The fur of the Brown Crested Guinea Pig is reddish-brown in color, with red eyes and a crested swirl on the top of its head. It is also known as the Dutch pig, Dutch guinea pig, Cavy, Guinea pig, or Guinea hog. Their ancestors originated from the Andes Mountains in South America and were brought to the West by European merchants in the 16th century. People at that time loved these small animals and kept them as pets. They are gentle, cute, and relatively easy to care for, which is why they are still common pets today. Some organizations around the world are dedicated to breeding guinea pigs, and they have developed various breeds with different colors and appearances.
There is a wide variety of guinea pig breeds, all of which were developed after being transported to Europe and North America. The main differences are in fur and color. The most common pet breed is the English guinea pig, which has short, smooth fur. The Abyssinian breed has upright and rough fur. The Peruvian and Silkie breeds are also common pet breeds, with straight and long fur, while the Texel breed has curly long fur.
Brown Crested Guinea Pig, this guinea pig has reddish-brown fur, red eyes, and a crested swirl on the top of its head. It is 22-34 centimeters long, with a short and round body, a large head, large and bright eyes, small and pointed ears, split upper lip, and no tail. The Brown Crested Guinea Pig is lively, clever, chubby, easily frightened, and sometimes makes a squeaking sound. It prefers a dry and clean living environment. They love to eat, sleep, and reproduce, which is similar to ordinary pigs. The Brown Crested Guinea Pig is medium in size, with a short and thick body. It is 22-34 centimeters long and weighs 400-700 grams. It has a short and round body, a large head, large and round and bright eyes, round ears, split upper lip, and small ears. The ears sag on both sides of the crest. It has short limbs, with 4 toes on the front feet and 3 toes on the hind feet, and no tail. It has reddish-brown fur and red eyes, with a crested swirl on the top of its head. White Crested Guinea Pigs have similar habits to most guinea pigs. They are clever, lively, gentle, chubby, easily frightened, and sometimes make squeaking 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. White Crested Guinea Pigs are easy to raise, have a high reproduction rate, strong disease resistance, early sexual maturity, short sexual cycle, and will start eating and moving once they give birth.
Recommended for pet lovers, the Brown Crested Guinea Pig has fan-shaped ears that slightly droop forward on both sides of the crest. There are many tiny blood vessels on its ears for heat dissipation, and it has a good sense of hearing. Its eyes have a good field of vision and can see clearly. The nose is sensitive to smells and the fur is soft and dry. There are two long teeth in the front of the mouth, known as incisors, which are about one centimeter in length. They are mainly used to bite or cut food and can be used as weapons when facing danger.
Brown Crested Guinea Pig is a reddish-brown pig with red eyes and a crested swirl on top of its head. It is also known as Dutch pig, Dutch guinea pig, Cavy, Guinea pig, or Guinea hog. Its ancestors originated from the Andes Mo
Scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency) - caused by a low dietary intake of Vitamin C. This results in defects in collagen formation, immature bone formation, and increased bone resorption. Fractures (most commonly in the proximal tibia) and swelling, deformity, and joint flattening occur. Bleeding can be seen throughout the body (due to defective vascular collagen). Animals become lethargic, anemic, and reluctant to move. Joints may be swollen and prone to fracture, requiring supplementation of Vitamin C in water and diet.
Streptococcal lymphadenitis - lymph nodes in the neck become swollen with pus and eventually rupture and exude. It has a high infection rate and high mortality rate. It can cause septicemia and systemic infections that are difficult to resist. Streptococcus zooepidemicus is the main culprit (although other pyogenic bacteria can also be seen). It is recommended to reintroduce clean animals to the population.
Antibiotic Toxicity - like most rodents, almost all antibiotics cause diarrhea that eventually leads to death. Traditionally, death is thought to be due to moderate growth of Gram-negative bacteria. Recent studies have shown that toxins produced by Gram-positive bacteria, such as Clostridial bacteria, are also important factors in death. Therefore, antibiotic treatment should only last a short period of time (not exceeding seven days).
Spontaneous diabetes mellitus - commonly seen in Abyssinian guinea pigs, this disease 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 are in poor condition and may have enlarged spleen, liver, and lymph nodes. The white blood cell count may be as high as 250,000/mm3. It is a lymphocytic leukemia and progressively weakens before death.
Foot skin disease - foot injuries due to floor material or walking on excrement. It is difficult to treat effectively. Prevention is the key.
Pneumonia - Bordetella bronchiseptica is the most common pathogen. Do not mix guinea pigs with rabbits, pigs, dogs, and other species that are asymptomatic carriers of Bordetella in the same housing.
Ringworm - very common. Trichophyton mentagrophytes is the main pathogen that causes guinea pig ringworm.
The Brown Crested Guinea Pig prefers fruits and vegetables as food. Carrots, lettuce, and cucumbers are their favorites. However, although carrots are rich in vitamins, they are not easy to digest, so they should not be fed too many carrots. In addition, guinea pig food is the most nutritious. If the owner is busy and doesn't have much time to take care of them, it is completely safe to feed them guinea pig food. It is also appropriate to feed them a small amount of fruits and vegetables when you have free time. The Brown Crested Guinea Pig needs to drink 80 to 150 milliliters of water every day, but there is no need to pay too much attention to the amount of water. Just fill the water and they will drink it when they are thirsty. In addition, they should not drink tap water as it can upset their stomach. It should be either boiled and cooled water or mineral water. Distilled water is not recommended for them to drink as it lacks nutrients. The Brown Crested Guinea Pig needs to bathe, and the bathing tools must not be lacking. There should be a basin with a height to prevent them from jumping out of the basin because they are not used to it. Shower gel should be used, and it is best to use special pet shower gel or natural shampoo to reduce skin irritation. Towels and hair dryers are also needed to dry them immediately after bathing, otherwise, they are prone to catching a cold. The Brown Crested Guinea Pig itself is not too dirty, so there is no strict rule on when to bathe them. As long as you think it's time to bathe them, there is no problem. Generally, it can be considered whether to bathe them every month.
1. Washbasin for bathing. It is recommended to use a higher basin because many guinea pigs are not used to bathing and will try to jump out. Bathing shower gel. It is recommended to use natural shampoo or special shower gel for small animals. If not available, use a slightly stimulating one. A soft towel and a hair dryer. Connect the hairdryer to the power supply first. A clean box. The height of the box should prevent the guinea pig from jumping out. Prepare the guinea pig's favorite food if desired, or it can be omitted.
2. Fill the basin with warm water and wet the guinea pig, but avoid wetting the head. Apply shower gel. If using human shampoo or shower gel, be sure to rinse the guinea pig several times with clean water, as it can be dangerous if not thoroughly cleaned. After we bathe the guinea pig and dry it, they will usually bathe themselves again. If these shampoos and shower gels are ingested by the guinea pig, it can be harmful.
3. After cleaning, quickly wrap the guinea pig in a towel and place it in a clean box. Use a hairdryer that has been connected to the power supply in advance to dry a small portion of the water. Pay attention to the temperature of the hairdryer. When blowing, you can place your hand next to the guinea pig to determine the temperature of the airflow. This way, you won't be too cold or too hot.
4. After drying a small portion of the water, lay the towel on yourself and hold the guinea pig in your arms to blow dry. Students who have prepared food can feed them at this time. The reason for laying the towel is that the guinea pig is still wet, which can prevent it from getting wet and help absorb the moisture under its belly. We often can't dry the water under the belly, but turning the guinea pig over and blowing it will make it very uncomfortable. So 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 hairdryers and are afraid of the sound, so they will either hide in clothes or run away. Having something to eat will shift their attention and prevent them from running away. After the guinea pig finishes eating, its brain will naturally gradually adapt to the hairdryer, and it won't run away as fiercely or even not at all.
5. If blowing the hairdryer for a curly haired guinea pig, try to dry it thoroughly because the hair of the curly haired guinea pig is longer than that of a straight-haired guinea pig, and there may be water hidden at the junction of the curly and straight hair. Be careful not to let it get cold.
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