GUINEA PIG HEALTH FACTS
- GUINEA PIG LIFE EXPECTANCY: 4 – 8 YEARS
- BODY TEMPERATURE: ~37°C TO ~39°C (99°F – 103°F)
- IDEAL ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE: 19°C – 22°C (68°F – 72°F) *NOTE: MORE TOLERANT TO LOWER THAN HIGHER TEMPERATURES
- HEART RATE: 240 – 350 BEATS PER MINUTE
- RESPIRATORY RATE: 40 – 150 BREATHS PER MINUTE
- ADULT BODY WEIGHT: 700G – 1200G
- BIRTH WEIGHT: 60G – 110G
- ADULT BODY LENGTH: 10 INCHES (25 CM, OR 0.8 FT) – 14 INCHES (36 CM, OR 1.2 FT)
- PREGNANCY: 59 – 72 DAYS BIRTH: 10-30 MINUTES, USUALLY OVER NIGHT
- LITTER SIZE: 1 – 6 LACTATION PERIOD: 2 WEEKS; SHOULD COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER BIRTH
- TEETH: 20 TEETH, OPEN-ROOTED (CONTINUOUSLY GROWING THROUGHOUT LIFE)
- FOOD PREFERENCES: STRICT HERBIVORES (VEGETARIAN)
- HEARING ABILITIES: BETTER THAN HUMAN (ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES), RANGE OF 125HZ – 33KHZ (SUSPECTED EVEN TO 50KHZ), HUMAN RANGE: 20HZ – 20KHZ
- VISUAL PERCEPTION: COLOR VISION, 340 DEGREE RANGE OF VISION, POOR DEPTH PERCEPTION, 33 IMAGES PER SECOND (HUMANS SEE 22)
- SMELLING ABILITIES: HIGHLY DEVELOPED, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT OF A HUMAN AND THAT OF A DOG TASTING ABILITIES