The Teddy guinea pig is a cute and adorable breed of guinea pig and that is why they got this name teddy because they have cute fur like a teddy.
They are a popular breed of guinea pigs and are also quite friendly in nature. You will also find that the teddy guinea pig loves the company of the guinea pig and are quite friendly in nature. They are calm in nature and also they are known for their easy-going nature that is why they are preferred by lots of people as a pet.
The teddy guinea pig needs lots of love and care from its owners so that it can live a happy and satisfying life. You need to make sure that your teddy guinea pig does not face any issues while they are living inside the captivity. In this guide, we will discuss one of its breeds that is a teddy guinea pig. We will discuss almost everything about them so that we can know them in a better way and also how amazing pets they are.
Contents
General overview
We will begin with a general overview regarding the teddy guinea so that you can have a basic knowledge about them:-
- They belong to the family of cavies which is the other name for the guinea pig.
- The teddy guinea pig needs medium care which means neither too much nor too less.
- The nature of this teddy guinea pig is social, affectionate, needy, and friendly and that is why they are considered as one of the best pets.
- They usually reside in the temperature i.e. 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 80 degrees Fahrenheit which means in a warm and humid temperature.
- These guinea pigs are usually available in gold, cream, black, lilac, brindle, and beige color. This means that you can find lots of color in the cute teddy guinea pig.
- The size of the teddy guinea pig is 10 to 12 inches in length and they weigh around 1 to 3.5 pounds.
- The life span of these guinea pigs is 7 to 11 years they will live as much as you will care about them so that they do not face any sort of health issues.
- The main diet of this teddy guinea pig is hay, herbs, and vegetables and they survive on these food items.
- The minimum tank size that is required for them so that they can live a comfortable life is 8 square feet per animal.
- The teddy guinea pigs also like to live in herds like the other breeds of guinea pigs so if possible bring 2 teddy guinea pigs at home as a pet so that they can live a happy and sustainable life.
These are some of the common and basic things that you should know about the teddy guinea pig before going further so that you know them generally and also what they exactly are so that if you want to keep them as a pet you can do that without any issue.
Physical characteristics of Teddy Guinea Pig
The Teddy guinea pig is named so because of its hair coat that is similar to the little teddy. They are cute to look at a weight between 1 to 4 pounds and are 10 to 12 inches long. The largest teddy guinea pig that you will encounter will be around 1 foot long. They have a Roman nose that is found in this species of guinea pig and not the others and this nose is wider and also it curves in the upward direction.
You will find various hair coat colors in these little piggies and the most common ones are brown, black, orange, gold, chestnut, beige, and even red, you will also find colors other than these, and also there are patterns made on their hair coat with two or more colors making them more adorable to look at.
The hair coat of the teddy guinea pig is denser as compared to other breeds of the guineas pig and that is why they are called teddy also this makes them appear cuter and they are quite soft to touch. There is a variety of teddy guinea pigs that is called a satin variety because they have a glossy shine to their hair coat.
Temperament of teddy guinea pig
The Teddy guinea pig is an awesome pet as we have discussed earlier because they are loving and affectionate in nature and above all, they are friendly in nature and love the presence of human beings around them.
They also love snuggling with people and by doing such cute stuff even their owners are quite fond of them. They are calm in nature and also because of that they are easy to handle. They are compatible with other guinea pigs too as they are herd animals who love to live and stay in packs.
They are social in nature and that is the reason that they do well with other animals also like small rodents, rabbits and even they are good companions of cats and dogs.
The teddy guinea pig are amazing social creatures and they want at least one companion for themselves as their owner cannot spend whole day with them. So in order to not make them feel lonely and depressed, it is better that you should provide them with another companion so that they can live a happy and satisfied life inside the captivity.
Diet of teddy guinea pig
The teddy guinea pig should be fed high-quality food that is filled with nutrients so that they do not face any sort of health issues. They usually feed upon hay, herbs, and vegetables as their primary diet. Other than these you can feed them with fruits too but that should be occasionally as a treat.
You need to make sure that whatever you feed the little piggy with it should have some nutritive value and also that can benefit the body of the teddy guinea pig. Make sure that whatever you are feeding them with should not be toxic for them because such things can even prove fatal for them.
They should eat healthy and fresh and also organic food. Try to feed them with raw food because they are not used to cooked food and the nutritive value of the cooked food is less than the raw one.
The fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, etc. should be given to them in chopped form and also in small quantity so that they do not face any difficulty while eating it.
Your teddy guinea pig should have 24 x 7 access to the freshwater so that they can stay hydrated throughout the day and do not face any situation where they have to stay thirsty.
The water that you should provide to them should be fresh, clean, and does not contain any type of chemicals.
The water is essential for them and also if you provide them with water in the bowl it should be cleaned every day and freshwater should be filled in it so that they do not face any sort of health issues. You can even provide water for them in the water bottle depending upon the needs and requirements of your pet.
Health issues regarding teddy guinea pig
There are cases when the teddy guinea pig will not be healthy and they will face some sort of health issues due to various reasons and at that time you need to take care of them so that they do not face any such issue. the common health issue that teddy guinea pig goes through is ear infections, skin issues, bumblefoot, scurvy, urinary tract infection, kidney stones, etc.
These are some of the common health issues that your teddy guinea pig will go through if they will not get proper care, proper diet or they might be going through some mental or physical stress.
You need to look after them properly and if you are not able to help them, then the best thing that you can do is take them to the hospital to the vet as they know what is wrong with them and they can help your pet out by giving the immediate medical help if needed.
The most important thing when it comes to the health of your pet is how much you understand them so that you can give them a healthy lifestyle that will prevent them from harmful diseases. You need to maintain proper hygiene and also look after their basic needs too so that they do not face any sort of issue neither physical nor mental.
Grooming of teddy guinea pig
You can take care of the teddy guinea pig by grooming them properly. You need to groom their hair by brushing it sometimes so that anything is attached to their hair is removed through brushing as they have dense hair. Also, clean them whenever you think they are too dirty or after some regular intervals. You should also provide them with a clean cage that has proper ventilation.
You need to clean their cage on a regular basis so that they do not face any problems while staying inside it. Cleaner the cage healthier will be your little piggy. Make sure you provide them with the best of everything so that they do not face any sort of problem. The teddy guinea pig needs lots of love and care from their owners and while grooming them you can be loving and caring towards them.
Also, you will notice that their ears develop lots of ear wax and you need to regularly remove it but need to be extra careful with them. If you do not remove this excessive wax they can have issues like ear infections, so make sure that you clear the wax from their ears so that they do not suffer from any sort of health issue.
The teddy guinea pig should be groomed in a proper manner because it will not only help them to stay clean but also in this way their hygiene will also be maintained and they will be able to live a healthy life. So the majority of the health of the teddy guinea pig is dependent on their owners how they treat them and what type of lifestyle they provide to their cute little pet.
How much does a teddy guinea pig cost?
The Teddy guinea pig is not a rare breed but it is a popular one because it is preferred by lots of people and you can find them in any pet store and even the rescue shelters. You can even get them from the guinea pig breeders who will tell you everything regarding these little pets.
The general cost of this teddy guinea pig is around $25 to $30 and that is fine for them, as these can be found easily in the market and if you want the teddy guinea pig in certain colors and patterns then they will coat a bit more than the regular one. So make sure that when you get a teddy guinea pig at home you give them proper care and love so that they can grow up into a healthy guinea pigs.
Final thoughts:
The Teddy guinea pig is a cute and adorable pet and on top of that, it is friendly in nature because of its social behavior they are popular pets. The Teddy guinea pig is dependent on their owners for most of the things and that is why you need to take proper care of them so that they can live a happy and healthy lifestyle inside their cage.
The Teddy guinea pig is a good and friendly companion of their owners and that is the reason that you should understand them and provide them with the best of everything so that they can live a comfortable life with you and also do not create any problem for you too.
The teddy guinea pigs do not like to be left alone so they want companions so if their owners spend as much time as possible with them they will live a happy and satisfying life.
More:
- Gerbil VS Guinea Pig: Which Pet Should You Get?
- Guinea Pig Or Hamster? Which One Is Right For You?
- Sheltie Guinea Pig: Everything You Need To Know