With a hamster, you can just toss a wheel in its cage and it’ll hop right on it and chug away – going nowhere – and he’ll be perfectly happy. It reminds me of the people you see at the health club - chugging away on their elliptical trainers – going nowhere – but getting healthier. Toss a wheel into your guinea pig’s cage and see what happens. Chances are she’ll chew on it – that is until she gets bored and ignores it.
You also know what to do with a dog. Put it on a leash and take it for a walk. When was the last time you saw anyone outside walking their guinea pig? What’s good for dogs is not necessarily good for guinea pigs.
So how do you give your pig exercise to make sure he stays healthy and happy?
Simple – you let him run free. Find a safe area in your home that is confined and free of hazards like electrical cords. Guinea pigs are notorious chewers and, given the chance, can easily chew through the insulation on an electrical cord and electrocute themselves.
Cavies spend most of their lives in their cage. If your pig is confined in an area too small to exercise (such as a standard size manufactured cage), she will need to get at least 25 minutes of free-running exercise every day. If your pig is being kept in a larger C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) cage, then she may be already getting a fair amount of exercise.
If your cavies live in a large cage, watch them when they are in their home. Do they scurry around a lot? Do they run “laps” around the cage? Do you see a lot of popcorning? Do your pigs generally walk and move around much of the time?
If so, then you can be sure they are getting at least some exercise. My recommendation is that if your pig is generally active in its cage, then it should still get out to really stretch its legs and run free at least 25 minutes every other day. If you have a sedentary pig who generally just eats and sleeps, then - even though it may live in a large cage - I still recommend that it get out to explore and exercise daily for at least 25 minutes.
Even if your pig is “hyperactive” in his cage I still recommend that he get out at least every other day for nothing other than mental stimulation. Changing your pig’s environment and exposing him to new and exciting situations will stimulate his brain and cause new neural connections to form. Pigs are curious little creatures who love to wander and explore – sniffing and nibbling on new objects as they discover new things.
Guinea pigs spend most of their lives confined in their living quarters. If you have provided them with a large cage such as a C&C cage, then they will have a greater opportunity for exercise in their own home. Regardless, your pigs should still get out and explore daily, if possible, to insure that they get adequate exercise and mental stimulation. It is your responsibility as a caring pet owner.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Guinea Pigs – The Role of the Guinea Pig in Today’s World
Guinea pigs – we’re all familiar with this small rodent. We know what they look like and what they’re used for. They’re cute little rodents and they are pets. As far as most of us in the western world are concerned, that’s the complete story. But there is much more to the tale of the guinea pig’s history and its contribution to human society across the globe.
In the United States and Europe guinea pigs have become popular pets. Known and revered for their docile and friendly nature and for their cute demeanor, guinea pigs are adored by children and adults alike in the west. They have become the family pet of choice in thousands of households. They are relatively easy to care for and inexpensive to own. They are generally good natured and rarely bite.
Guinea pigs live an average of about five years and may even live to seven years. They are best kept indoors in a temperature-controlled environment. They do best in a standard “room temperature” setting (65 to 75 degrees).
In addition, serious cavy breeders raise these animals as show animals. Guinea pigs are exhibited in sanctioned events across the nation. The American Rabbit Breeders Association is the official registry for cavies in the United States.
Unfortunately, the common usage of the “guinea pig” label in our English language is derived from one of our poor cavy’s more unpleasant roles – that of the laboratory test subject. They were used extensively in the 1800’s and 1900’s as research test animals. So much so that the name guinea pig gradually became a popular idiom denoting a test or sacrificial subject. Fortunately for the guinea pig, this usage is decreasing as laboratories turn increasingly more to other rodents – most notably rats and mice.
In South America, the story is very much different and bleaker for our furry little friend. The cavy has a completely different history in this area of the world. The guinea pig originated in South America. Today there are no guinea pigs left in the wild. However, in years past when they did live in the wild – South America was their stomping ground. The originally came from in the Andean region of South America. Nowadays this region is made up of modern day Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.
The Inca Indians domesticated this little beast around 5000 B.C. and raised it for food. Because of this unfortunate precedent, the cavy is still eaten today in this region of the world. In small Indian villages, people still raise the little rodent for food just as western farmers raise and eat barnyard animals.
Yes, we think of the guinea pig as only a pet – as a companion for our children and for us. But this creature has other roles – some familiar and some extremely foreign to us. They are raised and sold by breeders to be used as show animals. Some guinea pigs are specially bred and sold to research companies to be used as laboratory test subjects. And in South America, they are a food source. We should be grateful for the guinea pig. Over the years, this seemingly insignificant little rodent has contributed to the human race in many ways.
In the United States and Europe guinea pigs have become popular pets. Known and revered for their docile and friendly nature and for their cute demeanor, guinea pigs are adored by children and adults alike in the west. They have become the family pet of choice in thousands of households. They are relatively easy to care for and inexpensive to own. They are generally good natured and rarely bite.
Guinea pigs live an average of about five years and may even live to seven years. They are best kept indoors in a temperature-controlled environment. They do best in a standard “room temperature” setting (65 to 75 degrees).
In addition, serious cavy breeders raise these animals as show animals. Guinea pigs are exhibited in sanctioned events across the nation. The American Rabbit Breeders Association is the official registry for cavies in the United States.
Unfortunately, the common usage of the “guinea pig” label in our English language is derived from one of our poor cavy’s more unpleasant roles – that of the laboratory test subject. They were used extensively in the 1800’s and 1900’s as research test animals. So much so that the name guinea pig gradually became a popular idiom denoting a test or sacrificial subject. Fortunately for the guinea pig, this usage is decreasing as laboratories turn increasingly more to other rodents – most notably rats and mice.
In South America, the story is very much different and bleaker for our furry little friend. The cavy has a completely different history in this area of the world. The guinea pig originated in South America. Today there are no guinea pigs left in the wild. However, in years past when they did live in the wild – South America was their stomping ground. The originally came from in the Andean region of South America. Nowadays this region is made up of modern day Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.
The Inca Indians domesticated this little beast around 5000 B.C. and raised it for food. Because of this unfortunate precedent, the cavy is still eaten today in this region of the world. In small Indian villages, people still raise the little rodent for food just as western farmers raise and eat barnyard animals.
Yes, we think of the guinea pig as only a pet – as a companion for our children and for us. But this creature has other roles – some familiar and some extremely foreign to us. They are raised and sold by breeders to be used as show animals. Some guinea pigs are specially bred and sold to research companies to be used as laboratory test subjects. And in South America, they are a food source. We should be grateful for the guinea pig. Over the years, this seemingly insignificant little rodent has contributed to the human race in many ways.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Guinea Pigs - Characteristics of the Common Guinea Pig
Over the past century, the guinea pig has become a popular pet in the United States. While we are all familiar with this common animal, there are many facts concerning it that are not necessarily common knowledge. Please read along as we discover and discuss some interesting facts about this common and loveable house pet.
The guinea pig has a very delicate bone structure. Because of this, guinea pigs bones break fairly easily. For this reason guinea pigs should be handled carefully and loosely. Never squeeze or hug a guinea pig tightly. Also, one must be very careful to insure that guinea pigs are not dropped from excessive heights nor allowed to jump from high surfaces such as tables, chairs or sofas.
Guinea pigs have a total of 14 toes. Each front paw has four toes and the back feet each have three toes. When guinea pigs walk or run, they do so only on these toes. The entire foot rests on the ground only when the pigs are standing.
Unlike squirrels, mice or many other rodents; when eating, guinea pigs do not sit on their haunches and grip food between their front paws. Their style is to feed more like a horse or a dog – simply standing on all fours and grazing out of a dish, a bowl or from the ground.
In general, guinea pigs are friendly, congenial and peaceful animals. Two females can easily live with each other with little or no conflict. A male and a female nearly always get along very well (although one of the pair should obviously be neutered in order to prevent an in-cage population explosion). Two males, if raised together will also generally make a good pair. However, if a new male is introduced into another male’s home, there will most likely be some hostile behavior – at least in the beginning.
Two males in the presence of one or more females are a bad idea. They can become quite aggressive and adversarial toward one another as they compete for the females. In the wild, guinea pigs used to live in packs. The pack’s dominant male was the only male allowed to mate with any of the females. This increased the chances of survival of the offspring because it insured that all of the children were descended from the strongest and fittest male available. Although guinea pigs no longer exist in the wild, this holdover behavior can still be observed in our domesticated pigs.
Guinea pigs have a very acute sense of hearing. Like dogs, they are able to hear frequencies or tones above the human range of hearing. Human beings can only hear frequencies up to 20 kHz (vibrations at 20,000 times per second) whereas cavies can hear frequencies as high as 33 kHz.
The guinea pig is very dependent upon its very keen sense of smell. The cavy’s sense of smell is one-thousand times more sensitive and discerning than that of a human being.
The guinea pig is an animal that is very common to most of us in the western world. And although it is quite familiar to us as a family pet and as a laboratory animal, there is much information about this little rodent that is not commonly known. I hope that the newly-gained knowledge from this discussion will help you to better understand the actions and behaviors of your own pet guinea pigs as you interact with them on a daily basis.
The guinea pig has a very delicate bone structure. Because of this, guinea pigs bones break fairly easily. For this reason guinea pigs should be handled carefully and loosely. Never squeeze or hug a guinea pig tightly. Also, one must be very careful to insure that guinea pigs are not dropped from excessive heights nor allowed to jump from high surfaces such as tables, chairs or sofas.
Guinea pigs have a total of 14 toes. Each front paw has four toes and the back feet each have three toes. When guinea pigs walk or run, they do so only on these toes. The entire foot rests on the ground only when the pigs are standing.
Unlike squirrels, mice or many other rodents; when eating, guinea pigs do not sit on their haunches and grip food between their front paws. Their style is to feed more like a horse or a dog – simply standing on all fours and grazing out of a dish, a bowl or from the ground.
In general, guinea pigs are friendly, congenial and peaceful animals. Two females can easily live with each other with little or no conflict. A male and a female nearly always get along very well (although one of the pair should obviously be neutered in order to prevent an in-cage population explosion). Two males, if raised together will also generally make a good pair. However, if a new male is introduced into another male’s home, there will most likely be some hostile behavior – at least in the beginning.
Two males in the presence of one or more females are a bad idea. They can become quite aggressive and adversarial toward one another as they compete for the females. In the wild, guinea pigs used to live in packs. The pack’s dominant male was the only male allowed to mate with any of the females. This increased the chances of survival of the offspring because it insured that all of the children were descended from the strongest and fittest male available. Although guinea pigs no longer exist in the wild, this holdover behavior can still be observed in our domesticated pigs.
Guinea pigs have a very acute sense of hearing. Like dogs, they are able to hear frequencies or tones above the human range of hearing. Human beings can only hear frequencies up to 20 kHz (vibrations at 20,000 times per second) whereas cavies can hear frequencies as high as 33 kHz.
The guinea pig is very dependent upon its very keen sense of smell. The cavy’s sense of smell is one-thousand times more sensitive and discerning than that of a human being.
The guinea pig is an animal that is very common to most of us in the western world. And although it is quite familiar to us as a family pet and as a laboratory animal, there is much information about this little rodent that is not commonly known. I hope that the newly-gained knowledge from this discussion will help you to better understand the actions and behaviors of your own pet guinea pigs as you interact with them on a daily basis.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Guinea Pig Cages – Is Your Guinea Pig Cage Large Enough?
Your choice of cage is one of the most important considerations in determining the quality of life that your guinea pig will enjoy while living under your care. One must keep in mind that the cage is much more than just a container or enclosure to contain the cavy; it is the most major and important element in your pig’s immediate living environment. As such, the selection of a cage for your cavy is a serious matter and should be not be taken lightly.
When considering a cage, be sure that your pig has plenty of room to move around and be comfortable. Most importantly, your pig needs room to exercise. If the quarters are too cramped, your pig will not move around much and will not get its much-needed exercise. Guinea pigs do not use exercise wheels like hamsters. Because of this they need a cage large enough to facilitate walking, hopping, “popcorning” and other full-body exercise.
Also remember that the pigs will not be the only objects taking up space in the cage. You will need to provide them with a comfortable nest box or other similar shelter. In addition, your pig will need other accessories such as a food dish, hay rack, water bottle and perhaps some toys.
As a general rule, most standard pet store cages are too small and cramped to allow adequate living space for your cavy. And to make matters worse - once you place the nest box and all the other accessories we mentioned above in the cage, there is little room left for the animal.
How do you know if a cage is big enough? There are various guidelines for sizing guinea pig cages that can easily be found online. These criteria are based upon the number of cavies being housed. However, in my opinion, the best cage-sizing method is to simply use your own common sense: if your pigs look cramped – they are cramped. Put yourself in their place. How would you like to spend your entire life living in an enclosure the size of your bathroom? If you put a nest box, bowl, etc. in a cage and it leaves an area that is only one or two body-lengths long for your pig to live in; it’s only common sense that this cage is too small.
Due to the fact that manufactured cages are generally too small to provide a healthy environment for your pigs, a new type of cage has emerged over the past few years and is rapidly gaining in popularity. This type of cage was invented by a pig rescue organization in order to economically house a large number of pigs. This type of cage is called a C&C or cubes and Coroplast cage. These cages are much larger than manufactured pet store cages and offer a much healthier environment for your pigs. These cages are being built from scratch by do-it-yourselfers or purchased as kits from a growing number of online C&C cage sellers.
C&C cages are constructed from metal wire grids and sheets of corrugated plastic. The metal grid panels are fastened together to form the walls of the enclosure and the corrugated plastic sheet is formed into a bin or pan to contain the bedding as well as your pigs’ waste materials. This combination allows an efficient and economical design which provides a large and spacious enclosure for your pets at a relatively low cost.
When purchasing or building an enclosure for your pet guinea pig, be sure to provide adequate living space to insure that your pig enjoys a healthy environment. Most manufactured pet store cages do not meet modern pet enclosure standards. As a result, people in increasing numbers are turning to C&C cages to provide the spacious environment that their pets need and deserve.
When considering a cage, be sure that your pig has plenty of room to move around and be comfortable. Most importantly, your pig needs room to exercise. If the quarters are too cramped, your pig will not move around much and will not get its much-needed exercise. Guinea pigs do not use exercise wheels like hamsters. Because of this they need a cage large enough to facilitate walking, hopping, “popcorning” and other full-body exercise.
Also remember that the pigs will not be the only objects taking up space in the cage. You will need to provide them with a comfortable nest box or other similar shelter. In addition, your pig will need other accessories such as a food dish, hay rack, water bottle and perhaps some toys.
As a general rule, most standard pet store cages are too small and cramped to allow adequate living space for your cavy. And to make matters worse - once you place the nest box and all the other accessories we mentioned above in the cage, there is little room left for the animal.
How do you know if a cage is big enough? There are various guidelines for sizing guinea pig cages that can easily be found online. These criteria are based upon the number of cavies being housed. However, in my opinion, the best cage-sizing method is to simply use your own common sense: if your pigs look cramped – they are cramped. Put yourself in their place. How would you like to spend your entire life living in an enclosure the size of your bathroom? If you put a nest box, bowl, etc. in a cage and it leaves an area that is only one or two body-lengths long for your pig to live in; it’s only common sense that this cage is too small.
Due to the fact that manufactured cages are generally too small to provide a healthy environment for your pigs, a new type of cage has emerged over the past few years and is rapidly gaining in popularity. This type of cage was invented by a pig rescue organization in order to economically house a large number of pigs. This type of cage is called a C&C or cubes and Coroplast cage. These cages are much larger than manufactured pet store cages and offer a much healthier environment for your pigs. These cages are being built from scratch by do-it-yourselfers or purchased as kits from a growing number of online C&C cage sellers.
C&C cages are constructed from metal wire grids and sheets of corrugated plastic. The metal grid panels are fastened together to form the walls of the enclosure and the corrugated plastic sheet is formed into a bin or pan to contain the bedding as well as your pigs’ waste materials. This combination allows an efficient and economical design which provides a large and spacious enclosure for your pets at a relatively low cost.
When purchasing or building an enclosure for your pet guinea pig, be sure to provide adequate living space to insure that your pig enjoys a healthy environment. Most manufactured pet store cages do not meet modern pet enclosure standards. As a result, people in increasing numbers are turning to C&C cages to provide the spacious environment that their pets need and deserve.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Guinea Pig Cages: The Most Commonly Overlooked Factor in Choosing a Cage
When you go shopping for a guinea pig cage, what are the things you consider? Color? Price? An attractive design? People choose their cages based upon many different criteria. However, there is one extremely important factor that often gets overlooked or ignored.
The most commonly overlooked factor in choosing a guinea pig cage appears to be cage size. Sure, people may think they look at cage size when purchasing a cage. But, judging by the number of small, “standard” pet store cages still being purchased every year, it is clear that people do not really look at cage size.
Let’s do a little thought experiment. The average guinea pig is about 9 to 15 inches in length. The average height for a human is roughly 5’4” to 5’10”. An average pet store cage is 24-inches by 16-inches.
Put yourself in your pig’s place. An equivalent size room for you would be approximately 8-ft by 12-feet - the size of a large bathroom or a small bedroom. So, living your entire life in a large bathroom or small bedroom may not seem horrible – but it would certainly be a challenge to get a significant amount of exercise in a space that small.
Another related factor that I’m convinced that people do not consider when sizing a cage are the additional accessories that your pig requires - such as a nest box, a food dish and a hay rack.
So let’s return to our hypothetical equivalent room. When we add a nest box to our pig’s cage, we are adding an item that is perhaps 10 to 12-inches on each side. That might be equivalent to building a seven-foot by seven-foot storage shed and placing it our hypothetical equivalent room with us.
Add a food dish to your pig’s cage (about half the size of your pig) and it’s like throwing a kiddie pool – three-feet in diameter in the middle of the floor in our room.
Of course we’re going to need a water bottle. This would be roughly equivalent to something the size of a hot water heater standing in the corner of our equivalent room.
A hay rack is has a footprint of approximately four by seven inches. So adding a hay rack to the wall might be roughly equivalent to pushing a couple of nightstands up against one of the walls in our hypothetical equivalent room and placing them side-by side.
Does this sound like a lot of room? Does it sound like someplace you would like to spend the rest of your life? Let us review.
We start by moving into an 8 x 12 room – an area roughly the size of a large bathroom or a small bedroom. Next we put up a 7x7 storage shed in the corner. This leaves us with an eight-foot by five-foot space in front of the shed and a useless one-foot by seven-foot narrow strip along the side of the shed.
Then, to make matters worse, we place a three-foot wading pool, a water heater and two nightstands in our remaining 8x5 living space. What does this leave us with? We are left with a very small and cramped area in which to live. And, worst of all, our health begins to suffer because exercise becomes a nearly impossible task.
When you buy your next cage, consider the situation from your pig’s point of view. Look – really look – at the space situation facing your guinea pig and select a cage big enough to provide an adequate and comfortable living space. Over the past several years, C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) cages are gaining in popularity for this very reason – they provide a spacious, healthy environment for a reasonable price.
The most commonly overlooked factor in choosing a guinea pig cage appears to be cage size. Sure, people may think they look at cage size when purchasing a cage. But, judging by the number of small, “standard” pet store cages still being purchased every year, it is clear that people do not really look at cage size.
Let’s do a little thought experiment. The average guinea pig is about 9 to 15 inches in length. The average height for a human is roughly 5’4” to 5’10”. An average pet store cage is 24-inches by 16-inches.
Put yourself in your pig’s place. An equivalent size room for you would be approximately 8-ft by 12-feet - the size of a large bathroom or a small bedroom. So, living your entire life in a large bathroom or small bedroom may not seem horrible – but it would certainly be a challenge to get a significant amount of exercise in a space that small.
Another related factor that I’m convinced that people do not consider when sizing a cage are the additional accessories that your pig requires - such as a nest box, a food dish and a hay rack.
So let’s return to our hypothetical equivalent room. When we add a nest box to our pig’s cage, we are adding an item that is perhaps 10 to 12-inches on each side. That might be equivalent to building a seven-foot by seven-foot storage shed and placing it our hypothetical equivalent room with us.
Add a food dish to your pig’s cage (about half the size of your pig) and it’s like throwing a kiddie pool – three-feet in diameter in the middle of the floor in our room.
Of course we’re going to need a water bottle. This would be roughly equivalent to something the size of a hot water heater standing in the corner of our equivalent room.
A hay rack is has a footprint of approximately four by seven inches. So adding a hay rack to the wall might be roughly equivalent to pushing a couple of nightstands up against one of the walls in our hypothetical equivalent room and placing them side-by side.
Does this sound like a lot of room? Does it sound like someplace you would like to spend the rest of your life? Let us review.
We start by moving into an 8 x 12 room – an area roughly the size of a large bathroom or a small bedroom. Next we put up a 7x7 storage shed in the corner. This leaves us with an eight-foot by five-foot space in front of the shed and a useless one-foot by seven-foot narrow strip along the side of the shed.
Then, to make matters worse, we place a three-foot wading pool, a water heater and two nightstands in our remaining 8x5 living space. What does this leave us with? We are left with a very small and cramped area in which to live. And, worst of all, our health begins to suffer because exercise becomes a nearly impossible task.
When you buy your next cage, consider the situation from your pig’s point of view. Look – really look – at the space situation facing your guinea pig and select a cage big enough to provide an adequate and comfortable living space. Over the past several years, C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) cages are gaining in popularity for this very reason – they provide a spacious, healthy environment for a reasonable price.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Guinea Pigs – How to Care for Your Cavy
The guinea pig – also known as a cavy – is one of the more popular pets in North America. This is largely because they are friendly, docile and amiable creatures. And with few special needs, they are also relatively easy to care for. There are many varieties of guinea pigs varying in color, size, markings and hair type.
When choosing a cage for your guinea pigs, be sure to select an enclosure with adequate ventilation and sufficient floor space. Never put your pig in an aquarium or a deep-walled box. The ammonia fumes produced by your pigs’ urine can cause respiratory problems for your pets if they are concentrated by glass or other solid walls and not allowed to dissipate into the surrounding air.
Also be sure to provide ample living space so that your pigs can live comfortably and enjoy the opportunity for sufficient exercise. A standard rule of thumb for living space requirements is to allow a minimum of 6 square feet for a single pig, 7.5 square feet for two pigs living together, 10.5 square feet for three cavies and 13 square feet for four pigs. Keep in mind that these are minimum requirements. When it comes to cage size – more is always better.
Your cage should be filled with bedding to absorb urine and keep your pigs clean and dry. Clay litter should never be used. Dust from this type of litter can also cause respiratory problems if inhaled by your pigs. Bedding produced from recycled newspaper is an effective and healthy choice.
Fleece is becoming a popular alternative to bedding. Fleece does not absorb the urine, but allows the liquid to wick through - thereby keeping your cavies dry and happy. A layer of absorbent material should be placed under the fleece in order to contain the urine after it passes through the layer of fleece.
Guinea pigs are fond of fresh fruits and vegetables. Be sure to choose fruits and vegetables that are dark in color. In general, lighter colored fruits and vegetables are lacking in nutrition. Never feed your cavy pale-colored vegetables (such as iceberg lettuce) which offer very little besides water and empty calories.
Like humans, guinea pigs lack a critical enzyme that allows its body to manufacture vitamin C. For this reason, it is critical that your cavy receives a vitamin C supplement every day.
It you want your guinea pig to like and trust you, you will need to treat it with respect. Never handle it roughly. When picking it up, always support your guinea pig’s bottom from underneath. Also, your cavy’s bones can be easily broken, so be careful not to squeeze your guinea pig too tightly nor drop it from excessive heights. The more you handle your guinea pig (providing you handle it gently), the more comfortable it will become with you.
The guinea pig is one of the most popular pets in North America for many reasons. It can be an affectionate and enjoyable little animal friend when treated with kindness and respect. And with appropriate parental guidance, its docile and friendly nature makes it an excellent pet for a young child.
When choosing a cage for your guinea pigs, be sure to select an enclosure with adequate ventilation and sufficient floor space. Never put your pig in an aquarium or a deep-walled box. The ammonia fumes produced by your pigs’ urine can cause respiratory problems for your pets if they are concentrated by glass or other solid walls and not allowed to dissipate into the surrounding air.
Also be sure to provide ample living space so that your pigs can live comfortably and enjoy the opportunity for sufficient exercise. A standard rule of thumb for living space requirements is to allow a minimum of 6 square feet for a single pig, 7.5 square feet for two pigs living together, 10.5 square feet for three cavies and 13 square feet for four pigs. Keep in mind that these are minimum requirements. When it comes to cage size – more is always better.
Your cage should be filled with bedding to absorb urine and keep your pigs clean and dry. Clay litter should never be used. Dust from this type of litter can also cause respiratory problems if inhaled by your pigs. Bedding produced from recycled newspaper is an effective and healthy choice.
Fleece is becoming a popular alternative to bedding. Fleece does not absorb the urine, but allows the liquid to wick through - thereby keeping your cavies dry and happy. A layer of absorbent material should be placed under the fleece in order to contain the urine after it passes through the layer of fleece.
Guinea pigs are fond of fresh fruits and vegetables. Be sure to choose fruits and vegetables that are dark in color. In general, lighter colored fruits and vegetables are lacking in nutrition. Never feed your cavy pale-colored vegetables (such as iceberg lettuce) which offer very little besides water and empty calories.
Like humans, guinea pigs lack a critical enzyme that allows its body to manufacture vitamin C. For this reason, it is critical that your cavy receives a vitamin C supplement every day.
It you want your guinea pig to like and trust you, you will need to treat it with respect. Never handle it roughly. When picking it up, always support your guinea pig’s bottom from underneath. Also, your cavy’s bones can be easily broken, so be careful not to squeeze your guinea pig too tightly nor drop it from excessive heights. The more you handle your guinea pig (providing you handle it gently), the more comfortable it will become with you.
The guinea pig is one of the most popular pets in North America for many reasons. It can be an affectionate and enjoyable little animal friend when treated with kindness and respect. And with appropriate parental guidance, its docile and friendly nature makes it an excellent pet for a young child.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Guinea Pigs - The History and Origins of the Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs and humans share a history of more than 10,000 years. The cavy originated in Central and South America. In the wild, their domain extended through Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The cavy was domesticated by the Inca Indians somewhere around 7,000 or 8,000 years ago. They were used as not only a food source but also as a sacrificial animal – sacrificed to the sun god - in religious ceremonies.
In the wild, guinea pigs lived in small groups or herds. For this reason, they are inherently social creatures and do not do well if kept in solitude. It is recommended that they be kept at least in pairs.
Cavies first made their way back to Europe on the ships of Spanish conquistadores during the 1500’s. They eventually also came to Holland, England and France. At first, these pets were reserved only for the wealthy and elite. They were much too expensive for anyone but the rich. But their ability to reproduce so quickly soon made the European supply of guinea pigs swell. As the price fell, popularity of the little beast increased as they became affordable to the common people of Europe. It was not until the 1800’s – more than 300 years after it landed in Europe - that the cavy finally made its way to the United States.
Sadly, in the mid 1800s, the cavy was put to use in laboratories as a research test subject. In fact, it was used so extensively for this purpose that its name eventually became synonymous with this function. Fortunately for the guinea pig, this usage has dropped off in recent years as laboratories turn to other rodent species for these purposes.
In any event, it is not known for certain how the guinea pig received its name. It is obviously not a pig, nor is it from Guinea. People have speculated that perhaps roasted guinea pigs reminded Europeans of suckling pigs (piglets). Others suggest that the cavy may have been transported to Europe on ships from the port of Guiana. Others feel that the guinea pig’s squeal may have reminded people of a pig’s squeal. In the end, the origin of the guinea pig’s unusual name has most likely been lost to us forever.
The proper name for the guinea pig is the cavy (pronounced kay-vee). This name is derived from the scientific name: Cavia porcellus. Technically speaking, guinea pigs are caviomorphs. Caviomorphs are South American rodents who share the following characteristics: a single pair of mammary glands, four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot.
The history of the guinea pig has been intertwined with that of humans for thousands of years. The cavy was first domesticated as early as 5,000 B.C. by the Inca Indians of South America. They were brought to Europe in the sixteenth century and they made their way across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States of America in the 1800s. And today they have taken their place, here in North America, as one of our most favorite pets.
In the wild, guinea pigs lived in small groups or herds. For this reason, they are inherently social creatures and do not do well if kept in solitude. It is recommended that they be kept at least in pairs.
Cavies first made their way back to Europe on the ships of Spanish conquistadores during the 1500’s. They eventually also came to Holland, England and France. At first, these pets were reserved only for the wealthy and elite. They were much too expensive for anyone but the rich. But their ability to reproduce so quickly soon made the European supply of guinea pigs swell. As the price fell, popularity of the little beast increased as they became affordable to the common people of Europe. It was not until the 1800’s – more than 300 years after it landed in Europe - that the cavy finally made its way to the United States.
Sadly, in the mid 1800s, the cavy was put to use in laboratories as a research test subject. In fact, it was used so extensively for this purpose that its name eventually became synonymous with this function. Fortunately for the guinea pig, this usage has dropped off in recent years as laboratories turn to other rodent species for these purposes.
In any event, it is not known for certain how the guinea pig received its name. It is obviously not a pig, nor is it from Guinea. People have speculated that perhaps roasted guinea pigs reminded Europeans of suckling pigs (piglets). Others suggest that the cavy may have been transported to Europe on ships from the port of Guiana. Others feel that the guinea pig’s squeal may have reminded people of a pig’s squeal. In the end, the origin of the guinea pig’s unusual name has most likely been lost to us forever.
The proper name for the guinea pig is the cavy (pronounced kay-vee). This name is derived from the scientific name: Cavia porcellus. Technically speaking, guinea pigs are caviomorphs. Caviomorphs are South American rodents who share the following characteristics: a single pair of mammary glands, four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot.
The history of the guinea pig has been intertwined with that of humans for thousands of years. The cavy was first domesticated as early as 5,000 B.C. by the Inca Indians of South America. They were brought to Europe in the sixteenth century and they made their way across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States of America in the 1800s. And today they have taken their place, here in North America, as one of our most favorite pets.
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