The American guinea pig is the oldest in existence. It is known that these small mammals already existed and had contact with people in the year 5000 BC. C., but it was not until the 16th century that the creation of breeds began to spread and become popular, while their characteristics were defined. It is a guinea pig with smooth and short hair that can be uni, bi or tricolor. It is an excellent life companion, even in homes with children, due to its sociable, affectionate and docile character. She is also active, loves human attention and playing.
Thinking about adopting an adorable American guinea pig? Keep reading this article on our site to learn about all the characteristics of the American guinea pig, its origin, character, care and he alth.
Origin of the American guinea pig
The American guinea pig is the first guinea pig to appear. It is believed that domestication began in the Andes around 5000 BC. C., for being interesting as food and to take advantage of their skin. The boom in guinea pigs in Europe did not begin until European traders introduced them from South America in the mid-16th century. These rodents are thought to have appeared naturally in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.
Formerly, was known as the English guinea pig and, in fact, today in certain countries it is still called that way, for what the English guinea pig and the American guinea pig constitute the same race. This name is due to the fact that it began to be crossed when it arrived in Europe in the 16th century with the aim of giving rise to other guinea pig breeds such as the texel guinea pig or the silky guinea pig.
In the year 1554, a naturalist named Conrad von Gesner detailed its characteristics.
Characteristics of the American guinea pig
The American guinea pig is medium-sized, with a length of between 25 and 35 cm, males being longer than females. It weighs between 800 grams and 1.5 kg. It reaches sexual maturity at three months of age.
Continuing with the characteristics of the American guinea pig, it has, like all guinea pigs, an elongated body, a head that barely differs from the trunk and short legs. A notable feature of this breed of guinea pig is that their snout is somewhat elongated, their ears are droopy and small, and their eyes are round and lively.
The hair of the American guinea pig is soft, smooth and short As for the colors of the American guinea pig, it can present only one color (brown, chestnut, white, black, etc.), bicolor patterns (white and cream, black and tan, etc.) or tricolor (white with black and cream, etc).
American guinea pig character
The American guinea pig is affectionate, sociable, and playful, so taking it out of its cage so it can play is always a good option. It tends to stay close to its caregivers and is always ready to play with them or their toys. He is also very docile with the children, but whenever they are together we must be attentive to check that everything is going well. Of course, it is also essential to educate children to teach them that guinea pigs are not toys, they are living beings that must be cared for, respected and treated with great care.
Continuing with the temperament of the American guinea pig, we can say that it is a breed of guinea pig very affectionate that develops a strong bond with their caregivers. When it requires attention, it begins to make noises, something that is curious and allows it to communicate with its humans. He is also very sociableand is overjoyed when his fellow humans come home, especially those he considers his playmates
Although the American guinea pig stands out for its playfulness, it also loves caresses and pampering, so it is an excellent option to dedicate a while a day to caress her to also strengthen the bond with her.
American guinea pig care
Unlike long-haired guinea pigs such as the Sheltie or Peruvian guinea pig, the American guinea pig has short, smooth hair that requires less grooming and is much easier to keep in good condition. Brushing can be done less frequently, about once or twice a week. Bathing is not necessary unless it is very dirty or a treatment shampoo is needed. In cases of moderate dirt, you can use a damp cloth and pass it over your hair to remove it.
The cage should be wide, but not too high, with bedding and smooth, without grids. A cage that is too small can be very stressful, since the American guinea pig, like all, needs to move and have space for when it is awake and restless. The minimum dimensions of a cage for guinea pigs is 80 cm long x 40 cm wide. In any case, as we pointed out in the previous section, it is essential to let the guinea pig play, run and interact with its caregivers outside the cage, always guaranteeing its safety. In fact, it is very positive to set up a space just for her, with assorted toys, so that she can move around and we can play with her, caress her, etc. Being such an active and playful guinea pig, it already tends to exercise enough to prevent overweight as long as it has toys, as we say. Discover How to make toys for guinea pigs in this article.
Guinea pigs' nails should be clipped every month or every month and a half, depending on how fast they are growing. The ears and teeth require regular check-ups in search of any anomaly.
American guinea pig feeding
Another key point in caring for the American guinea pig is feeding. The hay should be your main food, being 70% of the daily foods in your diet. To obtain the necessary vitamins and minerals, your diet should also include fruits and vegetables at 20-25% of your daily total. The feed, especially to obtain the vitamin C requirements, should be included daily in 5-10% of the total diet of the guinea pig.
On the other hand, water must always be available with vertical drinkers in the cage, never with containers that are at risk of becoming confined and being a source of microorganisms. The water should be changed daily to keep it clean and fresh.
Discover in this other article the List of fruits and vegetables for guinea pigs.
American Guinea Pig He alth
The life expectancy of the American guinea pig is between 5 and 8 years, as long as it is well cared for, fed and given medical attention. The most frequent he alth problems in American guinea pigs are:
- External parasites by lice, mites, fleas and ticks. Deworming is key in the treatment and prevention of these processes.
- Cecal dysbiosis or change of the normal flora of the colon for a different or pathogenic one. It is usually caused when there are predisposing factors such as in the case of clostridiosis due to Clostridium piriformis, excessive fermentable carbohydrates and low fiber that cause colonic motility to be reduced.
- Scurvy or vitamin C deficiencyIt is common in these animals as they cannot synthesize it by themselves, just like people. It appears when they do not eat a balanced diet or it lacks feed for guinea pigs that has a vitamin C supplement. This disease can cause internal bleeding, hypersalivation, diseases of the respiratory system, anorexia, pododermatitis, immunosuppression, weakness, lameness and hair problems and skin in guinea pigs.
- Dental malocclusion due to abnormal and inadequate growth of the teeth that cause misalignment that prevents proper food intake, at the time it can predispose to the appearance of infections or wounds.
- Respiratory problems, frequent if the guinea pig is exposed to drafts, lives in a cold environment or is cold after be cleaned or bathed. Respiratory signs such as coughing, sneezing, runny nose appear and can even lead to pneumonia with fever, dyspnea and breath sounds.
Many of the common diseases in American guinea pigs are the result of poor handling or care of the animal, so they can be easily prevented by being aware and informing us before adopting a guinea pig.
As always, it is best to go to a veterinary center specializing in exotic animals to learn how to prevent and how to provide the best he alth care for our American or English guinea pig so that they have the best possible quality of life.
