Other causes of hair loss can be due to hormonal upsets caused by underlying medical conditions such as ovarian cysts. The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), ... A parti-colored guinea pig suffering from torticollis, or wry neck. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [47] Groups of boars often chew each other's hair, but this is a method of establishing hierarchy within a group, rather than a social gesture. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [176] An immunocompetent hairless breed was also identified by the Institute Armand Frappier in 1978, and Charles River Laboratories has reproduced this breed for research since 1982. In geriatric boars or sows (rarely in young ones), the muscles which allow the softer pellets to be expelled from the anus can become weak. [75] The condition may be temporarily alleviated by a human carefully removing the impacted feces from the anus.

Hairless breeds of guinea pigs have been used in scientific research since the 1980s, particularly for dermatological studies. For the domestic pig breed, see, domesticated rodent species from South America. They startle extremely easily, and either freeze in place for long periods or run for cover with rapid, darting motions when they sense danger. You can see the lice by looking at a piece of your pet's hair under a magnifying glass. Females mature in two months, males in three, and captive guinea pigs live up to eight years, although three to five is typical.

African minor livestock species. [166] They are still frequently used to diagnose tuberculosis, since they are easily infected by human tuberculosis bacteria.

[43] When happily excited, guinea pigs may repeatedly perform little hops in the air (known as "popcorning"), a movement analogous to the ferret's war dance. [83][84] Guinea pigs tend to be fickle eaters when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables after having learned early in life what is and is not appropriate to consume, and their eating habits may be difficult to change after maturity. Severe infestation by mites may cause hair loss or itching along the rear end of a guinea pig's body. Some published sources say that guinea pigs and rabbits complement each other well when sharing a cage. Pneumonia … This article is about the small rodent species.

Guinea pigs are large for rodents; the common pet breeds weigh between 700 and 1,200 g (1.5 and 2.6 lb) when full grown and measure between 20 and 25 cm (8 and 10 in) in length. [4], Many efforts have also been made to promote guinea pig husbandry in developing countries of West Africa,[136] where they occur more widely than generally known because they are usually not covered by livestock statistics. [86] Because their teeth grow constantly (as do their nails, like humans), they routinely gnaw on things, lest their teeth become too large for their jaw (a common problem in rodents). [142] There are also guinea pig festivals held in Huancayo, Cusco, Lima, and Huacho, featuring costumes and guinea pig dishes. [44] They are also good swimmers.[45]. [33] All the large breeds of guinea pig are known as cuy mejorados and the pet breeds are known as cuy criollos. Affected feet should be soaked in an antibiotic solution, and antibiotic ointment should be applied. [103] The male's testes may also be visible externally from scrotal swelling. This is in part because research into the genetics of guinea pigs has lagged behind that of other rodents, although geneticists W. E. Castle and Sewall Wright made a number of contributions to this area of study, especially regarding coat color. There is a crest of longer hairs at the neck, but length and texture of the fur vary from smooth (short or long) to coarse and short or long and silky. This might take place if the original parents die or are for some reason separated from them. Their docile nature, friendly responsiveness to handling and feeding, and the relative ease of caring for them have made guinea pigs a continuing popular choice of household pet. [36][37][38] Subsequent research using wider sampling restored the consensus among mammalian biologists regarding the current classification of rodents as monophyletic. [166] Since the middle 20th century, they have been replaced in laboratory contexts primarily by mice and rats. [117], Domesticated guinea pigs occur in many breeds, which have been developed since their introduction to Europe and North America. [70] Even a dwarf rabbit is generally stronger than a guinea pig and may cause intentional or inadvertent injury.[71]. [64] Male guinea pigs may also mark their territory in this way when they are taken out of their cages. Guinea pigs can have a temper. Alfalfa hay is also a popular food choice and most guinea pigs will eat large amounts of alfalfa when offered it,[21][76] though some controversy exists over offering alfalfa to adult guinea pigs. [109] Its normal body temperature is 101–104 °F (38–40 °C),[110] so its ideal ambient air temperature range is similar to a human's, about 65–75 °F (18–24 °C). If so, take a chewing deterrent (which you can buy at a pet store), and dab it around the wound.

Some noted appearances of the animal in literature include the short story "Pigs Is Pigs" by Ellis Parker Butler, which is a tale of bureaucratic incompetence. The guinea pig, normally vegetarian, appears to have been taught to feed on small fish. My guinea pig has a lump under her neck on the right side the size of a lima bean it is draining and she yelps when I touched it this morning. The negative connotation of the term was later employed in the novel The Guinea Pigs (1970) by Czech author Ludvík Vaculík as an allegory for Soviet totalitarianism. [1], The earliest-known European illustration of a domestic guinea pig is a painting (artist unknown) in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London, dated to 1580, which shows a girl in typical Elizabethan dress holding a tortoise-shell guinea pig in her hands. [166] Less common uses included research in pharmacology and irradiation. [81] Healthy diets for guinea pigs require a complex balance of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and hydrogen ions; but adequate amounts of vitamins A, D, and E are also necessary.[82]. Some types of mites cause no signs, others cause hair loss but do not seem to affect the skin, and still others burrow into the skin and may cause intense itching, hair loss, and skin inflammation. In Western society, the domestic guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a pocket pet, since its introduction to Europe and North America by European traders in the 16th century. The Fairy Caravan, a novel by Beatrix Potter,[127] and Michael Bond's Olga da Polga series for children,[128] both feature guinea pigs as the protagonist. The disease may also spread to the back. Your veterinarian can diagnose this condition either by examining your pet's fur or by looking at scrapings from your pet's skin under a microscope. Guinea pigs catch mites from other guinea pigs or from objects that are contaminated such as bedding. Most commonly, the roan coloration of Abyssinian guinea pigs is associated with congenital eye disorders and problems with the digestive system. [67] Opinion is divided over the cohousing of guinea pigs and domestic rabbits. (eds.). While male genitals may look similar, with the penis and anus forming a similar shape, the penis will protrude if pressure is applied to the surrounding hair.



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