Many theories abound why guinea pigs are called as such, but according to Bill Gordon of smallpetselect.com, one theory is that the word guinea is a corruption of the word Guiana, a place in South America. Another theory is that they are the closest thing that can be bought for the price of a guinea in England. A third theory claims that guinea pigs were picked up by Europeans from the country of Guinea in West Africa. Although no specific theory could account for how the name evolved, it has gone on to be associated with one of the most-loved pets in the world.
But there are some things that must be considered before buying a pet guinea pig, according to Lianne Mcleod, writing for The Spruce.
Raising guinea pigs is a long-term commitment even if they do not live as long as dogs or cats. The average lifespan of guinea pigs is from five to seven years, but they can go on living up to 10 years. They can grow up to 10 inches long and weigh between two to three pounds. They have round stout bodies with no visible tails. The most common breeds are the American with short smooth hair coat, the Abyssinian, with short coat swirls called rosettes and the long-haired Peruvian.
They may be nervous at first but they are easily tamed with gentle handling. Guinea pigs are social animals and will not mind being housed with
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Also, they must be supplied with fresh water twice, which the guinea pigs may refuse to drink because of the taste. They should be fed commercial pellets daily because Vitamin C has been added to these pellets. Young guinea pigs can be given alfalfa-based pellets and adults can be given Timothy hay-based pellets. Refrain from giving pellets that have nuts, seeds, dried fruits, corn and animal by-products, beet pulp or other fillers. The same is true for pellets with high sugar content or with preservatives or other chemicals