Guinea pig long-haired, the photo of which isThis article is a pet. Her wild ancestors exist for almost 40 million years. Over time, guinea pigs were domesticated by humans. And thanks to the selection appeared exotic species. The most popular for home content - long-haired.
Scientists suggest that wild guinea pigsthey themselves came in search of warmth to human habitation. The Indians, who lived in pre-Columbian America, kept these animals as livestock and ate, as well as sacrificed to the gods.
In Europe, guinea pigs appeared only in the 16th century.Long-haired guinea pigs first appeared in France. Now there are nurseries of long-haired guinea pigs around the world. And animal lovers began their breeding.
One of the favorite pets - seagilt longhair. The description of different breeds may differ, but there are common signs. All pigs have a small oval body. Head - with a "roman" profile, big ears and large bulging eyes. The paws are short, the tail is almost absent.
The nose is large, with a small crook.The structure of the teeth is special. The lower and upper incisors are large, not having roots. They grow all my life. Sharpened naturally. There are short distances between the incisors and the molars.
From simple guinea pigs to long-haireddiffer in length of wool, which can reach 20, and in Peruvian - even 50 cm. Moreover, wool grows not only on the body but also on the head. The breeds of the long-haired guinea pigs are distinguished by the structure of the coat and its color. The color scheme is very diverse.
It can be either monophonic or variegated,combining three colors. The most common color is red shades. But sometimes there are guinea pigs with pure white hair or completely black.
Long-haired guinea pig breeds conditionallydivided into two main groups: with straight or curly hair. But they are all unpretentious to the conditions of detention. There are a lot of rocks. The most popular ones are described below:
Longhair guinea pig - very friendlypet. These exotic rodents are sociable, mobile. When they get used to the house and the owners, they are very willing to contact. Very fond of attention to his person. Perfectly get on with rabbits. But other animals and birds (dogs, cats, parrots, etc.) can be dangerous for them.
Marine longhair pigs are quite peacefuland bite very rarely. But small children with them cannot be left alone, since babies can injure a small animal. And the animal, frightened - bite. Children at the age of six or eight years can take care of them.
Guinea pigs are perfectly trained.Quickly memorize your name and respond to it with ease. They can even recognize simple commands or certain sounds. Tamed quickly, with the condition that they paid enough attention. With guinea pigs need to talk. They love to be stroked and picked up.
The long-haired guinea pig eats the samelike her usual brethren. The diet should include grass, hay and cereals. Grass before serving, lightly dried. Be sure to give the pigs carrots, cucumbers, beets with tops, apples and greens. But all of the above should be included in the diet in small portions.
Potatoes can be given only boiled, and at allLittle. Cereal better soak it and feed them in the morning. Useful germinated grain. Feeding should be twice daily. The uneaten food is removed from the cage after two hours. The water should be filtered and fresh.
For the content of guinea pigs need a spaciouscage (minimum 60x40x60) so that the animal can move freely. It is set away from the drafts and the sun, to which animals are very sensitive. The house is located in a cage is not high, because the pigs cannot fall even from a small height.
Поддон желателен, так как облегчает уборку.In the cage there should be a drinking bowl and two bowls for food, as well as a small manger for grass and hay. In the cage you need to fix a piece of chalk and a strong branch (for grinding teeth). For litter suitable sawdust or shavings. Cleaning is done daily. The litter changes every other day. Guinea pigs need to be released on a daily walk.
Wool is combed daily with a soft brush.At least 3-4 times a week. Wash guinea pigs is not recommended at all. But if it is necessary, then only after heavy pollution. Wool is dried with a towel or hair dryer. If it is very long, then it retracts into paper files. The ears are inspected regularly and, if necessary, cleaned with cotton buds. Claws are trimmed once a month.
The long-haired guinea pig is very rare and immune to infectious diseases. But there are a number of diseases that can be exposed to animals:
The long-haired guinea pig makes soundsmany of which are of particular importance. Pregnant chirping like birds. And they do it in the dark and sing like that for up to five minutes. But this phenomenon is very rare. When courtship males urchat marriage song. The dominant female can make the same sounds if she lives with her congeners together. When the pig is stroked, it can purr softly from pleasure, like a cat.
