How Long Can A Guinea Pig Live Without Food
Guinea Pig Facts
Republic of guinea pigs, also called cavies, are a domesticated species of rodent (Cavia porcellus). They were originally native to South America. Withal, they have been pop for thousands of years as pets and equally food, and this species no longer exists in the wild.
The Incas domesticated Guinea pigs more than 3,000 years ago. They bred them as pets and for food and offered them every bit sacrifices to their gods, according to Sharon Lynn Vanderlip, author of "The Guinea Squealer Handbook (opens in new tab)" (Barron's, 2003). Selective breeding resulted in variations in glaze color, patterns and texture, as well as flavor subtleties, Vanderlip wrote. Effectually the end of the 16th century, Castilian conquistadors took Guinea pigs from South America to Europe, where they became popular pets among Elizabethan order, according the National Geographic (opens in new tab).
Not from Guinea & not a grunter
No one is really sure where the name Guinea grunter came from. According to Vanderlip, some historians speculate that the roasted meat reminded Europeans of suckling pigs. Some think Guinea pigs got their name from the squealing sounds they make. The proper name may come from the price of a Guinea grunter in 16th-century England: one guinea. Some researchers say ships leaving the port of Guiana in South America or Republic of guinea in Due west Africa may have carried the animals to the European market.
The little hirsuite animals as well have identity crises in other languages, Vanderlip wrote. In Frg, they have been calledmeerschweinchen (trivial sea pigs). In French republic, they arelapins de Barbarie(Barbary rabbits). And in Portugal, they are calledporchitas da India (picayune pigs from India). Cavies (pronounced kay-vees) tin't seem to shake the pig connotation; even its species name,C. porcellus, means "piddling pig" in Latin.
Size & appearance
Republic of guinea pigs are tailless rodents that counterbalance between one.5 and ii.5 lbs. (700 to 1,100 grams), according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW). Their compact, cylindrical bodies range from 8 to x inches (20.3 to 25.4 cm) long.
Their ears are small-scale and petal-shaped and their optics are assail the sides of their heads. They take modest, triangular mouths, which contain 20 teeth. Like other rodents, their teeth grow continuously, and Guinea pigs must chew or gnaw constantly to keep them from growing too long.
According to ADW, there are thirteen commonly recognized types or breeds of guinea pig: American, American satin, Abyssinian, Abyssinian satin, Peruvian, Peruvian satin, silkie, silkie satin, teddy, teddy satin, texel, coronet and the white crested. These breeds are characterized by differences in hair color, pilus texture, the sheen of the pelage and the colour patterns of the pelage.
Habitat
While domesticated Republic of guinea pigs are no longer constitute in the wild, they do have some cousins, too called Guinea pigs, in South America that live in forests, savannas, mountainous grasslands and bushy areas. According to the International Spousal relationship for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Brazilian Guinea pig is found in Brazil, Venezuela, Republic of colombia, Ecuador, Republic of guyana, Bolivia, northern Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. The Moleques do Sul Guinea pig is from Moleques Island do Sul, a 25-acre (10.5 hectares) island in Santa Catarina, Brazil. The shiny Republic of guinea pig is establish in littoral areas of southeastern Brazil. The greater Republic of guinea pig occurs in southern Brazil and Uruguay. The Montane Guinea grunter ranges from northwestern Argentina and northern Chile to Republic of peru.
Habits
Republic of guinea pigs are very social and are herd animals. They like to be with others of their own kind, merely likewise thrive from human affection. They are crepuscular, which ways they are most agile during dusk and dawn. When they are awake, Republic of guinea pigs spend their time feeding, training or investigating their cage, co-ordinate to the ADW.
Diet
Guinea pigs are herbivores, significant they do not swallow meat. Typically, domesticated Guinea pigs consume processed pellets made from alfalfa hay or timothy hay and vitamins and minerals that Guinea pigs need to be salubrious.
They too love vegetables and fruits such every bit kale, mustard greens, bell peppers, carrots, bananas, apples and blueberries. Unlike other small animals, Guinea pigs need Vitamin C to stay good for you, according to The Homo Society of the U.s.a..
Republic of guinea pigs don't need to drink if they eat moist foods, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Special water bottles that hang from the cage confined are oftentimes a adept style to supplement water needs for pet Republic of guinea pigs.
Offspring
Male cavies are called boars and females are chosen sows (once again with the grunter nomenclature). Infant Guinea pigs are chosen pups. Sows have a gestation period of 59 to 72 days and give birth to litters of iii or four babies on average, although they tin can have as many every bit xiii babies at one time. Though pups nurse for diet, they can also eat solid food equally soon as they are born.
At 3 weeks, the babies are weaned, and they are fully mature in ii to three months. According to The Human Social club of the Usa, Guinea pigs live longer than many other pocket-size rodents. They typically live five to seven years.
Classification/taxonomy
The taxonomy of the Guinea squealer, co-ordinate to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), is:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Subkingdom: Bilateria
- Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
- Superclass: Tetrapoda
- Class: Mammalia
- Subclass: Theria
- Infraclass: Eutheria
- Order: Rodentia
- Suborder: Hystricomorpha
- Infraorder: Hystricognathi
- Family: Caviidae
- Subfamily: Caviinae
- Genus:Cavia
- Species:Cavia aperea (Brazilian Guinea pig);Cavia fulgida (Shiny Guinea pig);Cavia intermedia (Moleques do Sul Republic of guinea pig);Cavia magna (Greater Guinea pig);Cavia porcellus(domesticated Guinea pig);Cavia tschudii (Montane Guinea pig)
Conservation status
Domesticated Guinea pigs and most of their wild cousins are in no danger of extinction and are listed every bit "Least Business organisation" by the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. However, there were only 42 Moleques do Sul Republic of guinea pigs left in the wild equally of 2008, when the last assessment was made, and that species is listed equally "Critically Endangered," the IUCN's highest threat level.
Guinea pigs as "republic of guinea pigs"
According to Vanderlip, since the 1800s, Guinea pigs have been used in laboratories to study nutrition, genetic, toxicology and pathology. "Republic of guinea pigs have done more their fair share to contribute to medical scientific discipline and to the health and well-being of humans and animals worldwide," she wrote.
According to ADW, Guinea pigs are used every bit subjects in biomedical research investigating scurvy, tuberculosis, juvenile diabetes, and pregnancy complications.
Boosted resource
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Comparison Betwixt the Domestic Guinea Pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus) and its Wild Antecedent, the Cavy (Cavia aperea)
- ASPCA: Care of Guinea Pigs
- Canadian Federation of Humane Societies: Guinea Pigs
Source: https://www.livescience.com/50658-guinea-pig-facts.html
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