Pets: everything you need to know about the guinea pig

When we talk about pets, those faithful companions who accompany and brighten the lives of countless families, are immediately associated with dogs and cats. However, over the years it has become more common to see other types of domesticated animals, such as Guinea pigs, popularly known as “guinea pigs”. In detail, everything you need to know about this animal.

These small rodents were named “guinea pigs” because they originated from the Andean region of South America, where they were domesticated by native Andean communities.

Currently, They are animals that get scared quickly and need time to adapt when they settle into the house. They therefore become very communicative companions who make sounds to express their mood and needs.

Guinea pigs have a great ability to learn and follow commands, and it is advisable to give them shelter where they can move freely. Even if they are not jumping animals, it is advisable to take them out of the cage a couple of hours a day so that they can move around the house.

They are classified into two large groups: those with short hair, which are characterized by their shades of white, brown and black, and those with long hair, which require more care due to the length of their hair.

Life expectancy is between 5 and 6 years, although some can live up to 8 depending on several factors. Plus, they don’t require vaccinations or much maintenance. It is recommended to clean the shelter only once a day or every 48 hours to avoid bad odors in the environment.

For their nutrition, specialists recommend giving them a diet that includes a 70% hay, 20% vegetables and 10% feed. The latter must be of good quality, since being a herbivorous animal it cannot consume cereals.

Guinea pigs do not process vitamin C, so it must be included in meals. Some foods rich in this vitamin are, among others, carrots, spinach and peppers. Likewise, if they are fed with green leaves, great care must be taken so that they do not suffer subsequent dehydration, since they are vegetables with a lot of liquids and few vitamins.

Characteristics of guinea pigs

The “20 Minutes” website has published a list detailing the main characteristics of this animal to have as a pet: what its character is, what it feeds on and what its hygiene needs are, among other things:

• They need to exercise. It is recommended to take them out of the cage every day so that they can run and play freely.
• He has a scary character. He will need a few days of calm to adapt to his new home and feel safe, but little by little he will start to show his open nature and interact with all family members.
• Guinea pigs have the ability to learn simple commands with a little training (which will also greatly stimulate children) and usually make sounds to show that they are hungry or uncomfortable. It’s his way of asking for help.
• It is advisable to take him out of the cage at least two hours a day so that he can run and play freely around the house.
• Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals, so fruit and vegetables cannot be missing from their diet.