Guinea Pig

scientific name

Cavia porcellus

adaptations/coloration

Color: various
Body: small " chunky " tailless
Ears: round
Feet/Toes: small " front have four toes " hind have three toes " all toes have broad claws
Hair Lengths: various
Legs: short
Muzzle: short " blunt
Senses: smell & hearing keen

behavior

nocturnal
Defense: escapes enemies by running and hiding in rock crevices & under logs
Personality: gregarious
Vocal: squeal & grunt when hungry, excited or afraid

reproduction/lifespan

Birth Interval. 4 litters/year
Gestation: 65 days
Litters: 4 per year/2 - 4 per litter " eyes open " full coat of fur
Maturity: 1 - 2 mos.

diet

herbivore
Wild: fruit, grasses, grains & leaves
Zoo: Guinea Pig Chow, carrots, apples, & lettuce

habitat/range

burrows in dense underbrush " South America

status

common

other

rodent, not pig " raised for food by Incas " buried in the tombs of kings & nobles

oregon zoo exhibit

Education Programs