Pippi, Lotta, Sam, Hugo, Jim, Bob and Roxy
Guinea pigs have a new home
Guinea pigs have been kept as pets since the 20th century. They are particularly suitable for children: theyare robust andare not as quick to bite as rabbits. However, they do not want to be alone and appreciate having at leastone partnerin their enclosure.
A very animal-loving ladywhohas taken in 7 guinea pigs overtheyears. Now a baby has arrived and she no longer has the time to give her little pets the attention they need. She doesn’t want her “Meerlis“, as she affectionately calls her, to miss out and asked to be taken in at Gut Aiderbichl. For Pippi, Lotta, Sam, Hugo, Jim, Bob and Roxy will now call Gut Aiderbichl Henndorftheir new home.
Guinea pigs are popular pets
Where does the name “guinea pig” actually come from? The animal’s name probably originated because Spanish sailors brought the animals across the sea to Europe. The squeaking noisesof guinea pigs are reminiscent of those of domestic pigs.
The oldest finds that can be clearly assigned to the domestic guinea pig, comefrom the north-central highlands of Peru and the coastal plain of Ecuador. For over 4000 years, guinea pigs have been considered a delicacy in the Andes region and are now also fattened to up to 4 kg body weight in intensive fattening.
Guinea pigs as laboratory animals and as food animals
Like mice, for example, guinea pigs are also used as laboratory animals. They are kept in laboratories for medical tests, to research stress and social behaviour, to test new active substances in medicine, etc.
Guinea pigs are suitable as food animals for various predators and birds of prey in zoos and animal parks. Adult guinea pigs are also fed to snakes.
Pippi, Lotta, Sam, Hugo, Jim, Bob and Roxy and the Aiderbichler rabbits
Rabbits and guinea pigs generally only get along if they live together from an early age. Simply adding guinea pigs to adult rabbits can be fatal for the guinea pig, as some rabbits defend their territory against intruders.
Our small group gets on very well with the long-eared cats. Pippi, Lotta, Sam, Hugo, Jim, Bob and Roxy have a very nice enclosure of their own, but also like to flirt with the rabbits.
If you want to keep rabbits and guinea pigs in a group, it’s important that the living space is spacious. Pippi, Lotta, Sam, Hugo, Jim, Bob and Roxy have a large enclosure to themselves, and in due course we will know whether it will be possible for them to live together in the enclosure with the rabbits.
Pippi, Lotta, Sam, Hugo, Jim, Bob and Roxy are looking forward to your visit in Henndorf.
