The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) is a small rodent domesticated in Peru 3,000 years in the past. Like rabbits, guinea pigs had been initially domesticated as a meals supply and have become well-liked as pets within the nineteenth century.
The American Cavy Breeders Association acknowledges 13 breeds, from the short-coat Abyssinian to the curly-haired Texel.
Guinea pigs weigh 1 to three kilos (0.5 to 1.4 kg) and are 8 to 16 inches (20.3 to 40.6 cm) lengthy. Despite their small measurement, guinea pigs are considerably messy pets, so you should clear their bedding each day. Guinea pigs are a long-term dedication: They usually dwell to 7 or 8 years of age.
Before you exit and purchase a guinea pig, know that these social animals do finest in pairs. According to the Swiss Animal Protection Ordinance, guinea pigs are considered one of a number of species that “must be kept in groups of at least two animals.”
The different pets on the checklist of significantly social animals? Canaries, chinchillas, cockatoos, degus, estrildid finches, gerbils, Japanese quails, lovebirds, macaws, mice, parakeets, parrots and rats.
The animal shelter or pet retailer the place you discover your guinea pigs ought to be capable to inform you which two (or three) people get alongside.
