Fun and Interesting Facts About Guinea Pigs

 Fun and Interesting Facts About Guinea Pigs 

Guinea pigs, or cavies as they are also known, have been kept in households as companion animals since being introduced by European traders in the 16th century.

Fun & Interesting Facts About Guinea Pigs 

• Guinea pigs are not actually pigs. They are rodents.
• Guinea pigs will eat all day and night.
• They are vegetarians and love green grass and vegetables. This might be one of the most interesting facts about Guinea Pigs 

• When they sense their owner is nearby they will squeak to get their attention.
• They are very social animals and love the company of others, even humans.
• They do not bite in defence and will only bite because they think your hand is food.
• They need a supplement of vitamin c as they do not produce it themselves.
• Guinea pigs love to be held as they love contact.
• After they are born, male guinea pigs need to be taken away from their mother’s as they may try and mate with her after a month. Let’s discover some interesting science facts that will amaze you.
• Although male guinea pigs are called boars and females are called sows, guinea pigs are actually rodents, and not related to pigs at all. They don’t come from Guinea either!
• Guinea pigs are highly social. Wild ancestors live in groups with a dominant male. While in domestic environments, they become lonely and depressed if kept alone.
• Young guinea pigs can run only 3 hours after being born.
• Unlike other rodents, guinea pig pups are born with a full body of hair and their eyes open.
• Although domestication has led to a reduction in brain size for guinea pigs, they are still just as smart as their wild relatives. They have excellent spatial orientation and are able to learn complex maze tasks using symbols as sign posts.
• Guinea pigs do not have visible tails.
• Gnawing is an essential behaviour for guinea pigs. This helps to wear off the tips of their incisors which grow continually throughout their lives. If they are not able to gnaw, the teeth will grow too long and they will be unable to eat.

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