Are Guinea Pigs a Good Pet for Kids
As in any pet care, the wild origins dictate a lot of what is important in Guinea Pig care. The guinea pig is a type of rodent sometimes known as the Cacy. They are not in fact pigs, as their name would have suggested. They come from the moutains of South America, and research has shown they have been breed from closely related species such as Cavia aperea, C. fulgida, or C. tschudii, so therefore do not exist as a wild species.
The guinea pig plays an important role as both a food source and the culture of many South Americans. Guinea Pigs were domesticated 5000 years ago for food and have appeared in many folk stories and are repeatedly used in metaphors.
They came to Europe in the 16th century by European traders and since then has seen widespread status as a household pet. In the early days they were seen as an exotic pet and even Queen Elisabeth I had one. They were widely used for biological experimentation since the 17th century, giving way to the metaphor “guinea pig” for a test subject, though more recently they have been replaced by mice and rats.
They are very gentle easy to care for and are easy to handle and feed and are therefore popular with pet sitters. They hate exploring and will not try to escape, even if the cage door is left open (no promises!). They will often whistle when interested, for example when they hear food being prepared or the owner comes near.
There are lots types of domesticated guinea pigs, which differ in hair and color differences. The most normal varieties are the shorthair (or American shorthair), the Abyssinian whose coat is ruffled. More specialist long hair types include the curly long hair Texel and the long haired Sheltie or Peruvian breeds.
So should I choose a Guinea Pig?
They are very sociable animals – so require time for fuss, otherwise they will become lonesome and this might lead to stress and sickness. This could be important if you are buying one for children, on the understanding that they will care for the guinea pig. Consider carefully that they typically live for about five, but may live for 8 years and the Guinness Book of Records has the record age for a guinea pig at 14 years.
Guinea pigs are particularly large for rodents, weighing between 700 and 1200g (1.5-2.5 pounds), and measuring between 20 and 25 cm (8–10 inches) in length. Which means that you need to have more space for the cage. Though as a robust pet, this could be located in a shed or a sheltered corner outside. They put up with cold better than excessive heat. Avoid wire mesh floored crates, as this can hurt their feet and lead to infection.
As for many animals you do not want to put two males together as they will fightfor domination when they are mature at 6 months or so. Females can however be grouped together. Guinea pigs breed easily, so do not add a male to the females.
They are grass eaters, so they have a very long colon to help the digestion. This is however not long enough, so if they are eating a lot of grass you will see them eat their faeces. Like us they cannot synthesise vitamin C and will need to acquire obtrain this through their food, otherwise scurvy will kill them. Scurvy shows itself through sluggishness. So give them regularly fresh, raw fruits and vegetables (such as cabbage, broccoli, apple, carrot, spinach and celery). Another option is through dietary supplements. They are fussy eaters when mature, so with a young one give a wide variety of foods. They feed continuously, so make sure there is hay in their cage for them to eat.
Guinea pigs, as well as scurvy, can also suffer from respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, abscesses due to infection (often in the neck, due to hay embedded in the throat, or from external scratches), and infections by lice, mites or fungus.
They are lively throughout the day and will sleep on and off, waking for some activity. Guinea pigs often groom themselves and will groom others.
