Let’s know about Guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are mammals of the genus Cavia in the family Caviidae in the order Rodentia. They are also known as guinea pigs, Dutch pigs, sea pigs, and cavies. Guinea pigs can be divided into three breeds based on the characteristics of their coat: short-haired, long-haired, and hard-haired. Guinea pigs have large heads, short necks, round ears, no tails, and short limbs. They have four toes on their front limbs and three toes on their hind limbs, with sharp, short claws. They are covered with fur of various colors, tight and shiny. The Guinea pigs are named after their pig-like feet.

These are native to South America and were introduced to Europe as pets in the 16th century. Guinea pigs are found in the area from Colombia to Guyana in South America . They are clever, lively, docile, fat and cute, timid and easily startled, sometimes making a “squeaking” sound; they like a dry and clean living environment. Likes to live in groups; They love to eat, sleep, and reproduce.

They mainly feed on weeds, and also like to eat plants such as grass and vegetable leaves. In winter, crushed corn stalks, wheat stalks, rice straw, peanut vines, etc. and add some bran to meet their growth needs. They mature in 35 days, mate 6 times a year, have a gestation period of 60-65 days, and give birth to 4-8 pups per litter. The lifespan is 4-5 years, which is closely related to the nutrition of the species and the breeding environment. Some reports show that the species can live up to 8 years. 

Most guinea pigs use as pets are artificially bred. Not only do their fur colors change, but there are also spotted guinea pigs, which are very popular among pet lovers. Due to its special biological characteristics, guinea pigs have been widely used in various medical and biological research fields, such as pharmacology, infectious diseases, immunology, nutrition, and otolaryngology. In addition, some of these experimental studies must use guinea pigs and cannot be replaced by other experimental animals. This is a traditional delicacy of the Indian mountains. In the painting of The Last Supper , the table for Jesus and his followers is not a traditional Western meal, but a plate of roasted guinea pig. 

History of Zoology

Indigenous tribes in the Andes region of South America (present-day Ecuador , Peru , and Bolivia) first domesticated guinea pigs as a source of food in 5000 BC. Guinea pig figurines dating from about 500 BC to 500 AD have been found in Peru and Bolivia, and the ancient Peruvian Moche people not only worshipped the animals but also frequently depicted them in their art. From about 1200 AD until the Spanish invasion in 1532, selective breeding of domesticated guinea pigs laid the foundation for modern captive guinea pigs.

The region continues to use guinea pigs as a source of food, and most households in the Andean highlands keep the animals, where they feed on their owners’ vegetable scraps. The Andean region has a rich folk culture in which guinea pigs are an important symbol. They are exchange as gifts, are important items at social events and religious sites, and are even often mention in everyday mantras.

Guinea pigs are also important to folk witch doctors, who use the animals to diagnose conditions such as jaundice, rheumatism , arthritis, and typhus. Guinea pigs are rub on the bodies of witch doctors, who consider them to be mediums for spiritual communication. Black guinea pigs are especially consider to be effective diagnostic tools. Guinea pigs are also disembowel and their internal organs removed to test the effectiveness of treatments. This practice is common in many tribes in the Andes, where people have neither access to nor trust Western medicine and healthcare.

After Spanish, Dutch, and English traders brought guinea pigs to Europe, the animals quickly became fashionable pets for the upper classes and royalty; even Queen Elizabeth kept guinea pigs. The earliest record of guinea pigs dates back to 1547 in Santo Domingo , and since guinea pigs are not native to Hispaniola , they were probably bring by Spanish travelers. The first Western record of guinea pigs was in 1554 by Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner . This two-word scientific name was first used by Oxleben in 1777 and is a combination of the species and genus names. 

Guinea pigs are name after their pig-like feet. They are also call guinea pigs, Dutch pigs, sea pigs, and guinea pigs. 

Morphological characteristics

Guinea pigs are mammals of the genus Caviidae of the order Rodentia. They are relatively large among rodents, weighing between 700 and 1200 grams (1.5 and 2.5 pounds) and 20 to 25 centimeters (8 to 10 inches) in length. They are short but strong, with a large head that is one-third of their body; a short neck, round ears, no tail, and short limbs; large and round eyes, short ears close to the head, rough hair that falls off easily, and no tail. The guinea pig spine is compose of 36 vertebrae, including 7 cervical vertebrae, 13 thoracic vertebrae, 6 lumbar vertebrae, 4 shoulder vertebrae, and 6 caudal vertebrae.

There are 13 pairs of ribs, including 6 pairs of true ribs, 3 pairs of false ribs, and 4 pairs of floating ribs. The forelimbs are straight and strong, usually with 4 toes, each with a sharp claw; the hind limbs have 3 clawed toes, and they are all relatively long. Guinea pigs walk on the soles of their feet, and they touch the ground with their heels when walking.

Guinea pigs have short incisors and prism-shaped molars that are constantly growing. Males and females are similar except for their own specific glands. They are cover with fur that can be black, white, gray, brown, chocolate, or with a variety of stripes. The fur is tight and shiny. 

Habitat

Prior to their extinction, guinea pigs inhabited rocky slopes, grasslands, forest edges, and swamps, and were highly adaptable and able to survive in a variety of environments. For example, they could live in a wide range of altitudes, from sea level to 4,000 meters. Although studies have shown that they cannot survive in extreme hot or cold environments, guinea pigs can withstand a wide range of temperatures, from 22°C during the day to -7°C at night. Today, guinea pigs are no longer found in their native grassland habitat in the wild.

Living habits

Guinea pigs often gather in small groups of 5 to 10, live in burrows, are active at night, feed on plant-based food, have no special requirements for food, and are strong and not prone to illness. They mainly eat the green part of plants, with weeds (dry timothy grass /alfalfa grass/ oat grass /barley grass/wheat grass, etc.) as their staple food. They like to eat plants such as grass and leaves. Guinea pigs like to eat fresh fruits and vegetables such as green peppers, lettuce, and cherry tomatoes, but fruits and vegetables with high water content should not be fed in excess, which can easily cause diarrhea in guinea pigs.

They are forbid to eat cruciferous and starchy foods. In winter, crush corn stalks, wheat straw, rice straw, peanut vines, etc. and add some bran to meet their growth needs. Guinea pigs have a large appetite and a strong appetite for the feed they are use to, but they are particularly sensitive to spoil feed, and often reduce or stop eating because of this, and even cause miscarriage.

Guinea pigs have a habit of scratching people, do not like climbing or jumping, and prefer a dry and clean living environment. They move, rest, and eat in groups. They lie close together when resting, and are prone to foot ulcers when kept in a single cage. There is an authoritarian social behavior in the group, with 1 to 2 male mice in a dominant position, and a group with one male and multiple females forms a clear stability. 

Guinea pigs are clever, lively, fat and cute. They love to eat, sleep and reproduce. They are timid, alert, easily startled, and docile in nature. Sometimes they make squeaking sounds. Their sense of smell and hearing are very develop. They are highly responsive to various stimuli, such as sound, smell and sudden changes in temperature. Therefore, they are prone to pneumonia and miscarriage in turbid air and cold environments. They are also prone to miscarriage when frightened. Guinea pigs are also extremely sensitive to antibiotics and certain toxic substances. They are prone to enteritis after medication. For example, the use of penicillin, no matter how large the dose or how the route is, can cause small intestine and colitis, and even cause death. They are 1,000 times more sensitive to penicillin than mice , so special care should be take when using penicillin for treatment.

Guinea pigs have well-developed chewing muscles and very thin stomach walls. Their cecum is particularly enlarge, occupying about one-third of the abdominal cavity. They require more crude fiber than rabbits, but are not as susceptible to diarrhea as rabbits. Unlike rats and mice, they eat less and move less at night.

Region

Guinea pigs are native to South America and were introduce to Europe as pets in the 16th century . They are distribute from Colombia to Guyana in South America. 

The species no longer exists in the wild. It is distribute worldwide as a pet or laboratory animal and is harvest for meat.

Reproduction method

Natural reproduction

Guinea pigs have a high reproduction rate, strong disease resistance, and early sexual maturity. They are 1 to 3 months old and have a short sexual cycle , generally about 16 days. They are late-maturing animals, meaning that the gestation period of the mother is relatively long, 60-65 days, with 4-8 pups per litter, and mating 6 times a year. The embryo is fully develop in the mother’s body and is fully grow after birth. It is cover with fur, has open eyes, erect ears, and has permanent teeth.

It can stand and walk 1 hour after birth and eat soft feed within a few hours. After 2 to 3 days, it can suck breast milk and eat green feed or mixed feed under the care of the mother, and grow rapidly. The pups reach sexual maturity at 35 days old, and a pair of guinea pigs can reproduce 80 pairs a year. Their gestation period is relatively long among rodents, about 50 to 75 days. 

They are polyestrus animals throughout the year and have a postpartum sexual cycle. Under normal circumstances, they cycle back and forth throughout the year. They may become pregnant again within 48 hours or at a certain time during the lactation period, which is call the postpartum sexual period or abnormal pregnancy.

The average lifespan of a guinea pig is between 4 and 5 years, and is closely related to the nutrition of the breed and the environment in which it is raise. Some reports say that a guinea pig can live up to 8 years. According to the 2006 Guinness World Records, the longest-lived guinea pig lived for 14 years and 10 months. 

Artificial breeding

• Cage bedding

A cleaning and sanitation system should be establish for the breeding box. Generally, the bedding should be change twice a week, the eating utensils should be wash once a week, and the room should be disinfect regularly.

• Environmental requirements

They have good hearing, are timid and easily frighten, so the environment should be keep quiet, with noise below 50 decibels and the optimum temperature between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius. The control requirement range is 18 to 26 degrees Celsius. When the temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius, they will lose weight, suffer miscarriages, stillbirths and high mortality rates. When the temperature is below 15 degrees Celsius, the reproduction rate and growth rate will decrease, and the incidence of diseases will increase.

Humidity should be maintain between 40% and 60%. Too high or too low a temperature will cause guinea pigs to have a decreased resistance and become susceptible to diseases. The ammonia concentration should be below 20 mg/L and the air flow speed should be 10 to 25 cm/s. The ammonia concentration is closely related to the incidence of pneumonia in guinea pigs. They need a certain amount of space for activities, and the area required for activities during lactation is larger. Generally, a guinea pig weighing 300 grams needs about 300 square centimeters of activity area, and a guinea pig weighing 800 grams needs 1000 square centimeters. 

Feed and drinking water

In order to keep the breeding box dry, it is recommend to use a ball-shaped waterer. Avoid choosing plastic or other materials that can be chew for guinea pigs. Choose ceramic or stainless steel, which should be heavy and not easily knocked over. Feed once in the morning and once in the evening. Guinea pigs are nocturnal animals , so they should be fed more at night.

Note: Do not feed guinea pigs onions, shallots, garlic, leeks, ginger, chocolate, and coffee. Guinea pigs have a high demand for fiber , so pay attention to this in your feed. A low crude fiber content in the feed can easily cause severe hair loss and cannibalism in guinea pigs. They cannot synthesize vitamin C on their own and must obtain it from feed. A guinea pig weighing 100 grams requires 4 to 5 mg of vitamin C per day, while a pregnant or lactating guinea pig requires 30 to 40 mg. Vitamin C can be supplement mainly by feeding fresh, juicy green vegetables daily. In the winter in the north, carrots and malt can be use instead. Adding vitamin C to drinking water or adding trace elements, vitamins, and essential amino acids to mixed granular feed instead of green fodder is also effective. 

• Standardized breeding

On September 30, 2020, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued a ” Notice on Standardizing the Scope of Classification and Management of Prohibited Wildlife ” on its official website. For 19 species of wild animals, such as guinea pigs, the “Notice” prohibits breeding activities for the purpose of eating, but allows breeding for non-food purposes such as medicine, display, and scientific research. In addition, the “Notice” also requires that the forestry and grassland authorities for these 19 species of wild animals should work with relevant departments to formulate management measures and breeding technical specifications for classification, strengthen policy guidance and services, strengthen daily supervision and management, and strictly implement relevant requirements for epidemic prevention and quarantine.