Peruvian Guinea Pigs: Breed Description and Care Features

If the children ask you to have a pet, but you are against it, or you do not have time to care for it and do additional cleaning in the house, get a guinea pig. These cute animals will not take up much of your space in the house, and they certainly will not have any dirt or damaged furniture. And if you get a Peruvian guinea pig, then with a “bonus” you will get aesthetic pleasure.

More than five thousand years ago, the ancient Indians who lived in Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and Guinea considered these small animals sacred, almost gods. Researchers from France first brought these animals to Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. Since that time, breeders began to breed them. Mumps gained wide popularity among aristocrats and lived even in the court of the king.

After the exhibition in Paris, animals became popular throughout Europe, and then scientists began to breed new breeds of guinea pigs. Until 1930, the Peruvian breed was called Angora, and only recently has it acquired its current name.

This breed of animals is easily distinguishable from its other brothers, its appearance causes delight and tenderness not only in children but also in adults. Their distinguishing feature and characteristic feature is a long fur along the whole body. The length of the "hair" can reach 30 centimeters.

Along the spine, the hairline is divided into an even line into two parts. On the head, “hair” flows down the pig’s eyes and resembles a fashionable fringe, while covering the entire face. The coat is silky and smooth, but on the abdomen and legs the hairline is much shorter.

Their body is small, thirty centimeters in length, they weigh no more than one and a half kilograms. The backs are flat and wide, but they don’t have a tail. The head is quite large for their size, it has large dark eyes and small hanging ears. The color of the animals, as a rule, is monophonic, two or three colors - white, brown and black.

By the nature and manner of behavior, these are calm rodents that easily come in contact with people. Animals love active games, because it is important for their health, and it is advisable to give them a few minutes of attention every day. They tolerate moving well and calmly, which is why they behave lightly and easily at exhibitions.

Like any domestic rodent, a guinea pig must live in a spacious cage. These small animals are unpretentious in food and do not require a special diet.

When feeding rodents, there is one basic rule - they can not be fed from a common table. No baked goods, legumes, potatoes or exotic fruits should fall into the rodent's bowl. Adult animals are fed with fresh grass, oats, bran, bone meal and salt are added.

You need to feed twice a day, usually in the morning and evening. Pregnant rodents or mothers with offspring more often - four times a day, gradually adding milk to the diet. Well, and, of course, sometimes animals need to be given vitamin complexes that can be purchased at any pet store.

In the cage, the animal should always have a drinker with water, it should have free access to it. Water needs to be changed daily so that it does not stagnate; the water itself can be from the tap, but it is left to stand for three to four days. In the summer, the amount of water needs to be increased.

When buying a cage, first of all, inspect it carefully, check the safety so that there are no sharp protruding objects and the distances between the rods where the rodent can get stuck. You need to carefully consider not only the purchase of the cage, but also the choice of the place in the house where you put it. The cage is placed in a bright, but not in direct sunlight, place so that there are no drafts. It is desirable that she should stand in a quiet place away from television and video equipment, rooms with smells (toilet, kitchen).

The cage should be free and spacious so that the pig can stand on its hind legs, as it often does. One square meter cells per animal are well suited. But if you don’t have the opportunity to place such a “palace” at home, then you can purchase a two-level cage, but no more. Cages designed for other rodents will not work either.

It is advisable to clean the cage at least three times a week, removing the dirty lumps of filler. At least once a week, you need to completely change the entire litter and clean the entire cage. Otherwise, excrement may become entangled in the animal’s coat and adhere to the remaining food.

In order for the animal to be always mobile and in a good mood, the cage needs to be equipped with everything necessary: ​​toys, two feeding troughs (one for dry the other for succulent feed) and a drinking bowl. Also in the cage must necessarily be a house for rest, where she can take refuge, and a toilet. To know which corner of the cage to put the toilet, a couple of days look at the animal. What place it takes, you can put a tray there. If nevertheless it was not possible to train the animal to go to the tray, you can pour litter at the bottom of the cage. Sawdust, hay or special fillers, which can also be bought at pet stores, are well suited.

Well, the last element: there must certainly be toys in the cage so that the animal does not gain weight, is always mobile, and that it is not bored. As toys, balls, a mirror, a ladder, a wheel, and so on are well suited.

The hair of Peruvian guinea pigs does not require special care - you just need to comb out the animal once a day. It is necessary to cut the hair only as necessary, for example, when the fringe completely closes the eyes or gets confused between the legs, making it difficult to move.

There is no need to wash rodents, it needs to be done only before preparing for exhibitions. After bathing, the animal needs to be wrapped well with a cotton cloth or towel, you can use a hairdryer with a light stream of warm air.

These animals, like everyone else in their form, do not tolerate loneliness, so it is better to keep them in pairs. Then it will be possible to avoid all risks when breeding offspring, for example, rejection of one of the partners during crossbreeding, aggressive behavior and so on.

If you want to breed Peruvian guinea pigs for exhibitions or for sales, it is better for you to consult or even entrust this matter to experienced breeders. They will be able to fulfill all the requirements to maintain the cleanliness of the breed. Despite the fact that puberty occurs in them no earlier than 6 months, males are ready to mate at the age of 10 weeks, and females even earlier - at the age of 5 weeks. It is still better to cross them at the age of 6 months, but the maximum age for offspring in rodents should be no more than two years. If these intervals are violated, the offspring may be sick, and the female herself may suffer.

Pregnancy in females lasts an average of 68 days. In a litter, a pig can bring from two to four cubs. The female will be ready for the next cross in 2 weeks.

If you want to buy a real thoroughbred Peruvian guinea pig, then it is better to buy it at a pet store. Buying with your hands, or through the Internet, you risk becoming a victim of scammers or simply inexperienced people. In the pet store, in addition to buying a purebred animal, you can consult the store staff in detail about the conditions of its maintenance and care. There you can immediately get everything you need for your pet - from the cage to the feed for him. Well, if you still buy the animal with it, then pay attention to some nuances.

• First of all, on the wool. It should be clean and not confused anywhere. Even in the anus, the coat should be clean - do not disdain to inspect the coat of the animal everywhere. Also, the wool should not climb, it should not be any parasites or insects.
• The animal must have a gleam in the eyes, and they must be dry and clean. There should be no mucus or accumulated dirt around the eyes. Take a closer look and examine the animal’s mouth and nose.
• The pig itself should be quite well fed and in a good mood. These are very cute and sociable animals. They are not characterized by groundless lethargy in behavior.

The most suitable age for the establishment of these animals is 5 weeks. Young animals have not yet completely moved away from their mother’s milk, and it will be difficult for animals in older age to take root in the new conditions. The price of rodents can reach up to $ 40 per animal, depending on its pedigree and awards. More simple representatives of this breed can be purchased on average for 5-6 dollars.

See how to comb your Peruvian guinea pig in the next video.