Breed! n,g: 



V7ell-developed females are sexaally mature at one month of age, "but 

 they should not "be "bred until 5 or 6 months old. The gestation period is 63 

 to 70 days. Consequently, "onder the best of circimstanccs not m.ore than 5 

 litters can "be produced within a year. The average number of yoijuig per litter 

 is about 3, and the maximum rarely exceeds 5 or 6. A female in "breeding 

 prime can "be expected to produce afoout 13 or 15 yo^'ong annually. 



The youJig are "born vrith eyes open and are fully furred. The mother weans 

 them after a^oout three weeks. Vrnen the young are ta^ken from the mother the 

 sexes should "be kept separate until ma.ting time. A pen holding 30 to 40 is 

 satisfactory for this purpose. It is ai'-'ays b3st to "Keep animals of a"bout the 

 same size together as the older and stronger males are likely to injure those 

 just weaned. 



?rom 3 to 5 fenales should "be mated permanently with one male. The 

 females should "be so grouped as to get along among fnemselves agreeably. This 

 they usuall;/ do, and frequently they nu.rBs yujig animals of a"bout the same age 

 as their ovjn indiscriminately. If the animals have no hereditary weakness, 

 in"breeding for a fev.- generations is not harmful. 



Management 



The q_uarters should always "be kept clean and sanitarjr. Hutches should 

 "be cleaned reg-alarly twice a week, oftener if necessary. This mac^r oe done with- 

 out removing t"he giainea pigs. It is a good plan to fumigate and disinfect the 

 hutches once or twice a year. 



The general healthiness of the guinea pigs \Arill "be sustained if a uni- 

 formly moderate temperature is provided s^nd if the animals are always kept dry. 



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