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HERE IS SOME FACTS AND OTHER COOL STUFF YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW
HERE IS SOME VALUABLE INFO ON GUINEA PIGS
(also called cavies) are rodents belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia.
Despite their common name, the animals are not pigs, nor do they come from Guinea. Although there are from six to nine different species, the one most familiar to people is C. porcellus, the common guinea pig.
Grass Lovers: Grass is the guinea pig's natural diet. Grass digestion requires a special digestive system; whereas most grass-eating mammals are quite large and have a long digestive tract, guinea pigs use a more unusual method, practicing coprophagy, the eating of their own feces. However, they do not consume their feces indiscriminately. They produce special soft pellets, called "cecotropes", which contain the B vitamins and bacteria required for proper digestion. These pellets are not the same as regular feces. They share this behavior with rabbits.
Hay Eaters: Guinea pigs benefit from feeding on grass hay such as TIMOTHY hay in addition to food pellets. Hay provides roughage and long-strand fiber needed in their diet which pellets alone do not provide.
Alfalfa hay, a legume hay richer in calcium and protein, is available fresh Experts recommend that alfalfa and other foods rich in calcium, (such as spinach), be fed to adults only in moderation.[citation needed] Diets with imbalanced Ca:P ratios may result in health problems and may possibly contribute to the formation of certain types of bladder stones and bladder sludge.
Beware These Plants:
A number of plants are poisonous to guinea pigs, including bracken, buttercup, bryony, charlock, deadly nightshade, hemlock, lily of the valley, privet, scarlet pimpernel, ragwort, various parts of the potato plant, toadflax and tomato leaves. Additionally, any plant which grows from a bulb e.g., tulip and onion is normally considered poisonous.
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Guinea pigs are "prey animals" whose survival instinct is to mask pain and signs of illness, and many times signs of illness may not be apparent until a problem is severe or in its advanced stages.
Common early symptoms of problems are:
* Lethargy (reduced activity)
* Blood present in cage or on animal
* Sitting in a hunched position with fur puffed out
* Discharge from eyes (see note below), nose or ears
* Raspy-sounding vocalizations
* Wheezing or difficulty breathing
* Limping
* Diarrhea
* Lack of feces output
* Head tilt or loss of balance (may indicate an ear infection)
* Wheeking while urinating * Sensitivity to touc* Fur loss* Excessive scratching* Weightloss*Rapidweightgain/shifting of bodily weight
Guinea pigs normally secrete a milky-white fluid near their eyes. Upon secretion of this fluid, the cavy will usually raise his front paws and groom himself.
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