GUINEA PIGS

HISTORY

Guinea Pigs - History

Fossil records of the existence of Guinea Pigs date back to the Miocene period over 18 million years ago. Guinea Pigs (or cavies) are known from ancient times. They originated from South America, where today they still live in the wild. Guinea Pigs inhabit grasslands, rocky areas, and areas near forests. The Incas farmed and selected them for food and as religious icons. Legends hold that Guinea Pigs are mystical beings that can heal the sick and assist the dying. Currently in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, the roasted Guinea Pig is a typical food. Long after the Spanish brought them to Europe in the 16th century, selective breeding of Guinea Pigs began in Europe in the beginning of the 20th century. The origin of the Guinea Pig's name is lost in history.

Weight: Males are 900-1000 gram; females are 700-900 gram.

NEW OWNERS

Hints and tips for new owners

The average life span for a guinea pig is roughly 5 to 7 years,some guinea pigs do live as long as 10.

Never feed pigs rabbit food they need g/pig food plus veggies.
Pigs like to hide so a small house Or an igloo, cardboard box or even lot of straw will make them happy..
Lots of handling is needed , the more you handle them the better they are, at any age.This applies to rabbits as well.
Guinea pigs have good eye sight They are not very clever on height though, so if they have a ramp in the double cages. Put sides on the ramps so they cannot fall off.
Do not let your pigs out loose in the garden you are un likely to catch them again. They should be in a sturdy run thats pegged to the ground. This insures foxes cannot tip the run over
When picking up young pigs to start with make sure they would not have far to fall if the jumped out of your hands
Pigs cannot be litter trained as in the wild they roam around and do not have homes.
Guinea pigs don't normally bite but beware of sticking your fingers in their cage.

HOUSING

Before you get any pet you should read up on their care and needs. Get their housing and and bedding in ready for them before you bring them home.Please never buy just one pig, they hate to be on their own. In the wild they live in groups. Are you going to keep your pig inside or out?.having your pig indoors is great and they will get more attention. There are many indoor cages to choose from, its best to buy the biggest of course .The plastic indoor cages are easy to clean. Do not put the cage by a window or next to heating .Your pig should be placed were there is no draughts and not in direct sunlight.Most cages for pigs come with little houses were your pig can hide away when he wants too. Hay racks are a must as once the hay has been walked on it will not be eaten. Food bowls should be heavy enough so as not to be turned over.Water bottles on the cage are better than bowls as they will be messed in very quickly.

If you want to have your pet outside then a good strong hutch on legs is needed if possible with a with a run. There are many on the market but most are not well built so shop around.The cage should be off the ground, this will stop the damp coming up through the cage..Were you put it is important.Place the cage were it will be in the shade and protected as much as you can from full sun, winds and rain. Having a hutch cover is a good idea at least for the night times. A blanket will keep them snug.Outside pigs will enjoy plenty of straw bedding to hide in in their bed time side of the hutch. Hutches need locks on both doors and cover at night. Never leave your pigs out in their run if you are not there to keep an eye on them. If you choose double decker cage you will need to show your piggie how to use the ramp. There not very clever with these until they have used them a few times. Its a good idea to put two hand rails down the length of the ladder so their not tempted to fall over the edge. In the very hot weather your pigs is in danger of heat stroke. Placing 4tiles[ bathroom or floor tiles] in the cage will give your pig some were cool to lie. Another tip is to place a frozen bottle of water in the cage that they can lie next to. If your pig is indoors then the same applies and of course you can use a fans..A tip for outdoor water bottles in winter is to put a tiny drop of veg cooking oil in the water . This will stop it freezing.In the winter it would be best to either bring the hutch into a shed or the house.

Pigs love to be out on the grass so an outdoor run is a must . Of course never leave them out in the garden alone and peg down the run so it cannot be tiped over. The runs with a house attatched are best so if its too sunny or there is a shower they can go under cover.Be sure to move the run around otherwise one area will get very soiled. If you have more than one of course you may in the end not need to cut the grass.lol

Buy the biggest cage you can

Bewarethe ramp piggies will need to be taught how to use it, put guard rail on ramp.

MORE THAN ONE?

Pigs really do hate living on their own. In the wild they live in groups of about a dozen. They do not have a home and are on the move all the time running through tall grass to hide from predators.I think the best way to keep them is in groups. May be not as many as in the wild but at least a trio. This involves getting an adult male castrated and then he can run with the females.

If you carnt run to the expense of having a male castrated then get a group of females and they can live together just as well. You will soon see how happy they are all together.