Long-haired Guinea Pig

Long-haired Guinea Pig, also known as Long-haired Dutch Pig or Long-haired Guineapig, is native to Peru, Brazil, and other areas. The guinea pig is a common small pet breed that is loved and raised by many people.

Class:

Mammalia

Family:

Caviidae

Genus:

Caviaporcellus

Kingdom:

Animalia

Order:

Rodentia

Genus:

Cavia

Long-haired Guinea Pig has long and curly hair and is a rare breed. It is also known as Long-haired Dutch Pig, Long-haired Guineapig, Colorful Pig, Piglet, or Guinea Pig. Its ancestors come from the Andes Mountains in South America and were brought to the West by European merchants in the 16th century. People loved this small animal as a pet at that time and still do today. They have a gentle temperament, are cute and clever, and are relatively easy to care for. They are still commonly kept as pets. Some organizations around the world are dedicated to breeding guinea pigs and have developed various breeds with different fur colors and appearances.

It is recommended to keep long-haired guinea pigs as pets for those who love small pets. Long-haired guinea pigs like to play in spacious places, so let them play outside for half an hour once a day. Remember to pay attention to items such as electrical plugs in the room and prevent long-haired guinea pigs from chewing on them, as the consequences can be disastrous!

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 have eaten the guinea pig's fur, resulting in patchy baldness. Once signs of Sarcoptic Mange are discovered, it is necessary to seek medical treatment, and the general treatment method is to inject anti-parasitic drugs. You can also use agricultural white pesticide diluted in a ratio of 1:100 to apply to the affected area (a little bit won't harm the guinea pig). It is also important to thoroughly disinfect the cage, otherwise, the mites will come back.

Bacterial Infection

The main symptom is patchy baldness on the head, which is extremely similar to the symptoms of Sarcoptic Mange, and sometimes even doctors cannot distinguish them. This condition is caused by high humidity and long-term consumption of concentrated feed. The symptoms are similar to human athlete's foot, which produces dandruff on the skin.

Diarrhea

It is caused by gastroenteritis due to the consumption of unclean food. The symptoms are obvious, that is, the stool is not formed. If this symptom is found, seek medical treatment immediately. 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, but if it is diarrhea caused by chemical poisoning, it is difficult to save lives even if immediate medical treatment is given. So be careful.

Flatulence

It is caused by eating unsuitable food, such as pears. Flatulence can lead to suffocation and heart failure. Therefore, when the situation is serious, it is important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

Constipation

It is caused by excessive dryness of the food and inadequate drinking water. It can be cured by increasing the amount of water intake and providing food with high water content such as vegetables and fruits.

Excessive Hair Loss

Guinea pigs losing hair is similar to humans losing hair, which is normal. However, excessive hair loss is abnormal and is caused by a lack of vitamin C. The treatment method is to supplement with powdered vitamin C mixed into food or water. Vitamin powder is acidic, so some guinea pigs will avoid eating it. In this case, you need to feed it to them with a syringe.

External Injury

Immediately apply animal-specific iodine to the bleeding area to prevent bacterial invasion.

Due to the characteristic that long-haired guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C, owners need to pay attention to supplementing vitamin C for them when feeding them, to help maintain a balanced diet for long-haired guinea pigs. Here I have compiled some feeding tips for long-haired guinea pigs at different ages for your reference.

　1. Pups (Birth to Eight Months)

　　When a little guest arrives at home, the most common concern is about their diet.

　　In fact, guinea pigs will start foraging on their own once they are separated from their mother (early maturing). Their demand for mother's milk is not as high as that of rabbits or hamsters, and providing an appropriate amount of food usually allows young guinea pigs to grow healthily.

　　In terms of fresh fruits and vegetables, please make sure to give them in small quantities. Don't give them a pile of food that they cannot finish all at once because of love or worry, to avoid developing picky eating habits. In addition, harder root vegetables can be cut into small pieces (it's not necessary to cut them).

　　For hay, you can give them a few varieties in small portions (guinea pigs love to eat grass, so there is no need to worry about them not accepting it).

　　For pellets, pups need more nutrition during their growth period compared to adult guinea pigs, so please provide growth pellets with alfalfa content (if necessary, you can mix a small amount of grains). When using mixed feed, please pay attention to remove larger and harder ingredients such as hard corn to prevent the pups from choking; the size of compressed pellets should not be too large, to prevent the pups from refusing to eat due to inability to nibble them.

　　Owners can mix a small amount of adult guinea pig feed into the pup's feed, so that the pups can imitate the behavior of the mother guinea pig to try to nibble the feed, which will make it easier to switch to adult feed in the future.

　　The main reasons why newly bought young guinea pigs do not eat are that they have been separated from their mother too early and the psychological pressure of changing environments, with food adaptation problems being secondary.

　2. Pup to Adult Transition Period (Eight Months to One Year)

　　Continue feeding pup food mainly and stop giving grain feeds (or very little). At the same time, to consider the feed transition when becoming an adult, you can add some adult guinea pig feed to the pup's feed (start preparing to switch to adult feed from the fifth month).

　　For fresh fruits and vegetables and hay, you can increase the quantity. Harder root vegetables can be given directly or cut into pieces.

　3. Adults (One to Four Years)

　　Provide plenty of hay, a moderate amount of Timothy feed (or reduced alfalfa feed), and fresh fruits and vegetables.

　4. Seniors (Four Years and Older)

　　Elderly guinea pigs are less active than adult guinea pigs, so their daily nutritional requirements are naturally lower.

　　For elderly guinea pigs with reduced chewing ability and decreased nutrient absorption, it is better to provide plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, a moderate amount of hay, and a small amount of feed.

　　In addition, supplementing a small amount of vitamin C every day can help elderly guinea pigs live a healthier life.

1. Wash basin. It is recommended to use a higher basin because many guinea pigs are not accustomed to bathing and will try to jump out. Use natural shampoo or special shampoo for small animals. If not available, use mildly stimulating shampoo. Prepare a soft towel and a hair dryer. Connect the hair dryer to the power source. Prepare a clean box with a height that can prevent the guinea pig from jumping out. You can also prepare food that the guinea pig likes to eat. It is optional.

2. Fill the basin with warm water. Wet the guinea pig, but avoid wetting its head. Apply shampoo. If using human shampoo or shower gel, be sure to rinse the guinea pig several times with clean water because it can be dangerous if not thoroughly rinsed. After bathing and drying the guinea pig, it usually cleans itself again. If the shampoo and shower gel are licked into its belly, it can be harmful.

3. After cleaning, quickly wrap the guinea pig with a towel. Put it in a clean box and use a hair dryer that is already connected to dry a small portion of the water. Pay attention to the temperature of the hair dryer. You can place your hand next to the guinea pig to feel the temperature of the air. This way, you won't blow it too cold or too hot.

4. After drying a small portion of the water, lay a towel on yourself and hold the guinea pig against your body to dry it. Students who have prepared food can feed them at this time. The reason for laying the towel on yourself 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 the guinea pig's belly, but flipping it over to blow can make it uncomfortable. Therefore, laying a towel is very useful. Feeding the guinea pig is to divert its attention to the food. 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's attention will be diverted and 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 will not run away as fiercely or eventually stop running away.

5. If it is an Abyssinian guinea pig, try to dry it thoroughly because its hair on the back is longer than that of a smooth-coated guinea pig, and there may be water hidden at the junction of the longer and shorter hairs. Be careful not to let it catch a cold.