guinea pig Flashcards
Where do guinea pigs originate from?
South America - found in western mountains, shelter in rocky outcrops and ledges
What are guinea pigs called?
cavies -cross between a rabbit and guinea pit
Live in family groups with?
1 dominant male
What dietary category does a guinea pig fall under?
herbivore - graze on grasses and leafy plants
In South America, Guinea pigs are raised as?
meat animals
T/F - was the Guinea pig the first animal used in lab medicine?
True
Guinea Pigs behavior is typically?
easy to handle, docile, rarely bite (mouth is too small)
Guinea pigs should be kept away from other pets (cats, dogs, ferrets) because?
they are predators and can cause stress which is a major factor in health concerns
How many breeds are there of guinea pigs?
13
- 2 hairless mutations (skinnies - no hair except on head & lower legs), Baldwins (born w/full coat that is lost at weaning)
- short-haired (American/English)
- silkie
- Abyssinian (whorls)
- Teddy
- Peruvian (long hair-needs grooming)
What are behaviors in guinea pigs?
social - will share housing with others - not 2 males together - crowding or breeding animals may fight
respond to human companionship
Very vocal - wide range of sounds - chirps = contentment, drilling = warning or pain
handle often to keep them socialized
Coprophagic - adults eat feces directly from anus
Lifespan of guinea pig?
4 to 8 years
Males are called?
boars
Females are called?
sows
young are called?
piglets/pups
body looks like?
short, stock, tailless bodies, 1 pair of inguinal teats
What are teeth like?
open-rooted incisors - means they grow throughout life, and cheek teeth (both molars and premolars = hypsodontic
what does hypsodontic mean?
small mouth makes biting difficult, dental disease is common due to overgrowth check for malocclusion
malocclusion?
malocclusion is where the teeth of a guinea pig grow unevenly or too long, causing damage to the inside of the mouth. These can injure both the tongue and insides of the cheeks, making it very painful – and even impossible – for the guinea pig to chew and eat.