Despite their name they are not pigs and do not come from Guinea. They originated in the Andes. Another name for a Guinea pig is a ‘Cavy’. A male guinea pigs called a boar and female is called a sow.
In the wild they live in ‘herds’ with a dominant boar (male) who breeds with the females. Guinea pigs cannot naturally produce Vitamin C in their bodies which is why you need to supplement their diets with the vitamin. Here at the Wildlife Park we have 4 females and 2 males.
You can meet them during our ‘cuddle a cavy’ session that is held every day.
Scientific Name:
Cavia porcellus
Status:
Not evaluated
Size:
Body length is up to 25cm
Weight:
Up to 1kg
Life Span in Wild:
Up to 8 years
Habitat:
Domesticated
Diet:
Herbivore
