While we see mainly dogs and cats here at A2AH, we want to be sure to recognize the other pets that may be present and oh-so-important in your lives. Like Guinea Pigs! While in some countries (like Peru) guinea pigs are served on the menu, in our country they are considered cute and cuddly pets. My sister and I raised a pair of guinea pigs when we were young, Lily and Shadow, and both animals were incredibly mild mannered and wonderful pets. Courtesy of Guineapigtoday.com I have included a few interesting facts about guinea pigs below:

• Guinea pigs have “open-rooted” teeth. This means their teeth don’t stop growing so it’s important to provide them with constant hay and other feed so they can keep their teeth at a normal length.
• A guinea pig’s body temperature is between 99-103 degrees. Because of this it’s very important to be mindful of exposing a guinea pig to hot temperatures and direct sunlight so they don’t overheat.
• Baby guinea pigs are born with all their hair, eyes open, and their teeth fully developed.
• Male guinea pigs can reach sexual maturity within 3-5 weeks and female in as little as 4 weeks, so be sure to separate the genders to prevent more litters!

As with any other pet, the owners of guinea pigs have various reasons for surrendering them over to an adoption agency and there are many websites that offer information and resources on raising guinea pigs. We recommend the link above, and try petfinder.com if you’re looking to adopt.