The Golden Crested Guinea Pig has a golden fur and a crest-like swirl on top of its head. It is also known as the Dutch Pig, Dutch Guinea Pig, Cavy, Piggy, or Guinea Pig. Their ancestors come from the Andes Mountains in South America and were brought to the West by European merchants in the 16th century. People have always liked these small animals and kept them as pets. They are gentle, cute, relatively easy to care for, and are still common pets today. Some organizations around the world have been working hard to breed guinea pigs, resulting in various breeds with different fur colors and appearances.
The Golden Crested Guinea Pig, also known as Crested Buff, has a golden fur and a crest-like swirl on top of its head. It is 22 to 34 centimeters long and weighs between 400 and 700 grams. It has a short, stout, and round body with a large head, big round bright eyes, round ears, a split upper lip, short limbs, four toes on the front feet, three toes on the back feet, and no external tail.
The Golden Crested Guinea Pig, with a crest-like swirl on top of its head, has a golden fur. It is also known as the Dutch Pig, Dutch Guinea Pig, Cavy, Piggy, or Guinea Pig. Their ancestors originally lived in the Andes Mountains in South America and were brought to the West by European merchants in the 16th century. Since then, people have been fond of the Golden Crested Guinea Pig, as they find these small animals cute and adorable due to their small size and gentle temperament. They are also easy to raise, which is why many people choose to keep them as pets. Currently, there are many breeders of guinea pigs, resulting in various breeds. The Golden Crested Guinea Pig has a golden fur all over its body, with a crest-like swirl on its head. They have a medium-sized body, with a total length not exceeding 40 centimeters and a weight not exceeding 100 grams. They have relatively large heads, round and shiny eyes, small and round ears, a three-lobed lip with a split upper lip, short limbs, four toes on the front feet, three toes on the hind feet, and no external tail. The behavior of the white crest guinea pig is similar to that of most guinea pigs. They are clever, lively, gentle, chubby, and easily startled. Sometimes, they emit squeaky screams. They prefer a dry and clean living environment. They love to eat, sleep, and reproduce, which is similar to pigs in the usual sense. The white crest guinea pig is easy to raise, with a high rate of reproduction, strong disease resistance, early sexual maturity, short sexual cycle, and the ability to eat and move immediately after giving birth.
Recommended for small pet lovers, a guinea pig that has been comfortably cuddled since a young age will behave very cooperatively towards humans when grown up, without biting or scratching. They are shy and timid towards the outside world, rarely attempting to escape from the cage, even when the cage door is open. Once 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 of a refrigerator door, they know that it is feeding time and will also whistle.
Scurvy - caused by a low intake of vitamin C in the diet. This leads to defects in collagen formation, immature bone synthesis, and increased bone resorption. Fractures (most commonly in the proximal tibia) and swelling result in the formation of flattened joints. There is widespread bleeding due to the deficient collagen in blood vessels. The animals become lethargic, anemic, and reluctant to move. Joints may swell and fractures may occur, requiring supplementation of vitamin C in water and diet.
Streptococcal lymphadenitis - the lymph nodes in the neck become swollen with purulent discharge, eventually rupturing. It has a high infection rate and mortality rate. It can cause bacteremia and systemic infections that cannot be resisted. Streptococcus zooepidemicus is the main culprit (although 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, leading to death. Traditionally, it is believed that death is caused by the moderate proliferation 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 - Abyssinian guinea pigs commonly have this disease, which 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 2 strains of animals, infected animals have poor condition and can have splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and lymphadenopathy. Blood leukocyte count can reach 250,000/mm3. It is a lymphocytic leukemia, and animals progressively weaken before virus-induced death.
Main food. The Golden Crested Guinea Pig's food is mainly composed of vegetables and fruits. Generally, any vegetables and fruits that humans eat can be given to Golden Crested Guinea Pigs, but they cannot eat particularly stimulating foods such as garlic, and foods with too much sugar should also be avoided. Vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, bok choy, celery, etc., and fruits such as apples, watermelons, pears, etc., can all be fed to them, but the amount of food should be controlled, and leftover food should be minimized. Any uneaten food should be disposed of because if Golden Crested Guinea Pigs eat leftover food, they may get diarrhea, and leaving the food for too long may lead to mold and the growth of harmful bacteria. Hay. Dry hay provides essential nutrients for guinea pigs. The large amount of fiber it contains not only helps guinea pigs grind their teeth but also maintains normal digestion and excretion. A significant amount of dry hay should be provided to guinea pigs every day. Common types of dry hay include Timothy and Alfalfa. Timothy hay has lower calcium content and is suitable for guinea pigs, but the fiber is coarser, and some guinea pigs do not like to eat it. Alfalfa hay has finer fiber (in the leafy part), and guinea pigs prefer to eat it. However, due to its higher calcium content, it can easily cause urinary stones, so it should be used in small amounts. Others. Wood chews and mineral salt blocks. Nowadays, there are often products on the market called "guinea pig snacks." They are made by combining various grains with honey into sticks or granules, or by using dried bags of vegetables and fruits. There are also products in various colors and shapes. Basically, if guinea pigs are given proper food, these things are not necessary.
Of course, in addition to grooming the fur for hamsters, bathing also helps clean their fur. Hamsters are naturally afraid of water and they are also resistant to bathing. You don't need to bathe them frequently, but when you find dirt on their fur, you should clean it in time. You can use a towel dipped in warm water to gently wipe the hamster, and remove the dirt on its body. If you really need to bathe the hamster, it is best to do it in warm weather, and use a hair dryer to thoroughly dry its fur after bathing, to prevent the hamster from catching a cold and getting sick.
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