About Guinea PigsClick one of the following links to jump to a section:
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About Guinea Pigs - an Overview
Some people say that Guinea Pigs are the best pets for people of all ages, due to their calm and friendly nature.
They are very tame, friendly and playful, don't bite, are approachable and easily tamed and naturally happy to be around the company of humans.
They are very tame, friendly and playful, don't bite, are approachable and easily tamed and naturally happy to be around the company of humans.
What are Guinea Pigs?Guinea Pigs are small mammals (rodents) who make great house pets for people of all ages. They are cute, cuddly, friendly, and very tame. Despite their name, they are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea.
They can live indoors or outdoors, in a hutch or cage, and they do not bite or scratch, they are easy to look after, producing minimal waste and smell, they are always happy too see you and love being in the company of humans. |
Classification
Guinea Pigs are mammals that belong to the rodent family, due to their ever growing incisor teeth.
They form the caviidae family. There are 8 different species of guinea pigs but only one type is mainly kept in captivity as pets.
They form the caviidae family. There are 8 different species of guinea pigs but only one type is mainly kept in captivity as pets.
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Mammalia |
Order | Rodentia |
Family | Caviidae |
Genus | Cavia |
Species | Guinea Pig (Cavia Porcellus) |
Click here to view all the different breeds of Guinea Pig.
Origins
In the wild, Guinea Pigs live in the Andes, South America.
They habitat rocky areas, grassland and forest edges, and live in tribes in burrows that they either dug themselves or found.
They habitat rocky areas, grassland and forest edges, and live in tribes in burrows that they either dug themselves or found.
History of Guinea Pigs
5000BC
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Guinea Pig AnatomyGuinea Pigs come in all shapes and sizes, but mainly they follow these specifications:
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Guinea Pig BehaviourIn captivity Guinea Pigs are sociable, and prefer to be in the company of fellow Guinea Pigs. Boars may fight over Sows, but boars will live happily with other boars if given space, and two sows with or without one other boar will get on fine. If there are two boars, they may fight for dominance, but being dominant usually just consists of who gets to eat first.
They love to play, cuddle and run around through pipes and tubing, as well as climbing over bricks and stones. Follow our guides to learn how to set up a run for them to enjoy. In the wild Guinea Pigs usually live in packs with a dominant Boar. The males threaten each other and expel weaker males to go and find a female to set up its own group. When excited they may stampede or run in circles wildly! View our care guide on Behaviour to view all their behaviours and what they mean -> |