Guinea Pig

Social experience, behaviour, stress and health in guinea pigs

These data suggest that guinea pigs require considerable socialisation to acquire the skills necessary to build up stable social structures. If rearing conditions are inadequate this creates conditions of social instability and extreme endocrine changes occur.

Year Published: 1991Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Sachser, N. 1991. Social experience, behaviour, stress and health in guinea pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 31, 289 (Abstract).

Body weight and water intake of guinea pigs: influence of single caging and an unfamiliar new room

No changes in body weight are observed if adult male guinea pigs are removed from their groups and kept singly in their home enclosure. In contrast, subjects markedly lose weight and show a marked reduction of water intake if isolated...

Year Published: 1992Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Fenske, M. 1992. Body weight and water intake of guinea pigs: influence of single caging and an unfamiliar new room. Journal of Experimental Animal Science 35, 71-79.

Chronic monitoring of cardiovascular function in the conscious guinea pig using radio-telemetry

An implantable radio-telemetry device for chronic monitoring of arterial pressure and heart rate in the conscious guinea pig was validated against measurements using an exteriorized, indwelling catheter. There were no significant differences between simultaneous measurements in animals instrumented with both...

Year Published: 1994Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Depasquale, M. J., Ringer, L. W., Winslow, R. L. et al. 1994. Chronic monitoring of cardiovascular function in the conscious guinea pig using radio-telemetry. Clinical Experimentation of Hypertension 16, 245-260.

The ontogeny of male Guinea pigs living under different housing conditions

From these data is was concluded, that young male Guinea pigs develop more favourably in colonies than in pairs or singly.

Year Published: 1994Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Stanzel, K., Sachser, N. 1994. The ontogeny of male Guinea pigs living under different housing conditions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 40, 94 (Abstract).

The experimental Animal in Biomedical Research (Vol. II) – Care, Husbandry, and Well-Being: Guinea Pigs

Basic recommendations for the housing of guinea pigs. Wire-bottomed cages may cause foot problems. Bublefoot usually occurs in heavier adults in wire-bottomed cages in which hygiene is not optimal.

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Kesel, M. L. 1995. Guinea pigs. In: The Experimental Animal in Biomedical Research (Vol. II) - Care, Husbandry, and Well-Being . Rollin, B. E. , Kesel, M. L. (eds), 335-350. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals (Second Edition)

Photographic documentation of enforced restraint and handling techniques.

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Baboon, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Crocodile & Alligator, Dog, Equine, Fish, Gerbil, Gibbon, Goat, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Lizard, Macaque, Marine Mammal, Marmoset, Mole Rat, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Fowler, M. E. 1995. Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals (Second Edition). Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA.

Influence of feeding hay on the alopecia of breeding guinea pigs

Animals with partial alopecia were seen frequently in a breeding colony of guinea pigs. No pathologic aetiology could be determined. An influence of nutrition on the density of the hair coat was considered. Breeding groups were fed one of the...

Year Published: 1997Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Gerold, S., Huisinga, E., Iglauer, F. et al. 1997. Influence of feeding hay on the alopecia of breeding guinea pigs. Zentralblatt f?r Veterin?rmedizin 44, 341-348.

The Laboratory Guinea Pig

Barbering, or hair chewing may be the result of a dominance interaction between two guinea pigs or a behvioral vice. Animal may barber each other in a group housing situation, or may chew at their own hair.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Terril, L. A. , Clemons, D. J. 1998. The Laboratory Guinea Pig. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Social relationships and the management of stress

A male's endocrine stress response when placed in an unfamiliar cage is sharply reduced when a bonded female is present.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Sachser, N., Derschlag, M., Hirzel, D. 1998. Social relationships and the management of stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 23, 891-904.

The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals (7th ed): The Guinea Pig

General recommendations for the species-adequate housing of guinea-pigs.

Year Published: 1999Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: North, D. 1999. The guinea-pig. In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals (7th ed). UFAW [Universities Federation for Animal Welfare] (edited by Poole, T. and English, P. ), 268-288. Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK.