Chocolate Agouti Dutch Guinea Pig, with a body length of 22-34 cm and a body weight of 400-700 g, has a short and stout round body. It has a large round and bright eyes, round ears, divided upper lip, and small ears. Its four limbs are short, with 4 toes on the front feet and 3 toes on the back feet, with no external tail.
Chocolate Agouti Dutch Guinea Pigs have a chocolate and white coat, with stiff and spiky hair. They are also known as Dutch pigs, Dutch guinea pigs, rainbow pigs, pigs, or Guinea pigs. Their ancestors originated from the Andes Mountains in South America and were brought to the West by European merchants in the 16th century. People at that time loved these small animals and started keeping them as pets. They have a gentle and adorable temperament, are relatively easy to care for, and are still common pets today. Some organizations around the world are dedicated to breeding guinea pigs, and they have developed various breeds with different coat colors and appearances.
If you like small pets, it is recommended to keep guinea pigs. If a guinea pig is cuddled comfortably from a young age, it will behave very well with humans when it grows up, without biting or scratching. They are shy and timid towards the outside world, rarely attempting to escape from the cage. Even if the cage door is open, they will not go out on their own. After becoming familiar with their owners, when the owners approach the cage, they will whistle. If they hear the rustling sound of a plastic bag or the opening sound of a refrigerator door, they know that their owner is going to feed them and will also whistle.
Sarcoptic Mange
The source of Sarcoptic Mange is the contamination of the guinea pig's living environment. It mainly inhabits around the eyes and ears of the guinea pig. Sarcoptic Mange can cause scabies, as if the mites eat the guinea pig's fur, leading to bald spots in the affected areas. Once signs of Sarcoptic Mange are found, it is necessary to seek medical treatment, and the general treatment method is to inject insecticide. Alternatively, agricultural white insecticide can be diluted in a ratio of 1:100 and applied to the affected areas (adding a little does not harm the guinea pig). It is also important to thoroughly disinfect the guinea pig cage, otherwise the mites may come back.
Bacterial Infection
The main symptom is bald spots on the head, which is extremely similar to the symptoms of Sarcoptic Mange, sometimes even doctors cannot tell the difference. This condition is caused by high humidity in the air and prolonged consumption of concentrated feed. This condition is similar to athlete's foot in humans, and dandruff may appear on the skin.
Diarrhea
Caused by gastroenteritis due to the consumption of unclean food. The symptoms are obvious, with loose stools. If this symptom is found, seek medical treatment immediately. Diarrhea is quite dangerous for guinea pigs because sometimes we do not know which food causes the diarrhea. If it is common diarrhea, medication can help, but if it is diarrhea caused by chemical poisoning from food, it is difficult to save its life even if immediate medical treatment is given. So be extremely careful.
Flatulence
Caused by eating inappropriate food, such as pears. Flatulence can lead to suffocation and cardiac failure. Therefore, when the situation is severe, seek medical attention promptly.
Constipation
Caused by food being too dry and inadequate water intake. As long as the water intake is increased and foods with high water content such as vegetables and fruits are provided, it can be cured.
Excessive Hair Loss
It is normal for guinea pigs to shed hair, just like humans shed hair. However, excessive hair loss is abnormal and is caused by a lack of vitamin C. The treatment method is to mix powdered vitamin C into food or water for supplementation. Vitamin powder is sour, so some guinea pigs may refuse to eat it, in which case it needs to be fed to them with a syringe. In case of external injuries, immediately apply veterinary iodine to the bleeding area to prevent bacterial infection.
The Chocolate Agouti Dutch Guinea Pig prefers a dry and clean environment, so the cage should be kept clean when raising them. It should also be well-ventilated, especially in the summer, to reduce the breeding of bacteria and create a cool environment for the Chocolate Agouti Dutch Guinea Pig. However, they should not be placed in drafty areas, as this can easily cause them to catch a cold. As for food, there are no specific requirements. Feed, grass, vegetables, fruits, and water are enough. Professional food pellets are recommended as the main food due to their rich nutrition. The rough fiber in grass and vegetables can help with intestinal peristalsis and can be added as a supplement. The drinking water should not be untreated; it should be boiled and cooled before giving it to them. Breeding Chocolate Agouti Dutch Guinea Pigs is not difficult. They are usually in heat all year round, and can breed every sixteen days, and both males and females can breed for 2-3 years. Female Chocolate Agouti Dutch Guinea Pigs reach sexual maturity at around 40 days old, while males reach it a bit later, at around 72 days. The most suitable mating time is when they are around five months old. After breeding five litters or more, there is no need for further breeding. The Silver Agouti Guinea Pig breed is primarily cultivated after being transported to Europe and North America. The main differences are in their fur and color. The most common pet variety is the English Silver Agouti Guinea Pig, which has short, smooth fur, while the Abyssinian variety has standing, rough fur.
After bathing, dry a small amount of water and lay a towel on your body. Hold the guinea pig in your arms and blow. If you have prepared food, you can give it to them at this time. The reason for laying the towel on the body is that the guinea pig is still warm, which can prevent the guinea pig from getting wet. It can also help absorb the moisture under its belly. We often can't dry the water under its belly, but this is afraid that the guinea pig will catch a cold. If the guinea pig is turned over and blown, the guinea pig will also be very uncomfortable. So laying a towel is very useful. And giving food to the guinea pig is to let its attention focus on food. Many guinea pigs are not accustomed to hair dryers and are afraid of the sound of hair dryers, so they will crawl into clothing or run away. With food, the guinea pig's attention is shifted, so it won't run away. After the guinea pig finishes eating, its brain will naturally adapt to the hair dryer a little bit, and it won't run away so fiercely, and eventually it won't run away.
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