Among rodents, guinea pigs are one of the animals that attract the attention of the youngest children. But some of those breeds get more attention than others. This is what happens to Teddy the Guinea Pig.
If you want to know what is a teddy guinea pig, its personality, its origin and the care it needs as a pet, below you will have all the information that will bring you closer to this animal.
Characteristics of the Teddy Guinea Pig
Teddy the guinea pig, scientific name Cavia porcellus , is a small mammal of the rodent family characterized by shaggy, curly hair that makes it look like a stuffed animal (Teddy is related to a teddy bear). It is tiny and very soft, making you want to caress it constantly. Its size varies between 23 to 25 centimeters in length, while its weight varies between 700 to 1200 grams.
In general, we can tell you that the Teddy Guinea Pig is very similar to the American Guinea Pig, only smaller in size. In addition, it has a small nose that is curved and wide because it is drawn upwards (known as the Roman nose).
The fur of a teddy guinea pig can acquire different colors: white, orange, red, black, brown … and it can be monochromatic or a combination of two colors, with spots, stripes, etc.
Their life expectancy is about between 5 and 8 years.
Teddy Guinea Pig Treats
The teddy guinea pig is a very sociable mammal, and affectionate too. In fact, he will love to play and, once he gets used to being a human, he will always be next to the person who takes care of him. And that is that one of the characteristics of this animal is that it also tends to be “dependent” in the sense that it needs a lot of attention to live happily.
They are also very territorial, so if they are not used to being around other pets from an early age, even those of the same species, it can be very difficult to do so when you want to introduce one Is.
It requires constant attention, but it also needs to be kept active so it can exercise. In fact, when a teddy guinea pig seems listless, doesn’t want to play, it could be a sign that there is a teething illness.
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We can’t really say that the teddy guinea pig is a “natural” animal. And that this animal comes from a genetic mutation, like many other breeds of guinea pigs. Keep in mind that all guinea pigs come from South America, which is their natural habitat. However, many have become part of experiments or, as is the case with Kisses Teddy, have been born from experiments with DNA from different species, resulting in their species.
In fact, the origin is not known for certain, beyond the fact that they were the result of a scientific experiment.
Caring for a Teddy Guinea Pig as a Pet
If you are thinking of getting a teddy guinea pig as a pet, you must meet all the needs of this animal. For this, we bring you the most important thing to keep in mind, so take note as it will serve as a guide to take care of it.
his cage
A guinea pig needs a suitable cage. Usually it should be 120x60x45, and it is wider than it is tall, since it does not require several floors, but there is enough space for separate areas: games, “bathrooms”, rest, etc.
It is important that the cage is always located indoors, where there are no drafts and a constant temperature is maintained. It should be given sunlight, but not direct, and placed in a quiet area, but where they can see you and get used to your presence.
This cage will need to be cleaned at least once a week, and disinfected monthly. To do this, you will need to remove your guinea pig’s bedding and scrub all of the cage bars to remove any mites.
Be aware that you won’t need toys to get bored, but being an animal with nocturnal habits, you’ll want to have something that doesn’t make too much noise. In addition, you will need a drinker (usually the kind you put on a rabbit), wood to file his teeth, a feeder and hay dispenser, and guinea pig bedding.
feeding teddy guinea pig
The main food in the diet of El Teddy Guinea Pig is hay. It is they who provide a major portion of the nutrients you need in your diet. However, since they cannot produce vitamin C, they need to obtain it through fruits and vegetables. His favorites are zucchini, strawberries, apples, oranges and even guavas.
Sometimes it can also be fed pellets, as long as they are made for guinea pigs (and even better if they contain vitamin C). Now you have to keep in mind that as the days pass by, it tends to lose its properties.
Common Diseases of Teddy Guinea Pigs
Like any other animal, teddy guinea pigs can also suffer from certain diseases that you should be aware of. These can be dangerous, so providing them with a good diet in addition to observing and monitoring their health will help keep their immune systems high. To do this, keep the following in mind:
- Nutrient or vitamin deficiencies can cause you to have scurvy . It is mainly a disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C.
- What can happen if the temperature in a guinea pig’s cage is not controlled is cold . In fact, respiratory diseases strike guinea pigs very quickly and a simple cold can turn into pneumonia which can put your pet’s life at risk. Puts
- If good hygiene is not maintained, not only of the animal, but also of the cage, it can become infected with this mite. Your guinea pig will start scratching a lot and will need deworming to get rid of them, as well as increased cleaning of the area they live in.
other needs to be covered
Finally, you shouldn’t forget about other needs that should be covered, such as brushing. It is very important that you brush his hair, because although it is shorter, it is more dense, if it is not brushed well, it can lose its shine and softness.
Also you have to bathe her. You can do this with dry shampoo or a sand bath, which your pet will love too. You can also bathe him with water but you must be careful that he does not catch a cold (you must make sure that the temperature of both the water and the environment is sufficient) and do not do it too often because his skin is very dry and this can affect his body. Can’t be good for.
Both ears and nails should be controlled. First, because it builds up a lot of wax and you have to clean it often to prevent it from building up. And in others the nails grow too much so you have to cut them from time to time, but always avoid the pink area of the nail (as it can bleed).
how does it reproduce
Breeding a teddy guinea pig is similar to that of any other guinea pig. Once she has accepted the mate, and mating has taken place, the female will go through a gestation period of between 50 and 70 days. Thus, it will give birth to 3 to 5 pups, which will suckle the mother’s milk for 3-4 weeks.