Caring for Your Guinea Pig Jill Foran Weigl Publishers Inc.
Project Coordinator Heather C. Hudak Design and Layout Warren Clark Katherine Phillips Copy Editor Tina Schwartzenberger Photo Research Tracey Carruthers Locate the guinea pig paw prints throughout the book to find useful tips on caring for your pet. Published by Weigl Publishers Inc. 350 5th Avenue, Suite 3304, PMB 6G New York, NY 10118-0069 USA Web site: www.weigl.com Copyright 2004 WEIGL PUBLISHERS INC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Foran, Jill. Caring for your guinea pig / Jill Foran. v. cm. -- (Caring for your pet) Contents: Guinea pigs pals -- Guinea pig profiles -- Crazy for cavies -- Life cycle -- Picking your pet -- Guinea pig gear -- Getting to know your guinea pig -- Guinea pigging out -- Keeping clean -- Staying healthy -- Making friends with your guinea pig -- Best in show. ISBN 978-1-60596-485-0 1. Guinea pigs as pets--juvenile literature. [1. Guinea pigs. 2. Pets.] I. Title. II. Caring for your pet (Mankato, Minn.) SF459.G9F67 2004 636.9'3592--dc21 2003001383 Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 07 06 05 04 03 Photograph and Text Credits Every reasonable effort has been made to trace ownership and to obtain permission to reprint copyright material. The publishers would be pleased to have any errors or omissions brought to their attention so that they may be corrected in subsequent printings. Cover: Abyssinian (Norvia Behling/ Behling and Johnson); Norvia Behling/Behling and Johnson: pages 4, 11 top, 11 bottom, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 27, 30, 31; Gerry Bucsis & Barbara Somerville: pages 6 left, 6 right, 7 middle, 8, 25 top, 28; Diane Calkins/Click the Photo Connection; pages 3, 6 middle, 7 left, 7 right, 9, 10 bottom, 15, 20, 21, 24, 25 bottom; COMSTOCK, Inc.: pages 18/19; Hammytime Publishing: page 26; Tina Schwartzenberger: page 5; Rosemary Shelton/Click the Photo Connection: page 23; Connie Summers/Behling and Johnson: title page, 10 top, 22. King-Smith, Dick and Brian Floca (illustrator). Jenius: The Amazing Guinea Pig. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 1996.
Contents Guinea Pig Pals 4 Pet Profiles 6 Crazy for Cavies 8 Life Cycle 10 Picking Your Pet 12 Guinea Pig Gear 14 Guinea Pigging Out 16 From Feet to Fur 18 Keeping Clean 20 Healthy and Happy 22 Cavy Comfort 24 Best in Show 26 Pet Puzzlers 28 Frequently Asked Questions 30 More Information 31 Words to Know and Index 32
Guinea Pig Pals Guinea pigs make great pets. Their cute faces, pudgy bodies, and gentle nature have made them popular household companions in many parts of the world. Not only are guinea pigs cute, they are easy to care for. They are clean and quiet, and do not require much space. Guinea pigs have very good temperaments. They are not likely to bite their handlers, and they usually do not climb or chew. Guinea pigs are great pets for children. Guinea pigs need less care than dogs and provide much affection. 4
Guinea pigs are very fragile and must not be dropped. If your guinea pig begins to squirm when you are holding him, put him down right away. Although guinea pigs are good natured, looking after them is a big responsibility. Once you have a pet guinea pig, you must take care of him every day. You must give him what he needs to live a happy and healthy life. Guinea pigs require a balanced diet, lots of exercise, and plenty of attention. If you give your pet the love and care he needs, he will return your love. When your guinea pig squeaks or coos, it means he is happy. Fascinating Facts Guinea pigs are not related to pigs. They belong to the rodent group, which also includes chinchillas, gerbils, hamsters, mice, porcupines, and rats. Another name for a guinea pig is cavy. The name cavy comes from the scientific term Cavia porcellus. Guinea pigs belong to the Cavia porcellus species. 5
Pet Profiles There are thirteen breeds of domestic guinea pig. There are even more crossbreeds. Crossbreed guinea pigs are born to parents that are of two or more different breeds. Purebred guinea pigs have parents of the same breed. Knowing the different types of guinea pigs will help you to choose your perfect pet. AMERICAN ABYSSINIAN PERUVIAN Most popular breed for pet owners Short, smooth coat Easy to groom Grows to be 10 to 14 inches in length Also known as the English Cavy Short, wiry coat Hair grows in spiral tufts called rosettes Most have five to ten rosettes Ridge along the spine Does not like to be handled as much as smooth-haired guinea pigs Mustache around the nose Long, smooth coat Hair parts down the middle of the back and grows over the sides, rump, head, and face Needs to be groomed quite often Hair grows up to 20 inches long 6