[63] After its cage has been cleaned, a guinea pig typically urinates and drags its lower body across the floor of the cage to mark its territory. 7 days later and the swelling is still there but a bald patch on the swollen part too now which appeared on Thursday. The animals were used so frequently as model organisms in the 19th and 20th centuries that the epithet guinea pig came into use to describe a human test subject. [12][14] A common misconception is that they were so named because they were sold for the price of a guinea coin. The first part of the name may have been derived from the price of the animal in 16th- and 17th-century England—that is, possibly one guinea—or it may have arisen from the animals’ being carried to European markets after first being transferred to ships in ports in Guinea. Extending along the inside of this coiled passage is the basilar membrane, bearing on its surface the sensory structure known as the organ of Corti, which contains the hair cells.….
[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). [147][33] In the 1990s and 2000s, La Molina University began exporting large breed guinea pigs to Europe, Japan, and the United States in the hope of increasing human consumption outside of countries in northern South America. A guinea pig plays a small but pivotal role in Episode 3, Series 4 (2017) of Black Mirror called Crocodile.
[25] The animal may be cut open and its entrails examined to determine whether the cure was effective.
If so, take a chewing deterrent (which you can buy at a pet store), and dab it around the wound.
I was holding my little Spencer the other day and I approached the cage after a while to put him back. Guinea pigs may chew or tear their own or each other's hair as a result of conflicts between adult males or between adults and juveniles.
Of the inbred strains that have been created, the two still used with any frequency are, following Sewall Wright's designations, "Strain 2" and "Strain 13".[116][175]. Your veterinarian can tell if your pet is infected with this condition by looking at the red patches on its skin, by shining a special ultraviolet light on its skin, or by a laboratory test. The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also known as cavy or domestic cavy (/ˈkeɪvi/), is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. deFranca, S.D., Hadden, C.S., LeFebvre, M.J. and DuChemin, G. 2010.
[77][78] However, published scientific sources mention alfalfa as a food source that can replenish protein, amino acids, and fiber. If it is detected early, the condition may be treated simply by switching your pet's living quarters to ones with a smooth bottom, improving sanitation, and changing the bedding to softer material. [26] These methods are widely accepted in many parts of the Andes, where Western medicine is either unavailable or distrusted. To treat mites, your veterinarian will probably prescribe a powder or spray to be applied to your pet's skin or give your pet a series of injections. Many specialized breeds, with varying coat colors and textures, are selected by breeders. This derives from the Middle High German name merswin. [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.
The skin underneath the affected fur may be dry or oily and thickened or crusty.
[66] Larger animals may regard guinea pigs as prey, though some (such as dogs or cats) can be trained to accept them. [1] However, based on more recent excavations on West Indian islands, the animal must have been introduced to the Caribbean around 500 BC by ceramic-making horticulturalists from South America.
[139] Pachamanca or huatia, a process similar to barbecuing, is also popular, and is usually served with corn beer (chicha) in traditional settings. A hairless and immunodeficient breed was the result of a spontaneous genetic mutation in inbred laboratory strains from the Hartley stock at the Eastman Kodak Company in 1979. [20] They continue to be a food source in the region; many households in the Andean highlands raise the animal, which subsists on the family's vegetable scraps.
This association with pigs is not universal among European terms; for example, the common word in Spanish is conejillo de Indias (little rabbit of the Indies). Allergic symptoms, including rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma, have been documented in laboratory animal workers who come into contact with guinea pigs.
When pododermatitis lasts for many months, it can lead to serious complications such as swelling of the lymph nodes, arthritis, inflammation of the tendons, and a buildup of a protein called amyloid in the kidney, liver, hormone glands, spleen, and pancreas. [44] They are also good swimmers.[45]. Guinea pigs were used in some major advertising campaigns in the 1990s and 2000s, notably for Egg Banking plc,[131] Snapple, and Blockbuster Video. Guinea pigs do not generally thrive when housed with other species.
52,595 satisfied customers. [61] Guinea pigs chew on cloth, paper, plastic, and rubber, if they are available. [95], Cohabitating females assist in mothering duties if lactating;[96] guinea pigs practice alloparental care, in which a female may adopt the pups of another. Your guinea pig or its cage mates may try to lick or nibble the area. This latter type of mite usually infects the inner thighs, shoulders, and neck. [48] Non-sexual simulated mounting for dominance is also common among same-sex groups.
Some published sources say that guinea pigs and rabbits complement each other well when sharing a cage. Pneumonia … Similar organizations exist in Australia (Australian National Cavy Council)[120] and New Zealand (New Zealand Cavy Council). The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), ... A parti-colored guinea pig suffering from torticollis, or wry neck. A religious celebration known as jaca tsariy ("collecting the cuys") is a major festival in many villages in the Antonio Raimondi province of eastern Peru, and is celebrated in smaller ceremonies in Lima. Male and female guinea pigs do not differ in appearance apart from general size. Treatment is a 5- to 6-week course of an antifungal medicine called griseofulvin given by mouth. (eds.). Some breeds are longfur breeds such as the Peruvian, the Silkie, and the Texel. These rodents remain a sustainable food source for the native peoples of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, who either keep them in their homes or allow them to scavenge freely both indoors and out. [124] Allergy shots can successfully treat an allergy to guinea pigs, although treatment can take up to 18 months. [107] Hay or straw dust can also cause sneezing. The three original lines out of Peru were the Perú (weighing 800 grams (28 oz) by 2 weeks), the Andina, and the Inti. Veterinary Specialist.
[57] They tend to be most active during dawn and dusk (crepuscular), when it is harder for predators to spot them. You can see the lice by looking at a piece of your pet's hair under a magnifying glass. A number of plants are poisonous to guinea pigs, including bracken, bryony, buttercup, charlock, deadly nightshade, foxglove, hellebore, hemlock, lily of the valley, mayweed, monkshood, privet, ragwort, rhubarb, speedwell, toadflax (both Linaria vulgaris and Linaria dalmatica), and wild celery. Hairless breeds of guinea pigs have been used in scientific research since the 1980s, particularly for dermatological studies. [30] Its binomial scientific name was first used by Erxleben in 1777; it is an amalgam of Pallas' generic designation (1766) and Linnaeus' specific conferral (1758). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The German word for them is Meerschweinchen, literally "little sea pig", in Polish they are called świnka morska, in Hungarian as tengerimalac, and in Russian as морская свинка.
[126] In the Golden Hamster Saga books, two guinea pigs named Enrico and Caruso are modern-day thespians (named after Enrico Caruso) who serve as secondary characters, and often irritate the main character, Freddy Auratus, who strongly dislikes their acting antics. [133] The 2009 Walt Disney Pictures movie G-Force features a group of highly intelligent guinea pigs trained as operatives of the U.S. government. Cages with solid or wire mesh floors are used, although wire mesh floors can cause injury and may be associated with an infection commonly known as bumblefoot (ulcerative pododermatitis). Females bear up to 13 young per litter (4 is average); gestation takes 68 days. Skin problems in guinea pigs are often first noticed as patches of hair loss. [98] Pregnancy toxemia appears to be most common in hot climates.
In severely affected animals, the affected areas may become infected, which can cause the animals to lose weight, have low energy, or run around the cage. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [70] Even a dwarf rabbit is generally stronger than a guinea pig and may cause intentional or inadvertent injury.[71]. A sow can have as many as five litters in a year, but six is theoretically possible. Breeding and molecular studies suggest that the domestic guinea pig was derived from one of the wild Brazilian, shiny, or montane species. [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]. [92] The guinea pig mother only has two nipples, but she can readily raise the more average-sized litters of 2 to 4 pups. Aside from the common American or English stock, the two main outbred strains in laboratory use are the Hartley and Dunkin-Hartley; these English strains are albino, although pigmented strains are also available. They startle extremely easily, and either freeze in place for long periods or run for cover with rapid, darting motions when they sense danger. My guinea pig has a huge swollen gland on his neck (or where a gland would be if he was a person). [105] Guinea pigs may also suffer from "running lice" (Gliricola porcelli), a small, white insect which can be seen moving through the hair; their eggs, which appear as black or white specks attached to the hair, are sometimes referred to as "static lice".
A guinea pig might also lick their person’s fingers/hand, which can be a sign of affection — after all, that’s how guinea pigs show affection to one another.
Like many rodents, guinea pigs sometimes participate in social grooming, and they regularly self-groom.
[12][13], Another hypothesis suggests the "guinea" in the name is a corruption of "Guiana", an area in South America. [45] As of 2007, they constitute about 2% of the current total of laboratory animals. The domestic guinea pig plays an important role in folk culture for many indigenous Andean peoples, especially as a food source. Guinea pigs that are infested with lice do not usually have signs, but in severe cases lice can cause itching, hair loss, and inflammation of the skin around the neck and ears.
[156] In 1780, Antoine Lavoisier used a guinea pig in his experiments with the calorimeter, a device used to measure heat production. Some species of cavy identified in the 20th century, such as C. anolaimae and C. guianae, may be domestic guinea pigs that have become feral by reintroduction into the wild.
To treat lice, your veterinarian will probably prescribe a powder or spray to be applied to your pet's skin.
[20] Wild cavies are found on grassy plains and occupy an ecological niche similar to that of cattle.
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