Guinea pigs are one of the gentlest and easily cared for animals. They've been popular pets for years. They're fat little animals, with a big head, small ears, and short legs. Guinea pigs have no tail. Wild guinea pigs live in South America. Domestic guinea pigs vary in colors and coat types. The most common guinea pig is short-haired. Guinea pigs are timid rodents. A sudden noise could make it run away. They like company, and it's okay to put them in groups. Their large teeth (incisors) and claws quickly grow. A guinea pig's incisors can be worn down by gnawing. Wood is especially useful, but only hardwood. They have 4 toes on their front paws, and 3 on their hind. Domestic ones are plumper, live longer, and are heavier than wild guinea pigs. Although guinea pigs have an adequate protection because of the thick fur, their dislike cold. Another name for the guinea pig is cavy. There are 14 known species of cavies. They are not pigs, and don't come from Guinea, but are called guinea pigs. They're related to other animals like chinchillas, pacas, and degues. The three main kinds of guinea pigs are English short-haired, Peruvian long-haired, and Abyssinian rough-haired. The short-haired breed is most common, and easiest to care for. The Abyssinian has a coat made out of rosettes. Rosettes are swirls of rough hair. The most common colors for it are orange and black. Also, they're said to be most intelligent. The main colors of an English short-haired guinea pig are orange, chocolate, lilac, white, brown, black, beige, red, and mixtures of those. The Peruvian breed is a strange and beautiful one. They have extremely long, silky hair. People think of them as prettiest, although sometimes they look like a mop, and can't tell which end is which. Other types of guinea pigs include Sheltie, and Teddy. The Sheltie was bred normally from Peruvian breeds. They have the same long, silky hair, but it grows in a different way. Its hair grows back from behind the ears, leaving the head clear. The Teddy is similar to the Abyssinian. It has rough, kinky hair, but no rosettes. Teddy guinea pigs have coarse, thich, and short fur. This is the newest breed discovered. There are many kinds of coats, especially with English short-haired. Self-color means that there is just one color. Agouti means that the tip and base of each hair is dark, with a band of another color in the middle. Other types include Dalmation, Himalayan, white, and tortoiseshell. Most species of guinea pigs live in groups of 5-10, but some dig tunnels and connect to other colonies. Guinea pigs only eat vegetables, and are vegetarians. Unlike most other rodents, guinea pigs aren't born blind, naked, and helpless. They're fully formed at birth. Though they aren't pigs, female guinea pigs are called sows, and males are boars. The babies are known as pups. In the wild, they only have about 2 litters, and 1 or 2 babies. Domestic ones can have over three times as many! Wild guinea pigs live from 5 to 6 years, and domestic live for 8 or more. Guinea pigs sometimes make sounds to try and tell you something. They're the most talkative rodents. A high-pitched whistle that's like "wheep" means the guinea pig is hungry and wants food. When they're scared, they make a slower, small peep squeak. In Peru, some people eat guinea pigs, and over 60 million a year can be eaten! That's so cruel and mean. It's best to buy guinea pigs when between six to eight weeks old. Any older can be difficult to tame, and younger ones might still need their mother's care. They can live outdoors as long as they are warm, have food, shelter, and have a secure home. Guinea pigs are gentle animals, and you could put more than one in a cage together. When you're holding a guinea pig, always support it from underneath, and do not squeeze. You can feed a guinea pigs foods like corn, seeds, oats, lettuce, and nuts. It's best to take it to the vet immedietely if it is ill. You also need to have a veterinarian cut and clip long teeth and claws. THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EAT IF THEIR TEETH ARE TOO LONG! The first guinea pigs are said to have appeared approximately 20 million years ago. They were discovered when the Spanish and South Americans came in the 1500's. Guinea pigs are used in laboratory experiments, and have proven to be slightly useful. But still, the biggest mystery of all is, why are they called guinea pigs? No one knows...
