Caring for guinea pigs. Pets. Features of caring for a guinea pig

Today we'll talk about how to care for guinea pig .
Caring for a guinea pig is quite simple. Even a child can be trusted to feed this pet. But adults should still know some things about caring for this pet so that it always feels cheerful, active and healthy.

CONTENT:
- How to care for a guinea pig;
- Feeding guinea pigs during care and maintenance;
- Important features of keeping a guinea pig;
- VIDEO: Guinea pig care and maintenance;

Caring for a guinea pig is quite simple. Even a child can be trusted to feed this pet. But adults should still know some things about caring for this pet so that it always feels cheerful, active and healthy. The rules are quite simple.

Care and maintenance of guinea pigs

— At the bottom of the cage in which your pet will live, you need to pour wood shavings or compressed sawdust, you can also use cat litter.

— These pets need a cage clean at least once a week. To do this, you need to completely remove all sawdust, shavings or filler from the bottom of the cage, completely wash not only the house, but also the toys, and then dry them thoroughly. Next, put new filler on the bottom.

Feeding guinea pigs during care and maintenance

— The main food for pigs is hay and whole grains, so make sure that this food is always present in the cage.
Grain mixtures and hay can be purchased at any pet store. If you are afraid that unwanted insects or some kind of infection may enter your house along with purchased hay, just keep it in a preheated oven for a while. By the way, you can prepare hay yourself; it’s not at all difficult.

If, after some time, the hay has darkened or become damp, resulting in bad smell- it must be thrown away immediately, as the pet can be poisoned by it.

Guinea pigs, care and maintenance which are easy and enjoyable for the owner, live long and don’t get sick.

- Guinea pigs are allowed feed with dried or fresh dandelion, plantain, nettle, chamomile, yarrow, tansy, sunflower, oats, celery, dill, millet and some other herbaceous plants.

But poppy, nightshade, datura, celandine, henbane, lily of the valley, mustard, etc. You can't feed the pig.
Before you get this animal, carefully study all the plants and herbs that can be given to these animals, and which may be dangerous to its health.

- A must for a pig buy a special stone on which she will grind her teeth. After all, they grow on this pet all its life, and if they are not ground off, the pig simply will not be able to chew food.
— These cheerful pets love to chew tree branches. Branches of acacia, hazel, willow, birch, oak, maple, etc. are suitable for them. You can give branches of fruit trees, excluding apricot and cherry ones.

— In addition to hay and grain, pigs can be given vegetables: cucumbers, potatoes, apples, cabbage, pumpkin, zucchini etc. But be sure to find out in advance how much of them your pet can consume.
- In the drinking bowl water should always be fresh. Water is one of the main conditions for proper digestion in guinea pigs. Therefore, you need to change the water in the drinking bowl every day.
- All food that the pig has not eaten must be removed.

Important features of keeping a guinea pig

Despite its name, you should know that this decorative rodent cannot swim at all. Many people don’t know this, so you need to explain this to your children right away.
By and large, guinea pigs are not demanding in terms of care and maintenance, but if you have tamed this animal, please find out in more detail about its needs.

Bathing guinea pigs: care and maintenance

They need to be washed rarely so as not to disturb the natural oil balance of the coat. If an unpleasant aroma emanates from the animal, you can get rid of it using a special zoological shampoo or children's product for washing hair. Use others for these purposes detergents is strictly contraindicated, since their use can cause the animal to develop severe itching and hair loss.

During the bathing procedure care should be taken to ensure that water does not get into the eyes, nose and ears rodent. In addition, they may often suffer from colds. Therefore, after taking hygienic baths, it is strictly forbidden to keep an animal with wet hair in a draft. The pig's coat dries perfectly a regular hairdryer. You should not use cosmetic sprays to make it easier to comb her fur, as she can lick them off and get stomach poisoning from their chemical ingredients.

VIDEO: Guinea pig care and maintenance

Habitat (guinea pigs care and maintenance)

For one animal, a closed space with dimensions of 60 and 70 square centimeters. In a smaller area, the guinea pig will not have sufficient freedom of movement. As a cage filler, you can use a soft mat or sawdust, or special diapers.

Hay is not suitable as bedding, as it can cause diseases in the animal such as conjunctivitis and skin dermatitis. The use of newsprint poses a real danger to the well-being of a pet, sometimes even fatal, since the printing ink contains such a dangerous chemical as lead.

In addition to the feeder, the pig's home must have hay box and drinking container. You should use metal feeders and never forget that this cute a pet from a breed of real rodents. To water a guinea pig, you need a ball container with a chrome tip. Every day you only need to pour about 1 glass of clean boiled water.

Guinea pigs tend to be dirty. That's why, once or twice a week it is necessary to tidy up the animal’s habitat.

Strong teeth

For strong and healthy teeth you should definitely add it to your daily diet. hay. It is also necessary to give her vegetables, branches of fruit trees, and fruits. Vegetables and fruits Immediately before feeding the animal, it is recommended to rinse thoroughly in warm water and chop them coarsely.

It is forbidden to give him baked goods, sausages, meat products, and milk. Such products can be harmful. It should be remembered that animals that should not be fed food with a high content of chemical additives include: Guinea pigs. Care and maintenance of small pets must comply with the accepted recommendations of veterinarians and the animal’s normal life.

Even bigger Chocolate, tea, cookies and drinks with gases can be harmful to the pig. .
If the animal does not come to the feeder for about 7 hours, then it should definitely be shown to a ratologist who specializes in the treatment of rodents.

For useful tips regarding care and maintenance of guinea pigs include
Walking carefully with your guinea pig. You should not let the pig go into the grass, as it can be quite difficult to find it, and for dogs or cats the animal can become prey.

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The appearance of a guinea pig in a family can be safely compared with the joy of the birth of the first child: a small cute creature needs tender care, it happily responds to feeding and stroking, and eagerly awaits the owner’s return to eat out of hand.

Taking good care of a guinea pig does not require as much effort as it seems: a spacious cage, balanced diet and close contact with animals. Those who are getting this cute little cat for the first time have a lot of questions:

• What should the cage be like and where should it be placed?
• What and how to feed your guinea pig?
• Can she live alone or does she need company?
• What is the character of these animals?
• What to do if your guinea pig is afraid of people?
• Are hygiene procedures necessary?
• What if there is no veterinarian nearby?

Let's look at each of the questions in detail.

Guinea pig cage

Animals can be kept in a terrarium, an aquarium, a cage and a special corner. Their differences:

• Terrarium - there is glass in front, and the back and side walls made of wood, plywood, durable plastic. The difference between such places is that there is a lot of space, the pig does not chew the bars, and there are no drafts.
• An aquarium is convenient because the glass is easier to clean. However, there is a risk of overheating the animal on sunny days. When keeping an aquarium, it is important to monitor the temperature inside.

• The cage is the most common place of detention. You can play with a rodent through the bars. Convenient to wash. The downside is drafts.

• A special corner equipped on the floor. It is usually made in spacious houses and for a group of guinea pigs.

Where to put a cage with a rodent

This should be a bright place, but without direct sunlight in the warm season and not near a radiator in winter. You cannot place it at the entrance from the street or near ventilated windows. Pigs are sensitive to hypothermia and drafts. In order for an animal not to go wild, it needs to see people. This is due to their social nature. If the room is noisy, they put a house in the cage so that the animal, which is timid by nature, can hide.

Guinea pig diet

The name “rodent” alone suggests that guinea pigs must constantly chew on something. Pour food 2-3 times a day. This can be either ready-made packaged food or a self-prepared cereal mixture. They also provide hay, fresh grass, and branches of fruit trees. There should be water constantly, as well as dry food in a bowl. Fruits, vegetables and hard root vegetables help balance the diet, because dry cereal mixtures make the pig fat, but do not become healthier.

Pet's life: alone or in pairs

• often pick up and stroke;
• place the cage in the room where the apartment residents spend most of their free time;
• systematically approach the pig and stroke it.

Living in a pair is much more pleasant for a guinea pig than living alone - there is someone to frolic with if there is enough cage space. Therefore, animals that live in the company of fellow tribesmen are healthier: during movement, adipose tissue is absorbed and muscles are strengthened.

Guinea pig is afraid of people

There is information that guinea pigs bite and run away from people. This happens for 3 reasons:

• pigs were bred purely for commercial purposes and therefore newborn babies were not picked up;
• she is frightened by the unfamiliar surroundings. It needs time to adapt, and new owners need tact and patience;
• they let the animal slip from their hands, pressed it painfully, and played with it carelessly. Formed conditioned reflex with negative reinforcement, so the person became associated with pain.

In such cases, you should gradually accustom your guinea pig to contact. First serve the treat, then lightly and gently stroke it without removing it from the cage. The pet will feel safe and after a while will be held with pleasure.

Guinea pig hygiene

These rodents are very clean. Watching their lives, you can see how long it takes them to wash and clean their coats from all sides. Despite their name, they do not like to bathe. Water treatments Only hairless breeds of guinea pigs - Skinny and Baldwin - are needed. For Texel, Peruvian, American breeds, brushing is more important. You also need to trim your nails periodically.

If there is no veterinarian nearby

The problem is relevant for residents of small towns and villages - veterinarians in such areas rarely treat small pets. Good prevention will be 3 maintenance principles:

• a thoughtful diet with a systematic diet;
• a comfortable place for a guinea pig to live;
• close contact with the pet and attention to its condition.

Many problems can be prevented when symptoms first appear. Also, some manipulations, for example, when caring for teeth, can be done at home. A guinea pig, its care and maintenance at home are pleasant chores, and minor difficulties can be completely solved if the animal becomes truly loved.

An article about how to organize the care of a guinea pig and useful tips on keeping an animal at home.

The guinea pig is a wonderful and easy to care for and maintain pet. With love and care it will live for 5 - 15 years. Although there are also mortal dangers that await your cute animal on the path of life.

The most harmful thing for guinea pigs:
1. Overheating - the animal can die in a few minutes. Under no circumstances should you place your friend in direct sunlight, especially in an aquarium, glass jar and even a cage.
2. Hypothermia and draft. Guinea pigs come from warm countries, so they need moderate warmth.
3. Food from our table.
4. Communication with sick animals, especially adult guinea pigs. This is important if you decide to get a mate for the animal. A new piglet may be outwardly healthy, but in a latent period of some kind of illness. Therefore, it is necessary to observe quarantine: the “old” and “new” pigs must live separately for at least 23 days (this is the incubation period of distemper - a very dangerous disease).
5. Grass with dew. It causes bloating in the guinea pig.

To keep a guinea pig you need to have equipment:
1. House: a cage for rodents or birds will do after a little modification. You can also use an aquarium without a lid. If you have a cat, the aquarium can be covered two-thirds of the way.
2. Drinking bowl. A special drinking bowl is sold in pet stores. It's quite inexpensive. Attached to the wall of an aquarium or cage.
3. Scoop, maybe a toy plastic one, for cleaning.

Consumables - bedding: tyrsa, or hay, or cat litter. The tyrsa must be large, otherwise the powder may get into the nose or even close the respiratory tract. Tyrsa and hay are changed once every 1-2 days (the reference point is the smell: if it smells, it’s too late to harvest). The best option- cat litter made from compressed wood waste. Its advantages are its cost-effectiveness (you have to change it much less often when almost all the granules crumble, that is, after 3-5 days), and almost complete odor absorption. Try it different variants granules, and choose the most suitable ones. There is no smell for 3-4 days.

What is useful to know about caring for a guinea pig?:
1. Movement. Therefore, if her house is small, the animal should be allowed to walk in a fenced section of the house or in the yard. A guinea pig walk is fun for the whole family because these animals are extremely cute and funny.
2. Communication. They are very social and affectionate pets. If a guinea pig is alone, it becomes sad. You need to talk to her and pick her up several times a day. You will get a lot of pleasure and positivity from such communication.
3. Light. A pig's house, especially a small one, should be placed in a bright place, otherwise rickets may develop.

Guinea pig food and nutrition:
A guinea pig needs very little food. We must remember that these animals are strict vegetarians! What to feed:
1. Grass, hay, straw. Up to 50% of the diet. In summer it is fresh grass, dried. Plants that cause bloating (as for rabbits) should not be given. In winter it is hay or straw. They can be prepared in the summer or bought at a pet store. Healthy and favorite treats - dandelion grass.
2. Grain. This is about 30% of the diet. The best option is to buy balanced food for guinea pigs. The composition is also suitable for tame decorative rats or rabbits.
3. Fresh vegetables. Up to 20% of the diet. It’s good to give cucumbers (not early, greenhouse ones, otherwise the guinea pig may be poisoned by chemicals), carrots, and apples. Sometimes you can add a little dried cabbage leaf.
4. You can give a little crackers.

Give fresh water (change it daily). It is very useful to add a few drops of lemon juice to the water (based on the volume of the drinker). Small piglets also need to add calcium gluconate to their water, especially in winter. To do this, take 1/2 tablet of the drug in a 50-70 ml drinking bowl, grind it and pour it into water. Lemon juice helps calcium dissolve quickly.

Guinea pigs should not be given: any food from our table: boiled, fried, salty, sweet, canned. Grass with dew. Fresh bread. Buryachok. Potatoes. Legumes. Berries. Nuts.

The first signs of guinea pig disease:
1. Poor appetite.
2. The pig does not “talk.”
3. Diarrhea in an animal.
4. Runny nose or cough.
5. Lethargy, desire to hide in a corner of the house.
6. Clumped fur.
7. Inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis).
8. The legs are “taken away”.

healthy guinea pig may occasionally sneeze if bedding crumbs get into the nose. When you see that the crumbs are not coming out, try dipping the spout with saline solution, Salin drops, or just boiled water. Please note: if you notice any signs of illness in your guinea pig, contact your veterinarian immediately! It is difficult to save an animal that is already sick. It's easier to protect him from trouble.

Video clip of a cute and fluffy guinea pig talking. As you can see, everything is not difficult. Be attentive to your little friend, and you will discover a real treasure in him.

Guinea pigs are small domesticated rodents of the pig genus. Their origin is in no way related to domestic pigs; They only have a common name. The animals are native to South America. Calm animals that do not show aggression towards humans have become popular all over the world. Let's consider the history of the spread of guinea pigs, the features of the care and maintenance of these amusing rodents.

History of appearance: not a guinea pig or a pig

Guinea pigs look similar to piglets

The Spanish conquistadors first saw small rodents near the villages of the Indians of South America. The animals not only lived together in huts with people, but also moved freely around the territory. The Indians used rodent meat for food on special holidays.

Guinea pigs first came to Europe via maritime trade routes. The Germans called the animals Meerschweinchen - literally translated as “guinea pig”. There is a version of the name associated with the delivery method: “overseas”, that is, brought from overseas. Later, for ease of pronunciation, the name was shortened and overseas pigs became guinea pigs.

Important! Guinea pigs can't swim. These are land animals that cannot tolerate being in water. They cannot be placed in aquariums and terrariums.

The animals got the name “pigs” because of their external resemblance to piglets.. The Spaniards were the first to see them in South America. The well-fed rodents reminded travelers of suckling pigs: a large head, a short neck, a corpulent body and small legs with tiny hooves. On each hoof there are claws with a ribbed structure, reminiscent of a pig's. Travelers ate animals for food. In a calm state, the animals communicate with gurgling sounds, but as soon as you frighten them, they begin to squeal like piglets.

The guinea pig is also called Guinea pig, after the name of African Guinea - the British had active trade relations with this country. The animal was expensive, they paid for it in African guineas, which is why there was an expression “a pig for a guinea.”

There are less common names: mobile, domestic, small Indian.

Breeds and descriptions of animals

American guinea pigs have short, smooth fur.

Short-haired rodents are sometimes called English or American pigs. Unlike other breeds, they are less capricious to their living conditions. The structure of their pile and its length completely corresponds to the fur of their ancestors. The fur of the animals is even, smooth, and fits tightly to the body. Breeds of smooth-haired animals are classified by color: there are variegated and monochromatic pigs.

The standard implies a round, dense, short body, compressed into a lump. The wide head is located on a thick neck. The back is also thick. The ears are slightly tilted forward, hanging slightly over the muzzle. The ears should be wider at the base than they are long; heavily drooping ones are considered defective. Black convex eyes are located at a distance from each other. The wide nose follows the Roman profile and has a slight hump.

A black animal's fur should not contain any inclusions

The black pig has shiny, smooth black fur with uniform color throughout the body. To assess compliance with the standard, the animal is examined in bright daylight: the fur should not contain brown shades or inclusions of other colors.

The satin smooth-haired pig has different shades redhead

Red pigs can have fur of any shade of red: from rich bright to light apricot; the color should be uniform throughout the body. A common drawback is that the legs are lighter in color than the body. Achieving an even color is difficult.

White guinea pigs should have black eyes.

White animals have snow-white fur over all parts of the body, including ears and paws. Any deviation from white is not allowed, including a cream tint on the ears. Unlike albinos, they must have black eyes according to the breed. Albinos are not used for breeding - they are considered a defect in the breed. Among albinos there are animals with red and blue eyes.

Chocolate guinea pigs should be uniformly brown in color.

Chocolate pigs have brown fur with a uniform color. This breed passes on its color by inheritance better than others. Lighter paws are considered defective, as well as bright hues brown.

Blue animals have a rich gray-blue coat color, like blue breeds of cats and dogs. Cream shades in color are considered defective.

Variegated guinea pigs are one of the most popular

Variegated pigs include animals with two and three colors. Among them there are many mestizos, since they are often crossed with each other without adhering to standards. The following breeds are popular among motley individuals:

• Agoutis are animals with dark hair all over their bodies. A variety of the breed are gray and golden animals. In the first case, they have gray fur with a light gray belly. The second variety is golden brown with a reddish belly.
• The Dutch breed is distinguished by its black and white color. On the face, black spots are separated by a white wedge. Dark color should not cover most of the head. Middle of the back White spot It has the shape of a saddle; it runs smoothly around the body without affecting the front legs. The animals are hardy and feed their offspring well.
• The speckled breed involves a combination of black and red spots with sharp transitions. There is a tricolor variety with asymmetrical white spots.
• The tortoiseshell variety is a tricolor pig, in which white spots are placed symmetrically on the sides and alternate with red and black.
• Himalayan is a pig with white fur, black paws and a muzzle. Allowed chocolate color instead of black. It is also called Russian ermine. It is similar in color to an ermine rabbit.

Absinian pigs look disheveled

Wire-haired pigs are distinguished by thick, hard hair that forms rosettes in which the hairs diverge in a spiral from the center to the periphery. The rosettes are located very close to each other, so the animal’s fur appears tousled. The breed comes in a wide range of shades. The height of the rosettes does not exceed 4 cm. The fur is speckled, combining black and red hair without uniform spots.

The Peruvian guinea pig's coat needs regular brushing.

Long-haired representatives are Peruvian and Angora breeds. Typically, their coat length is 12–20 cm, but there are specimens with a long train of fur - up to 50 cm. These are the most demanding creatures to care for, they are very delicate and require careful combing of their coat with a comb. The Peruvian pig has a short-haired muzzle, while the Angora pig has a mane around the neck.

Advantages and disadvantages

Guinea pigs have a good-natured character and never bite humans. They quickly get used to being handled and get along well with other pets. Average life expectancy is 7–10 years. These are daytime animals that sleep at night and do not disturb their owners.

Attention. You should not buy rodents if someone in your household is allergic to wool.

Features of keeping a guinea pig at home

Guinea pigs can be fed plain food. Long-haired breeds require careful grooming. Hygiene errors lead to the appearance of a specific odor from the animal.

What to feed

Your guinea pig's diet should be varied.

Animals are fed up to 4 times a day. One serving for two meals a day contains 2–3 tablespoons. The animal may not immediately eat the entire portion, but you should not reduce the norm. Animals should not be left hungry; this is dangerous to their health.

Hay is placed in the cage, summer period fresh, not overheated grass. Juicy food is offered in the morning in an amount of about 160 g. Pregnant and nursing animals are given food 2 times a day.

A drinking bowl with water is placed in the cage, to which vitamin C is added in an amount of 5–25 mg per 250 ml. The drinking bowl is washed daily and fresh water is added. If the food contains an increased amount of vitamin C, it does not need to be added to the water.

Vegetables you can include are cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, beets, bell peppers, sweet corn, pumpkin and carrots. Cabbage is offered in limited quantities. Pigs love pears and apples. Dried rose hips are mixed with food. Among the greens used for food are chamomile, dandelions, alfalfa, dill, celery, spinach, clover and yarrow. Pregnant females should not eat parsley.

Grain in pure form They don’t give it to pigs - it provokes obesity and health problems. Grain feed must be mixed with vegetables or herbs. You should not feed it from the human table: bread, cheese, cookies are dangerous for the animal.

Table salt must be added to food in the amount of 1–2 g per day per animal.

Hygiene and bathing

Bathing is really stressful for a guinea pig.

Care involves brushing your guinea pig daily. This is quite enough for the coat to become clean and silky, and all impurities are removed. You can wipe dirty paws wet wipes. The cage is cleaned daily. Uneaten food is thrown away.

Bathing is a lot of stress for a rodent, so you should resort to it only when absolutely necessary.. It is better to carry out water procedures in the warm season or in a well-heated room without a draft. The water should be warm. Use shampoo for cats, dogs or rodents.

Pour a little water into the bowl so that it only reaches the abdomen. An open tap with water can frighten the animal; in a panic, the pig can bite and scratch the owner. Rinse the animal by watering it from a ladle. By using cotton swab, soaked in baby oil, clean the anal canal and foreskin in males.

After rinsing, the animal is wrapped in a towel and held in your arms to dry completely. It is not recommended to use a hairdryer for drying - the pig is already stressed after a bath; the sound of a hairdryer will further frighten her.

Note. You can't bathe pigs less than a year old- fragile animals may die soon after the procedure.

Diseases and treatment

When properly managed, diseases in guinea pigs are rare. Most often, animals suffer from digestive problems and colds.

At the first signs of illness, the animal should be taken to the veterinarian.

Vaccination

When purchasing new rodents, they are kept in quarantine for 2 weeks, then they can be allowed to interact with pets. There are no vaccines for guinea pigs; Pet animals are not vaccinated. Some veterinarians recommend vaccinating animals against bordetellosis - the vaccine does not protect against infection, but can mitigate the course of the disease. But such a vaccination is not always advisable.

Selecting a cage and accessories

The cage for a guinea pig should be spacious

For one guinea pig, a rectangular cage with painted rods up to 1 m long is suitable, for two animals - 1.2 m, for three - 1.5 m. It should have a door from which the animal is allowed to run around the room. If possible, it is recommended to organize an enclosure for walking with an area of ​​2 square meters. m per animal.

Multi-tiered cages are not suitable for pigs: unlike other rodents, guinea pigs do not move in height. You should not choose cages with a false bottom - it injures the animals and can cause fractures and dislocations of the legs.

You can install a hammock in the cage at a height of 10–15 cm from the floor. The drinking bowl must have a capacity of at least 250 ml.

Guinea pig breeding

Rodents reproduce very quickly. At Not proper care For the female and babies, complications often occur, including the death of the offspring. A female can give birth to up to 8 babies in one litter, so the issue of reproduction must be approached carefully, clearly understanding into which hands the grown-up cubs will fall.

Female or male?

It is difficult for a non-specialist to recognize the sex of the cubs. The grown animal is placed on its back, carefully moving the skin in the lower part of the tummy up to the chest. Manipulation should not cause pain to the pig. The male will have a noticeable penis in the form of a flagellum. With light pressure, it may protrude slightly outward. In adult males, the scrotum is clearly visible; In females, the genitals resemble the Latin letter Y.

Male or female?

Mating

For breeding, animals older than 5 months and weighing at least 700 g are taken. The pair is selected by breed. No more than 2 matings per year are allowed. Rodents don’t live in families and don’t need sex, so you shouldn’t just mate them. Estrus in females lasts for 24 hours with a frequency of 5–7 weeks. Knitting lasts about 2 seconds. Human intervention in the mating process is not required.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy lasts on average 64 days, but small quantity For cubs it can last up to 72 days. You should not disturb the animal bearing the offspring, otherwise you can provoke a miscarriage. The cage is disinfected immediately before birth, and hay bedding is placed on the bottom. During pregnancy and feeding the offspring, the male is removed.

How to care for newborn babies

Cubs can be separated from their mother no earlier than a month

Childbirth lasts about an hour. The offspring are born sighted and pubescent. The shell in which the baby is born is chewed by the mother. If she does not do this on her own, you need to break the membrane and wipe the newborn. The mother feeds the babies with milk. They are able to eat food on their own after 1 week, but they can be removed no earlier than 1 month. If the mother dies, the orphaned animals are fed milk from a pipette. Every day with a cotton swab soaked in olive oil, massage the anus so that the rodents can defecate.

Training and playing with your pet

The guinea pig is great at learning simple commands.. She can run up when called if she is lured out of her cage with a treat. It’s easy to teach the “serve” command: the treat is taken away so that the animal sits in a column on its hind legs. Teams are practiced daily, one training session is enough. More complex commands are taught by offering a treat.

How long do guinea pigs live?

Guinea pigs are easy to care for and maintain.

The average lifespan of animals at home is 7 years. With proper care, they can live 10–12 years and practically do not get sick. When kept alone, guinea pigs feel great and do not need the company of their relatives.

How to name an animal

There are many criteria for choosing a name for a guinea pig. Most often, a nickname is chosen based on the appearance and disposition of the animal: Tuchka, Sonya. Marine themes are popular: Aurora, Pirate, Columbus, Drake, Billy Bones. Some scientists advise choosing buzzing or hissing nicknames: Zhuzha, Zaza, Shiva. Children choose a name based on the names of characters from their favorite cartoons, fairy tales or computer games.

Video. Features of care and maintenance of guinea pigs

A cage for keeping a guinea pig can be made of any material (plastic, wood, metal), but it should not be too small, its size should not be less than 40x40 centimeters. Since the animal is active, you need to give it the opportunity to run a lot, let it out periodically to walk around the room. Install a feeder and water bowl in the cage; it is advisable that they are attached to the sides of the cage so that the pig does not turn them over.

Since a guinea pig's teeth grow throughout their life, they need to be ground down. Cut or purchase a branch from a fruit tree and place it in the cage. If you bought a large cage for your pet, you can install a toilet with sawdust or filler in it. Guinea pigs usually go to the toilet in one place, so a basin like this will make it easier for you to keep the animal. Cleaning the cage should be done twice a week, and cleaning the toilet once a day. Pigs are afraid of overheating and drafts, take these factors into account. The optimal air temperature should be 18-20 degrees.

Guinea pig care

Guinea pigs do their own toileting on their own, but you can brush your pet with a brush from time to time and wipe with a dry cloth. A long-haired pig needs frequent brushing to prevent the hair from matting. If a lump suddenly forms, carefully cut it off with scissors. It is recommended to brush rosette and short-haired pigs only during shedding twice a week.

You should bathe your pig if necessary (if the fur around the anus is dirty or the animal is heavily soiled with food debris). Fill a bowl with water at room temperature, lower the animal into the water and wash it gently; if necessary, you can use baby shampoo without touching the pig's head. At the end of bathing, remove your pet from the water and dry with a towel. A long-haired pig can be dried with a hairdryer. The animal is susceptible to colds, protect it from drafts and cold after bathing.

Keep your pet's claws in good condition. Too long claws make it difficult for your guinea pig to move. Take special tweezers or cutters and shorten them, being careful not to damage living tissue and blood vessels. Check your pig's ears regularly and, if necessary, clean the ears from dirt and dust using a paper handkerchief. If there is an unpleasant odor coming from the ears, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian, this may indicate the presence of ear mite.

Feeding

Food must contain at least 20% crude protein and 15% crude fiber. The food should consist of: grains, vegetables, dandelions, turnips, cabbage, apples, seeds, potatoes, grass, lettuce and beets, tomatoes and hay. In addition, you can give your guinea pigs at least 5 milligrams of vitamin C drinking water. Hay should be supplied in sufficient quantities. Under no circumstances feed your pet the following foods: cheese, sausage, eggs, red cabbage, overripe and underripe fruits, sweets, damp, moldy and rotten food.