All About Pets
Introduction
I have chosen to do pets because I like animals, they are warm and loving and make wonderful friends. Although you have to put alot of work into the fact that animals depend on their owners for all their food and care, taking on a pet is a big responsibility.
Guinea Pigs
History
Most people think guinea pigs are from Guinea or New Guinea, but they are not, they are actually from South America. There are several species which have been found in South America. The ancestor of the domesticated guinea pig is thought to be the restless cavy, cavia or cutli. The restless cavy lives in long grass being protected from preditors with the long stems of the grass hiding them. They don't use their own burrows they use abandoned burrows. They can be attacked by any meat eating enemies so they tend to stay in long grass where they can be camouflaged
When they are born they have already have got all their fur and within two days after being born they are already eating the same food as their parents. Before the Spanish conquest of South America in the 16th century the Incas kept on killing guinea pigs for food and to this day the Peruvians still breed them for meat and food. Sailors where the first people to do so, they kept them as pets and brought guinea pigs to Europe from South America. Many people believe that this is how they got their name 'guinea pigs', because the sailors sold them for one guinea and also because they make squeaking noises.
Why you would like to have guinea pigs
I have two guinea pigs of my own and they are called Patch and Tuffty. Guinea pigs make a great first pet, they are easy to look after, cuddly and real characters. When you are lonely or bored you can go through to the guinea pigs and with their characteristics they will always cheer you up. There are many types of guinea pig like the angora. The angora guinea pig makes a wonderful pet but requires more grooming then any other type. The angora has very long hair but a small, cute little face. There is also an English cavy guinea pig. The English cavy guinea pig has short hair and little ears, with a cute little nose and small eyes. There is also a short - haired cavy. The short - haired cavy has clear dark eyes and crinkled ears which are a big attraction to them. There is a Bi - coloured guinea pig. The Bi - coloured guinea pig is a rough haired guinea pig. The Bi - coloured guinea pig has a sticky up coat that even if you try to get it to lie flat it will never do that. There is a Abyssinian guinea pig. The Abyssinian guinea pig has a tuffty coat. I called my guinea pig Tuffty because of that and you can get them in any colour. There is also an angora - cavy guinea pig. The angora - cavy guinea pig has long hair and has dark eyes that shine in the dark. There is also another angora guinea pig. This angora guinea pig has hair that goes everywhere so you really have to brush them. Guinea pigs are delightful animals to have as a first pet or at any other time.
Did you know that guinea pigs have their own language?
Where to buy Guinea pigs
There are many different places to buy guinea pigs. You can buy them from a Rescue home, a pet shop and a guinea pig breeder. You can buy them from a rescue home. The rescue home is ok to buy guinea pigs from but the only thing is the guinea pigs have already got used to their owner. There is also a pet store that you can buy guinea pigs from. The pet stores are also ok. It is probably better than a rescue home because all the people that the guinea pigs would know is the people that look after them at the pet store. There is also a guinea pig breeder where you can buy them from. The guinea pigs do not know anyone but when you go to have a look at them or to buy them. (I got Patch and Tuffty from a guinea pig breeder.)
How to look after guinea pigs.
To look after a guinea pig there are a few things that you have to learn first.
FIRST
Before you even consider getting guinea pigs you have to have guinea pig cage for them to live in.
SECOND
You need to feed guinea pigs twice a day, so make sure that you have the normal food that they eat which is - lettuce, celery, carrots, cabbage, hay, dry food and as a little treat sometimes give them some cucumber.
THIRD
When you have got the guinea pigs home, introduce yourself to them while you think of names for them. It is better to have two guinea pigs instead of one, so they have got friends to play with.
FOURTH
When it is bedtime for guinea pigs, make sure that they are cosy. When you go to bed put a towel over the top of them and that will keep them all cosy. If they are cosy they will sleep better and try not to waken up anybody in the family.
The food that they eat
Guinea pigs are like humans. Women and some men like salads. So do guinea pigs. Guinea pigs like lettuce, cabbage, carrots, celery, dry food and if you have any cucumber, then give them a little of it (not too much) so they can have it as a little treat for them. You can sometimes get chew toys from a pet store that sharpens their teeth, keeps them healthy, and helps them to eat their food. If ever they hear the sound of one of their enemies it would also help them to fight their enemies, Guinea pigs enemies are the snakes, cats, dogs, and all animals that are bigger than themselves. When you first get guinea pigs they might be scared of you because in Guinea and New Guinea people go hunting for guinea pigs to eat them, so that's why you have to introduce yourself and explain to them that you are not going to kill them or eat them. The best food for guinea pigs would be the compressed food that has been made for guinea pigs especially. When you are feeding try to keep guinea pigs on the same diet, and try not to change it too often. Compressed food satisfies the gnawing instinct of the animals and therefore is highly recommended and helps guinea pigs not to go over weight. Some guinea pigs live in the wild and live on leaves, stems and seeds and the chosen plants. In captivity, grass, hay, fresh vegetable matter and grain are all essential foods for guinea pigs. Lots of wild plants can be fed to guinea pigs that they will really enjoy. If giving guinea pigs hay then put it into a tray so it doesn't get trampled on under foot and suddenly fade away. The wild plants that are suitable for guinea pigs are vetch, shepherd's purse, sow thistle, cow parsley and the best plants for guinea pigs is dandelion leaves and groundsel. Plants are good for their diet. The plants that are not suitable for guinea pigs are the bindweed, dog mercury, sorrel, dock, bryony, and ragwort. Raw fruit and vegetables help to give them their regular vitamin c that they need.
What they like to do
Guinea pigs like to do lots of things - They like to just lie down and even if they can see you watching television, they lie down and sometimes fall asleep. ( If watching a DVD or video with bright or fast lights on it please make sure they don't get scared because they don't like bright or fast lights. ) Guinea pigs love to squeak because that's basically all that guinea pigs do in their spare time. My guinea pigs love tipping over their food bowl and playing with it. My guinea pigs also have a green hut which they tip over and try to see who can jump the furthest over the hut, it is awful funny to watch them doing it, because its like they're getting ready for the 2012 Olympics. They like crawling in and out of tunnels and chasing each other around their cage.
The toys that guinea pigs like to have are
Chew toys that they can sharpen their teeth with
Tunnels for them to go in and out of chasing each other
They like playing with their food and their dry food bowl.
A ball that that won't hurt their teeth ( Get a ball for guinea pigs at a pet store.)