Lifespan of a guinea pig in captivity books

Jun 25, 2008 the maximum lifespan of the domestic guinea pig cavia porcellus is 12 years. But, i thought it would be interesting to look at data from everybodys guinea pigs to see if theres a difference between sex, housing etc and if certain illnesses strike at certain times. Female guinea pigs called sows that have given birth to one or more litters tend to live for only about threeandahalf years on the average. Guinea pigs were used in some major advertising campaigns in the 1990s and 2000s, notably for egg banking plc, 3 snapple, and blockbuster video. The silkie guinea pigs hair grows like the mane of a lion, from the back. For instance, hairless guinea pigs have an average lifespan of 7 to 8 years. The laboratory rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, and other rodents is a single volume, comprehensive book sanctioned by the american college of laboratory animal medicine aclam, covering the rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, gerbil and other rodents often used in research. Guinea pigs are small pets, but they require plenty of space, time, effort, and human interaction. You just want one source you can refer to thats easy to read and thorough and friendly and flexible and super mega heartmeltingly cute, so you can spend less time stressfully searching for information and more time. According to the guinness book of world records, the oldest guinea pig of all time lived to be 14 years and 10.

Here are some interesting facts about the guinea pig life span and some tips on how to ensure your guinea pig lives a long, healthy and happy life. Since capybaras should not be kept individually you will need to make sure you have plenty of space for your rodent family. Require 30 to 50 mg of vitamin c daily from highquality food, vitamin. This wellillustrated reference won a 2012 prose award for best single volume.

While in the wild gerbils have a life span of about 2 years on average, they tend to live much longer in captivity. This earplug increases in length with age, and scientists believe a set of its alternating light and dark layers represents one year of growth. The domestic guinea pig is a descendant of the wild cavy cavia aperea which. Does guinea pig lifespan vary depending on variety of guinea pig. Guinea pigs eat vegetation and do not require water to drink if supplied with sufficiently moist food, but they must have water if fed dry commercial food.

What is the life expectancy of guinea pigs living in captivity. Sep 23, 2015 over time, the term guinea pig in a lab context became more strongly associated with peoplefor better or for worse. And i would definitely recommend this book for first time guinea pig owners or people who would like to learn more about guinea pigs. They can provide important information on guinea pig illnesses and dose charts for medicines commonly prescribed for guinea pigs. However, an experienced owner would never confuse one with the other. The proper care of guinea pigs is written with a remarkable clarity and a contagious enthusiasm for what the author calls the most wonderful animal in the world. Some guinea pigs live longer or shorter lives, depending on these and other factors. Before you read further, we have launched a book on guinea pigs diet with some amazing. Serious owners and vets especially those unfamiliar with guinea pigs should consider purchasing one or more reference books. According to the guiness book of world records, the oldest guinea pig. Bertie the guinea pig discover berties guinea pig books. What to know before getting a pet guinea pig the spruce pets. There are still wild cavies in south america, but the domestic guinea pig is considered a separate species. Guinea pig life span one of the most essential aspects that pet owners need to take into consideration is.

We all know the average lifespan of a guinea pig is about 57 years. Guinea pigs in captivity usually get along very well with other guinea pigs, including groups of males. Berties story collection includes 12 unique tales fun guinea pig books based on real pets and full of real guinea pig squeaks. Guinea pig life span one of the most essential aspects that pet owners need to take into consideration is the normal life span of the specie they are going to choose. Guinea pigs make wonderful, ideal, lovable pets that are easy to keep and give you a lot of joy in return. Jan 21, 2020 here are some interesting facts about the guinea pig life span and some tips on how to ensure your guinea pig lives a long, healthy and happy life. Feb 27, 2020 to help your guinea pig live a long life, keep it in a cage thats easy to clean and provides 510 square feet of space. See more ideas about guinea pigs, guniea pig and cute guinea pigs. Forums can be very intimidating, sometimes even hostile. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more.

The average life span of most guinea pigs is 5 to 8 years of age. Sep 25, 2019 the silkie guinea pig and the peruvian guinea pig share the very distinctive trade of long marvelous hair. Pdf guinea pigs are included in various animalassisted interventions aais, but no research has been. Guinea pigs, also known as cavies, no longer exist in the wild.

Guinea pig cavy the exploring nature educational resource. How to help your guinea pig live a long life wikihow. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. Dec 15, 2015 take good care of them and they should live to be about 8 years. The silkie guinea pig and the peruvian guinea pig share the very distinctive trade of long marvelous hair. The life of a professional guinea pig the atlantic.

Retreat possibility is clearly linked with improved wellbeing for different species living in captivity such as in zoos, laboratories. Jan, 2017 while in the wild gerbils have a life span of about 2 years on average, they tend to live much longer in captivity. The maximum lifespan of the domestic guinea pig cavia porcellus is 12 years. The laboratory rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, and other rodents. Skinny pig, which does actually have a bit of hair and the baldwin guinea pig. In captivity this alligator can live more than fifty years. The longer life span means more responsibility and a longer commitment, especially if you want your guinea pig to live a healthy happy life. Feb 15, 2009 thats a good, long life for a guinea pig. Give it a balanced diet that consists mostly of grass hay, feed it leafy greens as treats, and make sure fresh water is always available. A brief guide to improving guinea pig lifespan online.

According to the guinness book of world records, the oldest guinea pig ever lived a long life, much longer than the four year average. Take good care of them and they should live to be about 8 years. Cabbage, kale, green peppers, and oranges have vitamin c. Pdf the effect of human interaction on guinea pig behavior in. Guinea pigs can be lovely pets, but there are a few things you should know before making that big commitment. This is a higher average when compared to the other guinea pig breeds and in contrast to the long haired variety which have a lesser lifespan. On very rare occasions, a guinea pig will not accept another guinea pig. Man has been trying to answer this question for years, but until recently most of the life span information resulted from keeping age records on captive animals.

They communicate by making various sounds that have different meanings and popcorn, or jump in the air, when happy. This would make sense for their wild habitat when the low light would keep them hidden from predators. Good commercial guinea pig diets are the best prevention. Depending on breed, diet and medical treatment a guinea pig might be able to live over a decade, with the reported record being 14 years and 10 and a half months. Reproductively active guinea pigs generally have shorter lifespans of. The average lifespan is between five and eight years of age, however, different people have said different things. Guinea pigs are social companion animals that require daily interaction. Guinea pigs need lots of love and attention, they need to be handled very gently so not to injure them and they need clean housing and plenty of healthy food.

But there are certainly things that we can do as pet owners to help them live longer, happier lives. The typical lifespan of dogs varies widely among breeds but for most, the median. Still kept for the same reason in many areas, the guinea pig variant we are familiar with no longer exists in the wild. Never trust a squirrel by patrick cooper, guinea pig in the garage by ben m. The guinea pig guide cutely comprehensive guinea pig care.

However, the life span of an individual guinea pig relies on a lot of different things, including illness, lineage and diet. Manning, american college of laboratory animal medicine academic press, 1976 science 317 pages. The longest lifespan of a guinea pig ever recorded is 14 years and 10. If the wild rats and domestic rats came from the same gene pool so recently 1800s, then one would fully expect that they would have identical life expectancy, or higher in captivity. This book tells you all you need to know about your guinea pigs and how to look after them. Reproductively active guinea pigs generally have shorter lifespans of about 3. The silkie guinea pigs hair grows like the mane of a lion, from the back of their head backward, leaving their front open. Guinea pigs originated in south america, where they were domesticated long ago. Gestation, incubation, and longevity of selected animals. Guinea pigs have longer life spans than many other pet rodents. Originally, the first domesticated cavies were farmed as a food source. It depends on alot of things what age a guinea lives till, including genetics, breed and the way they are cared for.

Wild cavies live in big family groups in grassland areas of central and south america. The origin of the colloquial name guinea pig is a subject of much debate. A pool of water that allows for swimming and wading over 3 feet deep should be accessible at all times in addition to a shaded area capybaras are prone to sunburn due to their thin fur, piles of hay, and a bowl full of fresh guinea pig pellets. While your guinea pig could easily be around for five years or more, mice and hamsters live just a couple of years. Bertie is a very noisy, friendly little guinea pig. Dolittle, and linny the guinea pig is a costar on nick jr. To my knowledge, the breed of guinea pig can affect life span. In general, a guinea pig does live for 46 years on average, whereas some tend to live up to 8 years too on the higher side. Pet pigs, guinea pigs, private eye, early readers, chapter books, kids reading. Guinea pigs can live up to 14 years in captivity, but have an average lifespan of 8 years. Wild guinea pigs which are actually not the same species as pet guinea pigs tend to have way shorter lifespans, living from one to four years. Afrma beginners corner lifespan of domestic rats vs. The worlds largest rodent, the capybara, has a maximum lifespan of 15 years, which seems rather short. Do not need to brushed but need extra bedding to prevent injury and can get sunburned and are extremely sensitive to temperature changes.

Rabbits typically live from 8 to 10 years of age, and their lifespan is improving. During a guinea pig life span, they become amazing friends, pleasing. The longest one that had lived was 15 but that is a rare case. Their lifespan ranges from 28 years with the breeding female having the shorter. The first part of the name may have been derived from the price of the animal in 16th and 17thcentury englandthat is, possibly one guineaor it may have arisen from the animals being carried to european markets after first being transferred to ships in ports in guinea. If you are willing to give your guinea pig a good home with proper food, attention, living space, grooming, and veterinary care, you will be rewarded with a happy, healthy, cute, and fun guinea pig. A guinea pig tends to run when you try to pick it up, however a guinea pig that has been handled since it was weaned will be wellmannered and gentle once you catch it. Although the young can scamper about and eat solid food the day they are born, they are not fully weaned for about three weeks. Its wild relatives, the brazilian guinea pig cavia aperea and peruvian guinea pig cavia tschudii, have been reported to reach an age of only 6 years. In captivity, they are group animals and spend a lot of time grooming. The guinea pig handbook the information you need to keep your guinea pig happy and healthy from the time of their domestication thousands of years ago in south america, cavies have made their way into the hearts and homes of people of all ages and from around the world. Over time, the term guinea pig in a lab context became more strongly associated with peoplefor better or for worse.

The lifespan of the guinea pig may span over a decade based on the diet, medical treatment, and the breed. The effect of human interaction on guinea pig behavior in animal. Oct 03, 2015 the oldest guinea pig on record lived up to 15 years old. Vitamin c tabs added a rate of 200400 mgl drinking water can be mixed fresh daily as treatment of hypovitaminosis c. In captivity, domestic guinea pigs have an average life span of six to eight years, although life spans of up to 14 years has been. A good breeder will make sure the babies are socialized well and handled from an early age.

As daniel engber wrote in a history of the term for slate in 2012. A guinea pig named rodney, voiced by chris rock, was a prominent character in the 1998 film dr. And of course, with guinea pigs being so adorable and cuddly, thats exactly what we want. Guinea pig life span is influenced by factors like genetics, diet, and environment. I had a guinea pig when i was younger and it lived about five years, even surviving a move with us.

Respiratory infections are a leading cause of guinea pig death. Traditional guinea pig care books are often dry or too general. Guinea pigs are social animals, like horses and wolves, and are best kept in herds of at least two. Not unlike humans, a guinea pig s life span is affected by genetics, environment and diet. To help your guinea pig live a long life, keep it in a cage thats easy to clean and provides 510 square feet of space. Breeders are your best option if looking for a showquality pig, a specific breed, and even petquality pigs. The average life span for breeding female guinea pigs is usually significantly shorter than the rest at about 3. The goal of this study was to evaluate the behavior in guinea pigs during.

Generally domestication has a positive impact on lifespan in that certain diseases, hardships, and hazards are removed. Shelters have guinea pigs more often than you might think. This is a great way to give a guinea pig a second chance at life. According to the guinness book of world records, the longest living guinea pig had a lifespan of 14 years and 10.

No evidence of osteoarthritis was seen in wildcaught guinea pigs, suggesting osteoarthritis to be a problem of captivity, or of. Whether it is safe to house rabbits in a household with other pets is very dependent upon the other animal. These books are written with an undeniable enthusiasm and wit that will make even the casual guinea pig observer understand the joy and wonder in caring for these lovely animals. The wild guinea pigs have a shorter lifespan and they live between 1 to 4 years. The average guinea pig life span the typical guinea pig life span ranges from 5 to 7 years, according to the website for the school of veterinary medicine at the university of pennsylvania. The guiness book of records, recorded a guinea living till fifeteen but this is way above average. The longer life span means more responsibility and a longer commitment, especially if you want your guinea pig to. The oldest guinea pig on record lived up to 15 years old. An average age for a female breeding guinea pig is 3.