Caviidae
Rodents
Mammals
From 59 to 72 days
6 approx.
Guinea pigs are strict herbivores and depend on humans for food. They are usually given lettuce, cabbage, and various types of herbs and fruits. In more developed areas, they are often fed pelleted food. This food contains compressed plant material (barley or alfalfa) and many of the vitamins and minerals that guinea pigs need to stay healthy.
8 years in the Making
Guinea pigs, also known as cavies, no longer exist in the wild. They originated in South America, and their domestication began thousands of years ago. Due to their popularity as pets and food, they are now found all over the world.
They are tailless rodents, with males being larger than females. They have small, compact, cylindrical bodies and small, petal-shaped ears positioned laterally on the top of their heads. Their eyes are located midway up their snouts, between their ears and noses.
Like many other rodents, they have continuously growing teeth, the length of which is maintained by the wear they produce while feeding. As a result of selective breeding, there are 20 different phenotypes for coat color and 13 for coat texture and length. However, it is believed that their wild ancestors had short, brown fur, which likely served as camouflage against predators.
Guinea pigs are gregarious animals that prefer close contact with other individuals of their own species and often gather in dense groups to shelter from the cold and, possibly, to feel safer. They are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk, and when not sleeping, they spend most of their time grooming, eating, or exploring their surroundings. Males establish social hierarchies in which a single alpha male dominates the others, becoming extremely aggressive when competing for territory or potential mates. Guinea pigs communicate using various sounds, such as clicks, squeaks, whines, hisses, and purrs, each serving to communicate different emotions (joy, fear, or hunger).
Guinea pigs are extinct in the wild and only live in captivity, so they do not have a special classification on the IUCN list.
Guinea pigs have two main defense mechanisms: immobility and dispersal. When a guinea pig perceives a threat, such as an unfamiliar sound or movement, it remains motionless until the threat disappears; this is known as immobility. In contrast, when a group of guinea pigs perceives a threat, they typically disperse to confuse and disorient potential predators; this is known as dispersal.
The young are born with fur, teeth and open eyes, and can eat solid food within a few days.
When they are very happy, they jump in the air, a behavior known as popcorning.
Unlike other rodents, they prefer flat surfaces and are not good climbers.
