked eye. Vets may perform a "skin scraping" to determine the presence of mites (or a fungal infection), although this procedure is often painful and may result in a false negative result. Mange mites are commonly treated with several doses of ivermectin, available through your veterinarian. Other cavies who have come in contact with the animal suspected of carrying mites should also be treated. Note that cavies normally have bald patches behind their ears.

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Guinea pigs may also suffer from "running lice," (Gliricola porcelli) a small white insect which can be seen running through fur. Ivermectin or Advantage (imidacloprid), available through your veterinarian, are often used to treat these and other types of lice.

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Consult with a veterinarian experienced in treating guinea pigs before using any over-the-counter parasite treatment.

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Other causes of hairloss can be due to hormonal upsets caused by underlying medical conditions such as ovarian cysts. Other signs of ovarian cysts include enlarged nipples and sexually aggressive behavior. Ovarian cysts are frequently diagnosed via ultrasound and treated by spaying the sow. If left untreated, cysts may fatally rupture.

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Guinea pigs are "prey animals" whose survival instinct is to mask pain and signs of illness. Many times signs of illness may not be apparent until a problem is severe or in its advanced stages. Hence owners should take signs of possible problems very seriously and consult with a vet if illness is suspected. General signs and symptoms of health problems include:

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• Lethargy (reduced activity)
  
• Inability to move
  
• Blood present in cage or on animal
  
• Sitting in a hunched position with fur puffed out
  
• Discharge from eyes (see note below), nose or ears
  
• Raspy-sounding vocalizations
  
• Wheezing or difficulty breathing
  
• Limping
  
• Diarrhea
• Lack of feces output (older, unneutered boars may suffer from impaction ? see http://www.guinealynx.info/impaction.html)
• Head tilt or loss of balance (may indicate an ear infection)
  
• Wheeking while urinating (may indicate bladder infection or bladder stones/sludge)
  
• Sensitivity to touch
  
• Hairloss
  
• Excessive scratching
• Weight loss
  
• Rapid weight gain/shifting of bodily weight (may indicated ovarian cysts, etc.)
  
• Increased water intake (may indicate diabetes, etc.)
  
• NOTE: Guinea pigs normally secrete a milky-white fluid near their eyes. Upon secretion of this fluid, the cavy will usually raise his front paws and groom himself.
  

Breeding

Pregnancy toxemia is common and kills many pregnant females, so breeding is not recommended for the casual owner. Signs of toxemia include anorexia, lack of energy, excessive salivation, and a ketone breath odor, and in avanced cases seizures and death. Pregnancy toxemia appears to be most common in hot climates.http://www.guinealynx.info Encouraging a pregnant cavy to exercise regularly by increasing cage size and/or moving food and water to opposite sides of the cage may help prevent toxemia. Other serious complications of pregancy can include a prolapsed uterus and hypocalcemia.

Related Topics:
Pregnancy toxemia - Prolapsed uterus - Hypocalcemia

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Females should never be bred if they are older than 8 months of age and have never previously given birth, due to the irreversible fusing of her pelvic joint. Females can be fertile as early as 3 weeks and can carry litters before they themselves are fully grown. This can seriously affect the growth of the young mother as her unborn pups compete with her for nutrition. Males have been known to be fertile as early as 3-4 weeks of age but more typically around 5-6; therefore, to reduce the risk of unintentional pregnancy, it is recommended and certainly safe for males be seperated at three weeks.

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Males are not known to attack their own pups. However, females can become pregnant in less than 12 hours after giving birth, so a pregnant sow should not be housed with a fertile male. It is not healthy for a female sow to be in virtually a constant state of pregnancy. Cohabitating females may assist in mothering duties, although it is important to monitor behavior of every pig, including the mother, toward the pups. Because of the long gestation period and the large size of the pups, pregnant females may become large and eggplant-shaped, although the change in size and shape varies among individual animals. Breeding males produce a strong musk that smells much like bee's wax.

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Average litter size is between one and four pups, but may be as large as seven. Pups are born fully-formed, with fur and their eyes open and ready to walk within minutes, and weighing between 150-200 grams. A young animal who is not nursing should be brought to a vet immediately. Lactating mothers' milk consists of approximately 3.9% fat, 8.1% protein, and 3.0% lactose. Many nursing supplements intended for other small animals may not match guinea pig milk's composition; in addition to immediate veterinary care, pups not nursing may be handfed Oxbow's Critical Care (available through your veterinarian). Supplements intended for dogs and cats such as Nutrical should never be used.

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In scientific research

"Guinea pig" is often used as a metaphor for a subject of scientific experimentation. This notion persists even though guinea pigs are no longer commonly used as modern experimental animals. In the past they had been used to isolate different bacterial strains, but in modern labs they have been replaced by mice and rats, which reproduce more quickly.

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Their main value to medical research is that they are one of the few animals which, like humans, cannot synthesize Vitamin C but must obtain it from diet.

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On 24 August 2005 Darley Oaks Farm in the UK announced that it was ceasing breeding guinea pigs for scientific research and animal testing, after a campaign by the Free the Newchurch Guinea Pigs animal rights group, which carried out both legal and nonviolent protests, and illegal and terror attacks, including death threats, arson and the theft of a relative's body from a cemetery.

Related Topics:
24 August - 2005 - Darley Oaks Farm - UK - Animal testing - Free the Newchurch Guinea Pigs - Animal rights

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