Q,R,S,T

Q is for:

Quick: The fleshy part under the guinea pig’s nails. If the quick bleeds when the nails are cut dipping in Arrowroot powder can help to stop the bleeding, or run under a cold tap, the bleeding will stop and usually heals without a problem.

Quiet: Your guinea pig’s breathing should be quiet unless a condition is present (e.g mycoplasmic pneumonia). Guinea pigs with loud breathing should see a vet.

R is for:

Rabbits: Guinea pigs and rabbits do not make good company. The RSPCA recommend the 2 species are kept seperately.

Red Self: One of the older Self varieties.

Rex: A curly coated variety of guinea pig with upright hairs. Comes in a variety of colours.

Rimadyl: Is an NSAID and a very effective painkiller and anti inflammatory without some of the side effects seen in Metacam. It also has the added benefit of being out of the body quicker than Metacam so if a guinea pig does not do well on Rimadyl an alternative can be sought. For more information on Rimadyl and NSAIDs read here.

Roan: A blend of white and coloured hairs with a solid coloured head, though not all guinea pigs that are this colour are genetically roan. A roan to roan mating has a chance of producing babies that are known as lethals. Lethals are often blind and deaf among other things.

Rosette: A rosette is an arrangement of hair found on some guinea pigs. The centre of a rosette on a pure bred guinea pig will have a pin point centre and the hairs will lay back from it in an orderly fashion. Rosettes are responsible for throwing the hair forward in Peruvians and Alpacas, therefore creating a ‘fringe’. Placement of rosettes will influence hairstyle and ridges ( a feature of the Abyssinian guinea pig and Ridge Back).

S is for:

Sable:

Satin: A glossy looking guinea pig. Glossy in a different way to matt coloured guinea pigs. Some of the Satin lines are affected with Osteodystrophy- a metabollic disease. Responsible breeders do not breed from affected lines.

Scurf: Scurf is dead skin that can be an indication of fungal problems.

Self: A solid coloured, typey guinea pig with droopy ears and large eyes. Found in a variety of standardised colours.

Shavings (wood): An unacceptable form of bedding for guinea pigs because all wood bedding contains oils- natural or otherwise and you will always run the risk of respiratory/skin problems or your guinea pig becoming sensitised to the oils. Alternatives such as Aubiose, Medibed and Megazorb are as widely available through farm shops.

Sheltie: A long haired smooth variety of guinea pig. The hair goes back off the face.

Skinny Pig: A hairless variety (almost), they have hair on the nose and feet.

Solid Agouti: An Agouti that is ticked all over the body including the belly.

Sow: Female guinea pig.

Swiss: A ‘frizzy’, semi longhaired, coated variety of guinea pig that is available in all colours.

Syringe: A 1ml syringe is an important piece of equipment for the first aid kit. Bigger syringes are better for attaching to Canulas and flushing abscesses.

T is for:

Teddy: A short haired guinea pig with hairs that stand out from the body giving the appearance of a Rex Guinea pig but the hairs of the Teddy are straight.

Teeth: A guinea pig’s mouth has 20 teeth; 4 Incisors (2 top, 2 bottom), and 16 Molar (including Pre Molar) distributed between the upper and lower jaws. All guinea pig mouths are not the same, despite having the same dental make up. Guinea pigs can manage with one less or even one or two more Incisors in some cases, but all dental related problems should be seen by a guinea pig competent vet. The sooner they are put right and correctly, the easier they are to ‘fix’.

Texel: A Rexed version of the Sheltie with hair swept back off the face, in similar style as a Sheltie. Texels have the coarsest hair  of the Alpaca, Merino and Texel. Texels are bred in all colours and patterns as they are judged for coat not colour (in the UK).

Tortoiseshell: A red and black variety of guinea pig. Patched as opposed to Brindled.

December 29, 2008   Posted in: Wheekerpedia

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