How to choose a guinea pig: choose between a boy and a girl, breed

When choosing a pet, the decision is often made under the influence of emotions, but this approach can lead to negative consequences. Guinea pigs vary quite a lot in appearance, some breeds require more complex care, behavioral characteristics depend on age and gender. Before you go for a new pet, you need to consider all the factors. This will help you determine which animal will suit you best, as well as be more careful when choosing.

Where is the best place to buy

You can choose a guinea pig at a pet store. This option is more convenient and faster, the cost of rodents in the store is less, you can also immediately purchase everything you need for maintenance. But keep in mind that the right conditions are not always maintained, so there is a high risk of acquiring a sick animal.

Purchasing directly from a breeder is more reliable, but such a pet will cost more. You also need to remember that there is a danger of meeting an unscrupulous breeder. Therefore, before buying, it is better to make sure that the seller has a good reputation, and also visit him to check how pigs are kept at home.

IMPORTANT: On classifieds sites, you can find offers for the free transfer of animals in good hands. So they give away cubs or adult pigs, which are no longer possible to keep. In this case, it is very difficult to check the seller, so getting a pet like this is an economical, but very risky way.

Breed selection

The first question when choosing a guinea pig is what breed is better to get? The specifics of pet care will depend on the answer:

• short-haired – the most unpretentious species: smooth wool does not require additional care, and they are also cheaper than others;
• rosette – a decorative breed that has an original appearance, thanks to the wool sticking out in different directions;
• long-haired – the most spectacular pigs, the coat of which requires the most complex care, regular combing and washing;
• naked – hairless pigs have a very unusual appearance, but are not protected from colds in any way, therefore they require special conditions of detention.

Pet stores often offer several varieties to choose from at once, but it is rather difficult to recognize the breed from a baby guinea pig in the absence of experience. The coat takes on its final form at the age of several months, and the differences between similar externally similar varieties are not obvious. Therefore, when buying, it is better to ask the seller to determine the breed.

IMPORTANT: If you are interested in an expensive breed for exhibitions, you can only contact proven professional breeders. In this case, you can get guarantees, as well as correctly draw up all the necessary documents.

Who is better – a boy or a girl

Pigs are distinguished by a high level of sociality, so it is desirable to keep these rodents in a group. It may include individuals of different sexes, but more often they contain a pair of pigs of the same sex, or only one rodent is bred. Therefore, the question that often arises when buying a guinea pig is a boy or a girl, who to choose?

Males are bolder and more curious, they are distinguished by activity, contact, so they will require more attention. It is better to choose such a pet for a child, while adults cannot always find enough time to play and communicate with the animal. You also need to consider that when kept in a same-sex pair, males can fight and fight for power. Females are more cautious, less sociable, so they are more difficult to tame, but they cause less anxiety to the owners.

TIP: It is better to start a heterosexual couple, and if the appearance of offspring is undesirable, then the animals can be sterilized, or kept in a cage with a wire partition.

female or male

To determine the gender, you need to examine the area near the anus. To do this, carefully turn the pig over, holding under the front paws. In animals of both sexes, you will see a Y-shaped opening, but in males, a swelling with a dot in the middle will be visible above it, and higher under the skin you can feel a dense roller – the inside of the penis. Also, testicles become noticeable on the sides of the anus in grown males. But the smaller the age of the animal, the less pronounced the sex differences, so if in doubt, you should ask the seller for help.

Age

Finding out the age of the animal is very important – the cubs need mother’s milk for up to three weeks. Otherwise, they will not receive strong immunity, and their development may be impaired. It is better to take a pet at the age of four to five weeks to two to three months. During this period, small pigs begin an independent life and adapt to environmental conditions, so it is easiest to get used to a new home and tame.

You can determine the age by the size of the animal. Cubs up to two months will fit in the palm of a person, adults reach a length of up to 25-30 cm and weigh about a kilogram. When buying a grown pig, you will have to believe the words of the seller.

The appearance of rodents changes little until the very last months of life, so it is impossible to determine how old the big pig is, and how much longer it will live.

IMPORTANT: Guinea pigs go through puberty early, so if you get a female older than two months, she may be pregnant. Before buying at a pet store, you should make sure that grown males and females are kept in different cages.

Health status

The most important factor that you need to pay attention to when choosing a pig is its appearance, the absence of signs of disease. A healthy animal should be cheerful, with bright eyes, beautiful hair, and demonstrate a good appetite. The activity depends on the time of day, so it is best to look at the pig several times at different times of the day.

Before you buy a rodent, ask the seller to show it to you, if possible, inspect it yourself. The signs of a healthy animal are as follows:

• the body is dense, strong, not thin and without excess excess weight;
• there are no sharp, unpleasant odors;
• there are no redness, scabs, scratches, wounds on the skin;
• the coat is clean, thick, without bald spots and tangles;
• ears, eyes and nostrils are clean, without discharge;
• around the anus there are no traces of stool.

You should refrain from buying if the animal is lethargic, lies all the time, breathes heavily or hoarsely, the coat is dirty, and the eyes are sunken or watery. Any of these signs could indicate a cold or internal infection from which the mumps may never recover. An infestation with fleas or withers is not a serious disease and is easily treated, but it may indicate that the animals were kept in the wrong conditions.

Video: how to choose a guinea pig