5 interesting facts about
Guinea Pigs
Fact #1: A misleading name
Guinea pigs are not pigs and are definitely not from Guinea. In actual fact, guinea pigs originated from the Andes in South America.
Guinea Pigs are also named “Cavy”. A male guinea pig is called a boar and a female is called a sow.
Misleading indeed!?
Fact #2: Old school Socialites
In the wild, guinea pigs live in “herds” with a dominant male who breeds with the females of his group.
Fact #3: A biological wonder
Guinea pigs have 4 toes on the forefoot and 3 on the hind foot. Guinea Pigs are unable to produce their Vitamin C so it needs to be included in their diet.
Fact #4: Wonder Years
A guinea pig lifespan is between 7 to 9 years. One lucky guinea pig, Snowball, managed to live up to the tender age of 15, a Guinness world record.
Fact #5: The prettiest of them all?
Guinea pigs boasts five different types of hair in their coat.
Located near Bury St Edmunds, Pakenham Windmill offers a wide range of animal feeds including guinea pigs food. Visit www.pakenhamwindmill.co.uk to find out more.