Guinea Pigs have long and soft fur, with various colors. Also known as Dutch pigs, Holland pigs, rainbow pigs, piggy pigs, and Guinea pigs, their ancestors came from the Andes Mountains in South America. In the 16th century, European merchants brought them to the West, and people liked this small animal as a pet. They have a gentle temperament, are cute and easy to take care of, and are still common household pets. Some organizations around the world have been actively breeding Guinea pigs, and people have bred varieties with different fur colors and various appearances.
Guinea Pig, its appearance is as beautiful as its name. It is also known as Dutch pigs, Holland pigs, rainbow pigs, piggy pigs, and Guinea pigs. It is originally from South America and is very cute. It is an easy-to-raise rat species. In the 21st century, it is still loved and appreciated by thousands of people! The natural cream guinea pig has a moderate size and is covered with thick and dense cream-colored fur. Its body length is about 30cm, and its weight is moderate. It can be clearly seen that the head of the mouse is larger, and there is a pair of small ears on both sides of the head. The upper lip is slightly split, and it has a pair of round and black eyes, which is very delicate and irresistible. In addition, the feet and claws of the natural cream guinea pig are well developed, hard and powerful, which is really excellent! Guinea pig (Caviaporcellus) originated from South America, also known as guinea pig, sunflower pig, Dutch pig, and Guinea pig. This rat is very popular among locals, gentle in nature, cute in size, and easy to take care of, so many people are willing to keep it as a pet. The name of the guinea pig may come from the past, when it was sold for one "Guinea" (which was an ancient British copper coin). It is also chubby like a pig, so it is called Guinea Pig. Some people also think that it comes from Africa and is called Guinea, while others think it comes from Guyana in South America, which had frequent contact with Europe at that time and later wrote it as Guinea.
Recommended for pet lovers, parents should take the time to accompany the Guinea Pig. At first, it may appear shy and timid. Therefore, provide a cozy and comfortable shelter for it. These little creatures are very active and like to wander around. However, sometimes they may hide themselves. Parents don't need to be surprised, as that's how they are born. Their size is larger than that of ordinary mice, so if you let them play outside, you don't have to worry about not finding them back. Overall, Guinea Pigs are lively and active, and parents should spend more time with them.
Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) - caused by a low level of vitamin C in the diet. This leads to defects in collagen formation, immature bone formation, and increased bone resorption. Fractures (most commonly at the proximal tibia) and swelling with flattened joint formation. Bleeding can occur throughout the body (due to vascular collagen deficiency). The animals become lethargic, anemic, and reluctant to move. Joints may swell and fracture, and vitamin C supplementation is needed in drinking water and diet.
Streptococcal lymphadenitis - lymph nodes in the neck become filled with pus and swollen, eventually rupturing and exuding. It has a high infection rate and high mortality rate. It can cause bacteremia and systemic infections that cannot be resisted. Streptococcus zooepidemicus is the main culprit (but other pyogenic bacteria can also be seen). It is recommended to reintroduce clean animals into the population.
Antibiotic Toxicity - like most rodents, almost all antibiotics cause diarrhea, eventually leading to death. Traditionally, it was believed that death was caused by moderate growth of Gram-negative bacteria. Recent studies have shown that toxins produced by Clostridial bacteria, which belong to Gram-positive bacteria, are also important factors in death. Therefore, antibiotic treatment can only last for a short period of time (no more than seven days).
Spontaneous diabetes mellitus - this disease is common in Abyssinian guinea pigs and may be caused by a retrovirus. C-type retrovirus particles have been detected in the urine of infected animals.
Guinea pig leukemia - can be found in two strains of animals, infected animals have poor condition and enlarged spleen, liver and lymph nodes. The white blood cell count in the blood can be as high as 250,000/mm3. It is a lymphocytic leukemia and progressive weakness occurs before virus death.
Foot dermatitis - foot injuries caused by flooring materials or walking on excreta. It is difficult to effectively treat. Prevention is the key.
Pneumonia - Bordetella bronchiseptica is the most common pathogen. Rabbits, pigs, dogs, and other susceptible carriers of Bordetella should not be kept in the same housing as guinea pigs.
Ringworm - very common. Trichophyton mentagrophytes is the main pathogen causing guinea pig ringworm.
Guinea Pigs are very cute in appearance. If you want to raise them well, parents should first carefully understand their living habits, diet, and other aspects. It is important to know that these small rodents are naturally timid and shy. Parents should spend more time playing with them or accompany them for a long time to strengthen the relationship between the owner and the guinea pig. In addition, be careful when taking a bath in winter. You should keep it warm. If not properly taken care of, it is also prone to catching a cold.
Guinea pigs have an omnivorous diet. Like most hamsters, their diet mainly consists of insects such as mealworms. To ensure a comprehensive and balanced diet, some parents also give them vegetables such as Chinese kale, radish, or feed them seeds, fruits, grains, and plant-based foods. However, some foods in this category are not suitable for guinea pigs to eat, such as chocolate, coffee, and biscuits. These foods are all fatally harmful to the hamster's body. Parents should pay special attention to this! It would be bad if it endangers the life of the guinea pig! If your guinea pig is young, you should spend more time with it, let it get used to your presence and the current living environment. You can make a paper tube for it to hide in. When you let it out for activities, besides running around, it will also seek a hiding place. This is the nature of rodents. Because guinea pigs are much larger in size than golden hamsters, leaf-shaped hamsters, and other rodents, there is less worry about not being able to find them. However, be careful if there are any rodenticides or other medications placed on the ground to prevent it from accidentally eating them.
1. Basin for bathing. It is recommended to use a high basin, because many guinea pigs are not used to bathing and will try to jump out. The bathing soap recommended is natural shampoo or special bathing soap for small animals. If not available, use a milder one. Prepare a soft towel and a hair dryer, and connect the hair dryer to the power supply. Prepare some food that guinea pigs like to eat, or you can choose not to prepare.
2. Fill the basin with warm water and wet the guinea pig, but do not wet the head. Apply the bathing soap. If using human shampoo or soap, be sure to rinse the guinea pig several times with clean water, as it can be dangerous if not thoroughly clean. After bathing and drying the guinea pig, it usually cleans itself again. If the shampoo or soap is licked into its belly, it can be harmful.
3. After cleaning, quickly wrap the guinea pig in a towel and place it in a clean box. Use a hair dryer with a pre-connected power supply to dry a small part of the water. Pay attention to the temperature of the hair dryer. You can place your hand next to the guinea pig while blowing to determine the temperature. This way, you won't worry about it being too cold or too hot.
4. After drying a small part of the water, lay the towel on your lap and hold the guinea pig to blow dry. Students who have prepared food can feed them at this time. The reason for laying the towel is to keep the guinea pig warm and prevent it from getting wet again. It can also help absorb the water under its belly. We often cannot dry the water under its belly completely, but blowing it in that way will make the guinea pig uncomfortable. Therefore, laying the towel is very useful. Feeding the guinea pig is to divert its attention to the food, as many guinea pigs are not used to hair dryers and are afraid of the sound. They may hide in clothes or run away. With food, the guinea pig will shift its attention and won't run away. After the guinea pig finishes eating, its brain will naturally adapt to the sound and it will not run away as fiercely as before, or it may not run away at all.
5. If it is an Abyssinian guinea pig, try to blow dry it completely, because the Abyssinian guinea pig has longer hair on its hands than a normal guinea pig, and water may be hidden in the junction between the hands. Be careful not to let it get cold.
Pet Encyclopedia
