The Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig has silver-white intermingled fur with a prickly texture. It is also known as the Dutch Pig, Dutch Guinea Pig, Abyssinian Pig, Cavy, or the Guinea Pig. Its ancestors originated from the Andes Mountains in South America and were brought to the West by European merchants in the 16th century. People have always liked this small animal and kept it as a pet. They are gentle, cute, relatively easy to care for, and still a common house pet. Some organizations around the world are devoted to breeding guinea pigs and have produced various breeds with different fur colors and appearances.
There is a great variety of guinea pig breeds, all of which have been developed after being transported to Europe and North America. The main differences lie in fur and color. The most common pet breed is the English guinea pig, which has short and smooth fur, while the fur of the Abyssinian breed stands upright and is not smooth. The Peruvian and Silkie breeds are also common pet breeds, with straight and long fur, while the Texel breed has curly long fur.
The Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig is partially double-coated and does not require hair trimming. However, it is sensitive to cold temperatures. If the house has heating, there shouldn't be a major issue. However, in the south, where there is no floor heating during winter, the use of air conditioning is necessary. When keeping Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pigs during winter, it is important to turn on the air conditioning and provide them with coverings and a blanket. The coverings can be plastic lids that come with pet shops, but only cover half of the cage so that they can breathe. The blanket should not be thick cotton, but rather a thick towel or small discarded cotton pad. It is especially important to cover them before bedtime. Furthermore, never place them near drafty areas, as even a small crack in a window during winter can make them cold. Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pigs have a high breeding frequency and can breed five or six times a year. So, when can you tell if they are in the breeding period? Actually, it's quite simple. They are breeding when they are pregnant. One characteristic they have is that, despite appearing fat at other times, you cannot visibly see any changes in their bodies when they are pregnant.
It is recommended for pet lovers to keep. The personality of the Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig is gentle and amiable. They often stay in their nest and do not run around. Only when their familiar owner appears, they will come out of the cage and walk around their owner. And if the owner is obviously in a bad mood, the Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig can sense it. Without the owner's signal, they will stop moving around or stay obediently in their nest, as if they have done something wrong, making people laugh and cry.
Mites
The source of mites is the contamination of the guinea pig's living environment. They mainly inhabit around the eyes and ears of guinea pigs. Mites can cause mange, just as if the mites have eaten the guinea pig's fur, causing patchy baldness in affected areas. Once mite symptoms are found, it is necessary to consult a doctor for treatment, and the general treatment is injection of insecticide. You can also apply a diluted solution of dichlorvos for agricultural use at a ratio of 1:100 to the affected areas (it won't harm the guinea pig if a little is ingested). It is also important to thoroughly disinfect the cage, otherwise the mites may return.
Bacterial infection
The main symptom is patchy baldness on the head, which is extremely similar to mite symptoms and sometimes even doctors cannot distinguish between the two. This condition is caused by high humidity in the air and long-term consumption of concentrated feed. This condition is similar to Hong Kong foot in humans and can cause flakes on the skin.
Diarrhea
This is caused by gastroenteritis due to the use of unclean food. The symptoms are obvious, with the feces being mushy. If this symptom is found, seek medical attention immediately. Diarrhea is quite dangerous for guinea pigs because sometimes we don't know which food is causing the diarrhea. If it is a general case of diarrhea, medication can help, but if it is caused by chemical poisoning from food, it is difficult to save the guinea pig's life even with immediate medical treatment. So be very careful.
Flatulence
This is caused by eating inappropriate foods, such as pears. Flatulence can lead to suffocation and heart failure. Therefore, in severe cases, seek medical attention promptly.
Constipation
This is caused by excessively dry food and insufficient water intake. It can be cured by increasing water intake and providing foods with higher water content, such as vegetables and fruits.
Excessive hair loss
It is normal for guinea pigs to shed hair just like humans lose 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 the food or water to supplement it. Vitamin powder has a sour taste, so some guinea pigs may refuse to eat it, in which case you can use a syringe to feed it to them.
External injuries
Apply animal-specific iodine to the bleeding area in a timely manner to prevent bacterial invasion.
This kind of mouse is not difficult to raise, and its requirements for breeding conditions are not high. However, no matter what kind of small pet is raised, it is not something that can be done casually. Parents need to spend some effort to care for and protect it. The Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig is no exception. Before raising it, parents should prepare a cage of appropriate size for it, and place some soft grass, fresh steamed vegetables, fruits, etc. in it. It should be noted that if there are other cats or dogs in the house, then the location of its breeding should be carefully considered. Due to the Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig's habit of biting, there will inevitably be various troubles when kept together! Don't be fooled by the plump appearance of the Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig and think that it can eat a lot. In fact, it is a typical vegetarian and likes to eat greens, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Before feeding, parents should thoroughly clean the food, dry it, and then feed it to the mouse, so that it can grow up healthy and happy! Guinea pigs that grow in the wild mainly eat grass and some plants. However, although these plants contain rich natural fibers, they lack many other nutrients compared to specialized guinea pig feed. Vitamin C is crucial for guinea pigs because they cannot synthesize vitamin C themselves.
Also, regarding diet, their diet is the same as other guinea pigs. They are vegetarians and mainly eat vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, green leafy vegetables, corn, apples, etc. They like them very much. When it comes to drinking water, it is important not to use tap water or distilled water to feed them. The former will cause upset stomachs, and the latter does not contain the nutrients they need for their daily lives. To raise a Silver Tipped Abyssinian Guinea Pig, simply prepare a cage of the right size, provide fresh water and food every day, play with it frequently, regularly clean its nest, and it will grow up healthy and happy.
After bathing, blow dry a small amount of water on yourself and lay a towel on your body. Hold the guinea pig in your arms and blow dry it. If you have prepared food in advance, you can feed them at this time. The reason for laying the towel on your body is that the guinea pig is still warm, which can prevent it from getting wet. It can also help absorb the water under its belly. We often cannot dry the water under its belly, but doing so will make the guinea pig catch a cold. If you blow dry the guinea pig upside down, it will also be very uncomfortable. So laying a towel is very useful. Feeding the guinea pig is because it can divert its attention to the food. Many guinea pigs are not used to blow dryers and are afraid of the sound of blow dryers, so they will either hide in clothes or run away. With food, the guinea pig will shift its attention and will not run away. After the guinea pig finishes eating, its brain will naturally adapt a little to the blow dryer, and it will not run away so fiercely, eventually stopping altogether. If it is an Abyssinian pig being blow dried, try to dry it as much as possible, because the hands of the Abyssinian pig are longer than the hands of other types of guinea pigs, and water is also likely to be hidden at the junction of the hands. Be careful not to let it catch a cold.
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