Exotic rosette guinea pigs have a completely unusual appearance. They look as if they just left the hairdresser, and they did an unusual styling. The temper is cheerful among these rodents, among exotic lovers they are popular. The Abyssinian guinea pig brings a lot of pleasant emotions, and caring for it is not at all difficult.
What are they like?
These rodents are incredibly mobile, they don’t need special care for their hair, they bathe them with special shampoo bought at pet stores. The peculiarity of this breed is exorbitant greed for food, so do not overfeed them, they will not refuse. For those who want to tame them and teach something, this feature is at hand. For food they are ready to do almost anything. Breeders breeding this breed need to work hard, because in breeding this breed is the hardest. If you manage to get good offspring - this is an occasion for pride.
You will recognize them by their appearance.
Guinea pigs are different, but if you see an Abyssinian, then you will definitely know that it is he. From the rosettes on the wool, you can immediately determine this breed. In the photo of Abyssinian guinea pigs, funnels of wool are visible. They look like an opened flower, such growth is due to mutations. They can be throughout the body of the animal and even on the head. Throughout the fur there can be from 6 to 10 pieces. Special forms of mutations can occur in double sockets. Then the rodent is all in small rosettes, there can be up to 30 pieces.
For different individuals, their location and appearance are completely different, but such outlets are considered ideal where there is a clear center and extra hairs do not come out of it.
On each side of the body should be the same number of these funnels and the location is symmetrical. An Abyssinian breed guinea pig is considered ideal if it has 8-10 such whirls on the fur. The edges should be clear so that it can be seen where one ends and the other begins.
But no matter how much the breeders wish, such ideal rodents are not often born. By exhibition standards, their hair and vortices are usually imperfect. But these cute pets are brought up just to care for them, and they love them the way they are.
Active and naughty
The Abyssinians were brought to Europe from America back in the 16th century. It is not known for what reason they were given such a name, but so far it has taken root and is used. When it comes to a rodent with swirls on the wool, everyone understands that this is an Abyssinian guinea pig.
The description of their character by the breeders also causes a lot of positive emotions. In addition to a bright appearance, they still have a mischievous disposition. They are more active than other breeds, too curious. No experiments have been conducted to confirm this theory, but breeders and owners say that it is. Calm people may be afraid that their pets will be too active and be afraid to start them. But they are really wonderful roommates, each has its own character. Any pet likes to be in the company of its owners, and guinea pigs too. But longer than her relatives, the Abyssinian guinea pig likes to stay in this society. Care and maintenance at home does not require special skills. So do not be afraid that this cute pet will violate your usual lifestyle. But his company will be much more fun, that's for sure.
Keep your pet clean and beautiful.
Like any individual, pigs are especially active at a young age, then they become a little calmer. If an Abyssinian guinea pig appears in the family, care and maintenance must be kept under constant review. Caring for them is not more difficult than for other pets.
If we compare the care of different breeds of rodents, then here is the main distinguishing feature in the care of wool. The animal must be constantly combed to prevent confusion in the coat. They are willingly given for combing, because they trust their owners, it is easy to make friends with them and establish good relations. It is believed that they are easy to train.
It is not necessary to comb them every day, once a week is enough. To do this, you just need to purchase a soft brush and from time to time to bring their “hairstyle” in order.
Question with swimming
Like all living things, Abyssinian guinea pigs need a swim. Their fur may get dirty, excretory processes occur on the skin, and they may have a smell that is unpleasant for humans. Rodents clean themselves up, and there is no need to bathe them constantly, this should only be done as a last resort, for this there are special shampoos in pet stores.
In summer, they can become more polluted because they walk on the street, naturally, under the supervision of the owners. And at home they are in cells, and there are fewer opportunities to get dirty. The cage should be spacious to run and train there. If the animal has little space, it will be unhappy. When there is no way to provide it with a large cage, then it is worth releasing it more often so that it runs.
Multi-colored animals
These pets come in different colors. Therefore, you can choose for yourself the Abyssinian guinea pig in the color that the soul is prettier. Tortoiseshell color is usually red and black spots throughout the body.
Brindl's color is also a two-tone color with black and red hairs, but they are randomly mixed throughout the body. Even the eyes of these pigs are black-brown, and the claws, ears and soles of the paws are black. Brindles can be light and dark, it all depends on what color of the coat dominates in the color.
Color Rune or Ron in pigs with a white coat, it is mixed with different shades of white.
And Selfie is a solid color, it can be black, white, red, red, brown.
In this multi-colored with rosettes on the wool, they look beautiful. But in order to evaluate the rodent of this breed, you need to wait until it turns 20 weeks old, until this moment the sockets are not pronounced. If after this age there are more than 20 vortices, then this individual is rejected, but for some owners this is not important, and they still buy them for themselves.
Proper care
When an Abyssinian guinea pig is kept in good conditions, it lives 6-8 years. Although these creatures are very active, yet they also sometimes need complete silence and peace. They need a place where they can safely eat, play. Housing should be well ventilated. The aquarium is not suitable, there the animal will have to breathe the fumes of its stool. It should be a spacious cage. For each resident there should be 1 sq. M. territory. Also sure to be available should be feeders and a drinking bowl with fresh water.
The size of the Abyssinian guinea pig can be from 25 to 35 cm, so it is worth considering the size of accessories for it. Ladders and toys must match the size of the animal.
When placing a cage, it is worth remembering that this rodent does not tolerate heat well. Cold and high humidity are not suitable for him. The pigs are subject to the same temperature conditions as humans, and this is 18-23 degrees Celsius. They should not be placed near noise sources such as a television, for example.
Off-schedule meals
Guinea pigs like to eat, but this does not mean that they should put everything that is on the table at the owners in the feeder. For these rodents, greenish hay should be the main food. In unlimited quantities, you can give young branches of willow, fruit trees. About 20% of the diet is a balanced mixture of cereals. The same ratio should be: fresh grass, fruits and vegetables. As a treat, you can give homemade crackers without seasoning.
Normally, an adult animal eats 1-2 tbsp. l food. The norm is divided by 2-3 times and left in parts in the cage, and the pig eats when he wants.
Grain sticks with honey are sold in stores. They can be given once a week.
In summer there are plenty of herbs, but not all of them can be eaten by guinea pigs. Do not give the rodent spinach, parsnip, sorrel, poppy, burdock, lilac, lily of the valley and bindweed. Such plants can poison the animal.
You can safely add linden, pansies, lingonberries, lettuce, rose hips, dandelion roots, chamomile, caraway seeds and calendula to the diet.
Parasite control
It does not matter for the parasite whose resources to use, so it is worth periodically checking the hair for fleas, ticks and lice eaters. If an unpleasant odor appears from the ears and the animal shakes its head, this may be a sign that an ear mite has been wound up. In this case, it is necessary to carry the animal to the veterinarian. It is important to keep the animal clean, constantly clean the cage and carry out disinfection, so it will be possible to protect it from some diseases.