Peruvian guinea pigs: breed description and care features

If the children ask you to have a pet, but you are against, or you do not have time to take care of him and additional cleaning in the house, get a guinea pig. These cute animals will not take up much space in your house and will certainly not leave dirt and spoiled furniture from them. And if you get a Peruvian guinea pig, you will get aesthetic pleasure as a "bonus".

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

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

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

Along the spine, the hairline is divided into two parts by an even line. On the head, the "hair" falls over the pig's eyes and resembles a fashionable bangs, while covering the entire face. The coat is silky and smooth, but the hair on the abdomen and legs is much shorter.

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

By nature and demeanor, these are calm rodents that easily make contact with people. Animals love active games, because this 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, therefore they behave carelessly and easily at exhibitions.

Like any domestic rodent, the guinea pig must certainly 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 cannot be fed from a common table. No baked goods, legumes, potatoes, or exotic fruits should end up in 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 in the evening. Pregnant rodents or mothers with offspring more often - four times a day, gradually adding milk to the diet. And, of course, sometimes animals need to be given vitamin complexes, which can be purchased at any pet store.

In the cage, the animal must always have a drinking bowl with water, he must have free access to it. The water needs to be changed daily so that it does not stagnate; the water itself can be from the tap, but settled in three to four days. In summer, the amount of water should be increased.

When buying a cage, first of all inspect it carefully, check the safety so that there are no sharp protruding objects and 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 place in the house where you will put it. The cage is placed in a bright, but not in direct sunlight, place so that there are no drafts. It is advisable that she stood in a quiet place away from television and video equipment, rooms with odors (toilet, kitchen).

The cage should be free and spacious so that the pig can stand on its hind legs, as it often does. Cages of one square meter per animal work well. But if you do not 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 dirty lumps of filler. At least once a week, completely change the entire litter and clean out the entire cage. Otherwise, excrement can become entangled in the fur of the animal, and the remains of food can stick.

In order for the animal to always be mobile and in a good mood, the cage must be equipped with everything necessary: ​​toys, two feeders (one for dry food and the other for juicy food) and a drinker. Also, the cage must have a rest house where she can hide, and a toilet. To know in which corner of the cage to put the toilet, watch the animal for a couple of days. Whichever place it sees, you can put the tray there. If, nevertheless, it was not possible to accustom the animal to walk in the tray, you can pour litter on the bottom of the cage. Sawdust, hay, or specialty fillers, which can also be purchased at pet stores, work well.

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

The wool of Peruvian guinea pigs does not require special care - you just need to comb the animal once a day. It is necessary to trim the hair only as necessary, for example, when the bangs completely close the eyes or get tangled between the legs, making it difficult to move.

There is no need to wash rodents either, this should be done only before preparing for exhibitions... After bathing, the animal must be well wrapped in a cotton cloth or towel, you can use a hair dryer 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 the risks when breeding offspring, for example, rejection of one of the partners during crossing, aggressive behavior, and so on.

If you want to breed Peruvian guinea pigs for exhibitions or for sales, then it is better for you to consult or even entrust this business to experienced breeders. They will be able to fulfill all the requirements to maintain the purity of the breed. Despite the fact that puberty does not occur in them 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 age limit for offspring in rodents should be no more than two years. If these intervals are violated, then 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 crossing in 2 weeks.

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

• First of all, for wool. It should be clean and not tangled anywhere. Even in the area of ​​the anus, the fur should be clean - do not hesitate to inspect the animal's fur everywhere. Also, the wool should not climb, it should not contain any parasites or insects.
• The animal must have a sparkle in the eyes and they must be dry and clean. There should be no mucus or accumulated dirt around the eyes. Likewise, take a closer look and examine the mouth and nose of the animal.
• The pig itself should be pretty well-fed and in a good mood. These are very cute and sociable animals; unreasonable lethargy in behavior is unusual for them.

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 older animals to take root in new conditions. Rodents can cost up to $ 40 per animal, depending on their pedigree and awards. Simpler representatives of this breed can be purchased for an average of $ 5-6.

For information on how to comb a Peruvian guinea pig correctly, see the next video.