KAISING GUINEA PIGS. 



7 



breeder undertaking to supply animals to laboratories must give 

 absolute assurance as to their suitability for experiments. If he 

 can do this and furnish the animals as needed, he should be able to 

 command good prices for them and to estabHsh a permanent and 

 lucrative business. 



MANAGEMENT OF GUINEA PIGS. 



Few animals are as easily raised as guinea pigs. They are much 

 less subject to diseases than rabbits. The more important items in 

 their management will be explained under the headings : Selection of 

 stock; Hutches and pens ; Food; Breeding; and Diseases and enemies. 



SELECTION OF STOCK. 



For all purposes, except show, the only kinds of guinea pigs that 

 should be grown are the smooth-haired varieties. These are of 

 several colors. Those with pink eyes are albinos, usually pure white, 

 but sometimes more or less marked with obscure spots. Occasion- 

 ally an individual guinea pig is of a single color other than white. 

 Thus they may be red, gray, brown, or glossy black, but it seems 

 impossible to produce a pure strain of self-colored stock, except the 

 white. The majority of domestic cavies are spotted, the common 

 colors being fawn, light gray, red brown, dark brown, and cream, 

 interspersed with white or black or both white and black. The pig- 

 ment of the hair extends also to the skin, which is white only under 

 white or cream areas of fur. 



If guinea pigs are raised for table use, light-colored kinds are to be 

 preferred; if for scientific purposes, color is of little importance, 

 although distinctive markings are desirable. When raised as pets 

 or for show, the fancy of the breeder may be followed. In any case 

 strong healthy animals of good size should be chosen for breeding 

 stock. A full-grown cavy in good flesh should weigh nearly 2 pounds. 

 This weight will not often be attained under 18 months of age. 

 Instances of 3 pounds weight for males at 3 years have been recorded. 

 As a rule females, except when pregnant, are lighter than males of 

 the same age. The chief point in selecting stock is to obtain healthy 

 animals that will mature quickly and attain a good size. 



HUTCHES AND PENS. 



Two general methods of managing guinea pigs have been advo- 

 cated — courts and hutches. In court management the animals are 

 kept in open or covered courts in which they have considerable room 

 to exercise. The courts are divided into smaller runs, each of which 

 has its own hutches or sleeping shelters. The size of the runs is 



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