Satin White Crested Guinea Pig

Satin White Crested Guinea Pig (Introduction) is snow white all over, and their fur is shiny and smooth like satin. The special feature of the Satin White Crested Guinea Pig is a crest on the top of their head, resembling a crown.

Chinese Name

: 豚鼠

Latin Name

: Caviaporcellus/Guineapig

Alias

: Guinea Pig, Kui Shu, Dutch Pig, and Guinea Pig

Kingdom

: Animalia

Phylum

: Chordata

Class

: Mammalia

Order

: Rodentia

Family

: Caviidae

Genus

: Cavia

Distribution Area

: Peru, Brazil, and other places

Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs have creamy fur, which is shiny and smooth like satin. They have a crest on the top of their head, resembling a crown. They are also known as Dutch pigs, Dutch guinea pigs, Dalmatian pigs, piggy guinea pigs or simply guinea pigs. Their ancestors came from the Andes Mountains in South America and were brought to the West by European traders in the 16th century. People have always loved these small animals as pets. They are gentle, cute and relatively easy to take care of, which is why they are still commonly kept as pets today. There are organizations around the world dedicated to breeding guinea pigs, and they have created various breeds with different coat colors and appearances.

There is a wide variety of guinea pig breeds, which have been developed after being brought to Europe and North America. The differences mainly lie in the texture of their fur and their color. The most common pet breed is the English guinea pig, which has short, smooth fur. The Abyssinian breed has fur that stands upright instead of being smooth. The Peruvian and Silkie breeds are also common as pets, with long, straight fur, while the Texel breed has long, curly hair.

If you do not have enough space for cats or dogs to roam around, or if you are afraid of getting scratched or bitten, then choose a small-sized, gentle guinea pig! With their chubby and clumsy appearance, guinea pigs are adorable. Although they belong to the rodent family, they are much more lovable than traditional mice. They have a gentle personality and rarely bite people, unless they are provoked (remember that even rabbits can bite when they are angry). Guinea pigs are herbivores and do not require any special dietary needs. They have a strong constitution and are not prone to illness. They are intelligent, and if you take good care of them, they will recognize you and play with you. Their size is moderate, neither too small like mice nor too large like rabbits, making them suitable for being held in one's hands (about 15-20 centimeters). They move clumsily and cutely, unlike mice or squirrels that are difficult to catch once they start running, which makes them suitable pets for children or the elderly. They are also reasonably priced and do not require specialized equipment. As long as you provide a suitable-sized cage, fresh water and food every day, spend time playing with them, and regularly clean their nest, they will grow up healthy and happy. Once you become familiar with them, they may even come to greet you when you come home from work and ask you for food.

Small pet enthusiasts recommend keeping Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs. During the process of raising them, the living environment is very important to them. These little creatures, originating from Peru, Brazil, and other places, need a quiet environment and also require regular cleaning of their living environment.

Sarcoptic Mange

The source of sarcoptic mange is the contamination of the guinea pig's living environment. It mainly resides around the eyes and ears of the guinea pig. Sarcoptic mange can cause scabies, as if the mites eat the guinea pig's fur, resulting in patchy baldness. Once signs of sarcoptic mange are discovered, it is necessary to seek medical treatment. The general treatment method is to inject insecticide. Alternatively, agricultural nematocide can be diluted in a ratio of 1:100 and applied to the affected area (it doesn't hurt the guinea pig if a little is ingested). Additionally, it is important to thoroughly disinfect the guinea pig's cage, otherwise the mites will return.

Bacterial Infection

The main symptom is patchy baldness on the head, which is extremely similar to the symptoms of sarcoptic mange, even sometimes impossible for the doctor to distinguish. This condition is caused by high humidity and prolonged consumption of concentrated feed. This condition is similar to athlete's foot in humans, causing flakes on the skin.

Diarrhea

Caused by gastroenteritis due to the ingestion of unclean food. The symptoms are obvious, such as loose stools. If this symptom is discovered, immediate medical attention is required. Diarrhea is quite dangerous for guinea pigs, because sometimes we don't know which food caused the diarrhea. If it is ordinary diarrhea, medication can help. If it is caused by poisoning from chemical substances, even if they receive medical attention immediately, it is difficult to save their lives. So be careful.

Bloating

Caused by eating unsuitable food, such as pears. Bloating can lead to suffocation and cardiac failure. Therefore, when the condition is severe, prompt medical attention is necessary.

Constipation

Caused by excessively dry food and inadequate water intake. Increasing water intake and providing vegetables and fruits with high water content can cure constipation.

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 has a sour taste, so some guinea pigs may refuse to eat it, in which case it needs to be fed with a syringe.

External Injury

Immediately apply veterinary iodine to the bleeding area to prevent bacterial infection.

Due to long-term lack of exercise and the indulgence of humans, guinea pigs become chubby and very adorable. The Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs have a more unique appearance compared to other guinea pigs. Their fur is very shiny and smooth. So what should we feed them?

In addition to guinea pig pellets, common household vegetables, fruits, and grains can be provided to them, such as: grass, hay, fruits, green vegetables, carrots, potatoes, alfalfa, wheat, corn, soybeans, peanuts, oats, sunflower seeds, and so on.

Overeating can influence the reproduction rate of Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs, so the daily feeding amount needs to be fixed and not unlimited. Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs need an adequate water supply, and a hanging water bottle is preferred. Like humans and primates, Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C on their own and are the only rodents that cannot produce their own vitamin C. Therefore, vitamin C needs to be supplemented through drinking water. Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs eat most types of food, but grains are more nutritious. Based on our experience, Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs tend to not like cheaper green feed after eating mixed grains, so you can consider giving them a mixture. Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs also enjoy eating fruits such as apples, guava, and pears. You can also give them some vegetables with stems, such as sweet potato leaves. However, it should be noted that if there are sprouts on root vegetables, such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, they should not be fed to Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs to avoid poisoning. Remember to wash the vegetables and fruits given to Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs thoroughly (if possible, wash them with salt water). Before feeding, make sure to remove the excess moisture from the vegetables and fruits. Satin White Crested Guinea Pigs love to drink water and eat, so pay attention to changing the water and feed. It is recommended to use boiled water or mineral water for drinking. Try to avoid using untreated water and pay attention to the freshness of the feed. Do not let them eat spoiled food.

After drying a small part of the water, lay a towel on your body and hold the guinea pig in your arms. If some students have prepared food, they can feed them at this time. The reason for laying the towel on your body is that guinea pigs are still warm, which can prevent them from getting wet. It can also help absorb the water under their belly. We often can't dry the water under their belly, but we are afraid that the guinea pigs will catch a cold if we turn them over to blow dry. The guinea pigs will also be very uncomfortable. So laying a towel is very useful. Giving food to the guinea pigs is to divert their attention to the food. Many guinea pigs are not used to hair dryers and are afraid of the sound of hair dryers, so they will hide in clothes or run away. With food, the guinea pigs will shift their attention and will not run away. When the guinea pigs finish eating, their brains will naturally adapt to the sound of hair dryers a little, and they will not run away as fiercely, or even not run away at all.

If you are drying a Satin White Crested guinea pig, try to dry it completely, because the hands of Satin White Crested guinea pigs are longer than those of regular guinea pigs, and water is also easy to hide where their hands meet. Be careful not to let it catch a cold.