Content
- Origin of the guinea pig coronet
- Characteristics of the coronet guinea pig
- Temperament of the guinea pig coronet
- Coronet guinea pig care
- Coronet guinea pig feeding
- Coronet guinea pig health
The guinea pig coronet arose from crosses between shelties guinea pigs, characterized by having a long coat, and crowned guinea pigs, which have as their main characteristics a crown or crest on the head and a short coat. As a result, a longhaired pig with crown, which can be of various colors. Like all little pigs, they have an elongated body, with short legs and a large head. As far as his temperament is concerned, he is a docile, friendly, pleasant and playful pig. He loves human company, not hesitating to squeal or squeak to get attention. Their diet, as well as that of other guinea pigs, must be balanced and include hay, fruits, vegetables and feed for guinea pigs in adequate proportions to prevent diseases and maintain the correct metabolism and functionality of the body.
Read on to know all the characteristics of the guinea pig coronet and its main cares, as well as its origin, temperament and health.
Source- Europe
- UK
Origin of the guinea pig coronet
The guinea pig coronet is a long-haired pig that emerged from the cross between a crowned pig and a sheltie pig. These crossings started in England in the 1970s and continued in the United States in search of an even longer coat, which was achieved by mixing the sheltie guinea pig with crowned guinea pigs that had longer hairs on their backs. The result was a piglet with the long coat of shelties and the crown of crowned guinea pigs.
The coronet guinea pig breed was first recognized in 1998 by the American Rabbit Association, which is affiliated with the American Guinea Pig Association.
Characteristics of the coronet guinea pig
The guinea pig coronet is mainly characterized by having long hairs that fall in cascade all over the body, except for the face. It has a crown on its forehead which, unlike its crowned pig relatives, can be of many colors, not just white.
It weighs between 700 grams and 1.2 kg and can be between 25 and 35 cm in length, with males being larger than females. The coronet pig is characterized by having elongated body, large head and practically undifferentiated from the body, lively eyes and short legs. The color of its coat can vary in different shades, but the brown colors. It is also possible to find satin specimens, with a brighter and denser coat. However, this type of guinea pig has not yet been recognized by the American Association of Guinea Pigs.
The coronet guinea pig reaches maturity at three months of age and a female can carry 2 to 5 pups in a gestation period that lasts between 59 and 72 days.
Temperament of the guinea pig coronet
The coronet guinea pig is an ideal companion, especially for the youngest in the house. it's a little pig very affectionate, friendly and playful. They love to call attention to their fellow humans devoting time to them, at any time of day. are little pigs very energetic who spend no more time than necessary resting. This feature has advantages in preventing overweight and obesity, but at the same time, it requires a lot of attention.
It is precisely because of this need for attention that another characteristic of the temperament of these guinea pigs is that they tend to squeak or squeal for your humans to answer your call, this being one of your ways to communicate.Therefore, it is a good idea to get toys for guinea pigs that satisfy this playful, curious, tender and restless instinct.
Coronet guinea pig care
The main care of the coronet guinea pig is hygiene and maintaining your long coat. Brushing should be done daily to untangle and avoid the appearance of knots. For this, a soft bristle brush should be used. The coronet guinea pig can bathe, but it is necessary to use a specific shampoo for guinea pigs or rodents, and dry it very well to avoid colds or respiratory illnesses. You can also trim the coat in certain areas if it's too long.
Continuing with the care of the coronet pig, the nails should be cut when they are long, and this is usually done once a month. It is necessary check the pig's teeth to detect dental problems such as malocclusion.
The coronet guinea pig needs a cage sheltered in a quiet, noise-free place, with a minimum size of 80 cm long x 40 cm wide and not too high. The surface should be smooth and not leaky, to avoid injury, and should have an abundant lining that absorbs moisture from urine and fresh food. The ideal temperature is between 10 and 25ºC. Must go out several times a day so they can feel free, run and play, something they need and love a lot. Of course, during these times it is advisable to monitor the animal to prevent it from getting hurt or lost.
As we're talking about a little pig that needs a lot of attention, it's also part of your care to spend time pampering and playing with it. Likewise, the adequate environmental enrichment It's vital to keep him entertained while he's alone or when we don't have enough time, so he'll need lots of toys. Find out in this article how to make toys for guinea pigs.
As a prevention, it will be necessary at least one annual routine visit to the veterinary center to check if the pig is healthy, as well as when any symptoms of illness appear.
Coronet guinea pig feeding
Some of the diseases that affect coronet guinea pigs can often be prevented with proper nutrition. Feeding a coronet piglet should include the following foods in their proper proportions: hay, fruits, vegetables and feed.
First, composing between 65 and 70% of the diet, the hay it is the main food, as it is fibrous and good for metabolism and intestinal transit. Second, you must include several fruits and vegetables in about 25% from the diet to the contribution with vitamins, minerals and moisture. Some of these vegetables and fruits that coronet guinea pigs can safely consume are as follows:
- Orange
- Apple
- Pear
- Pear
- blueberry
- Strawberry
- Papaya
- Kiwi
- Roman lettuce (never the american one)
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Cabbage
- Peas
- Bell pepper
- Chard
- Cherry
- Tomato
Discover the complete list of recommended fruits and vegetables for guinea pigs.
Third, but no less important or necessary, is the guinea pig feed, taking care of 5 to 10% of our piggy's daily diet. With the feed it is possible to meet the daily nutritional needs and, together with fruits and vegetables, meet the needs of vitamin C.
Water should be supplied to the coronet guinea pigs in a rodent trough, not in a container in the cage, as in this case there is a risk of stagnation and the water can become a source of bacteria.
Coronet guinea pig health
Coronet guinea pigs have a life expectancy between 5 and 9 years, as long as they are cared for and their health treated as they deserve. Regarding the health of these little pigs, the following important diseases stand out:
- digestive problems like cecal dysbiosis. This disease is characterized by the transformation of the natural commensal flora of the transition between the cecum and colon by pathogenic microorganisms or a different flora. This usually occurs when there are certain predisposing factors to reduce colon motility, such as a low-fiber diet, a large intake of fermentable carbohydrates, or a bacterial infection. Clostridium piriform.
- Scurvy or Vitamin C Deficiency. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for guinea pigs, which cannot synthesize it like other animals and need to get it from food. This disease occurs when the pig's diet is unbalanced, does not respect the indicated proportions or lacks foods, fruits and vegetables that are sources of vitamins, including vitamin C. Scurvy in guinea pigs can produce clinical signs such as diseases respiratory, immunosuppression, internal bleeding, hypersalivation, anorexia, skin and hair problems, pododermatitis, lameness and weakness.
- Dental malocclusion: occurs when teeth are not well aligned or do not have adequate growth, losing alignment and symmetry, which predisposes to the formation of wounds and infections, as well as adequate food intake, which can cause digestive problems.
- Breathing problems: produce symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, fever, runny nose, malaise, depression, dyspnea and breath sounds. They usually appear when the diet is inadequate or when there is a vitamin C deficiency causing immunosuppression, when they get cold after a bath, or when their cage is in a place where there are drafts.
- external parasites by fleas, mites, lice and ticks. In addition to the lesions caused on the skin of the pig, these small organisms can transmit diseases, so to prevent or kill them, the guinea pig must be dewormed.
In fact, most of the most common diseases that can affect coronet guinea pigs can be prevented with good management and proper care. In the presence of any sign of illness, such as isolation, fever, depression, not wanting to play, decay, lethargy, tearing, inadequate stools, increased water intake, anorexia, appearance of skin lesions or dental changes, go to the an exotic animal veterinarian to find a solution as quickly as possible.