🐾 Guinea Pig

Guinea Pig

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Who it is

• Scientific name: Cavia porcellus
• Family & relatives: A small pet rodent in the family Caviidae, closely related to the capybara and to wild cavies of South America.
• How to spot it: A round, chubby little animal with short legs, no visible tail, and soft fur in many colors.

Its body & abilities

• Size: About 20 to 25 cm long.
• Weight: Usually about 700 to 1,200 g (1.5 to 2.6 lb).
• Body & adaptations: Its front teeth never stop growing, so it must gnaw on hay and veggies to keep them just right.
• Top speed: Can scurry quickly in short bursts but mostly moves at a gentle trot.
• Strength: Not strong, but quick and springy; a happy guinea pig hops in the air in a move called popcorning.
• Senses: Sharp hearing and smell and wide-set eyes that help it watch for anything moving.
• Growing up: Baby guinea pigs, called pups, are born with fur and open eyes and can run around within an hour.

Where it lives

• Habitat: Lives in a cozy cage or hutch in a home, with soft bedding and places to hide.
• Where in the world: Kept as a gentle pet in homes all over the world.
• Territory: It feels safest in its own cage with familiar smells and a little hideaway to nap in.

What it eats

• Diet: A plant eater that munches hay and fresh veggies and always needs clean water.
• Favorite foods: Hay, guinea pig pellets, and fresh veggies like lettuce, carrot, and bell pepper for vitamin C.
• How it hunts: Not a hunter; it nibbles and grazes on plants all day like its wild cousins.

How it behaves

• How it moves: Trots, scurries, and hops around its cage on short little legs.
• When it is active: Active on and off all through the day and night, taking many short naps.
• Family life: Very social and happiest with a friend, so guinea pigs love to live in pairs or small groups.
• How it talks: Talks with cute squeaks, purrs, and loud happy wheeks when it hears food coming.
• Babies: After about two months a mother has a small litter of two to four well-developed pups.

Its place in nature

• Role in nature: A gentle, friendly pet that teaches children how to care for a small animal.
• Conservation: Domestic pet, not a wild animal, so it is not tracked for conservation.
• Dangers: Stays healthy with a clean cage, the right food, and a friend to live with.

Life & legacy

• How long it lives: About 5 to 7 years with good care.
• In our culture: First kept by people in the Andes of South America long ago, now a favorite pet worldwide.
• Where to see it: In homes, classrooms, and pet stores all around the world.
• Fun fact: When guinea pigs are super happy, they jump straight up and twist in the air, a move people call popcorning.