Not a pig, not from Guinea
It is a rodent from South America. Nobody is sure how it got its name.
Rodents · Time every day
Guinea pig
Rodent · from the Andes of South America
A plump, tail-less animal with a blunt face and petal-shaped ears, in patches of white, ginger and black.
- Size
- 20 to 30cm long; about 1kg
- Lives for
- 5 to 8 years
- Suits
- Families: gentle, and awake in the daytime
Trundles after you, squeaking. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the guinea pig
It talks
It squeals, chatters, purrs and makes a loud wheek when it hears the fridge door.
Popcorning
A happy guinea pig leaps straight up and twists in the air. Owners call it popcorning.
It needs vitamin C
Like us, and unlike most animals, it cannot make its own vitamin C and must get it from fresh food.
Never alone
Guinea pigs are herd animals. In Switzerland it is against the law to keep only one.
Born ready
The young are born with fur, teeth and open eyes, and can run about within hours.
The real thing
Photos of the guinea pig
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Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
Looking after one
Keep at least two together in a large hutch and run. They need unlimited hay, a handful of fresh vegetables every day, guinea pig pellets and somewhere to hide.
Before you get one
They rarely bite and are awake by day, which makes them a good choice for families. They live far longer than hamsters, so it is a real commitment.
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