1969 School Magazine

( rhe marking-s not unlike a- poddy-calf) Bolivian Unu*e" F'emales may reproduce as early as one m*"rh, but as it is better to wait undl they qe f*lly gfown , Bt about nine months, our family additiJn was another female. trt is interesting to note the vast selection and unlimited possibilities for combinations of colours and patterns, enabling everyone to exercise- his own personal taste when choosing a pet. The colours include black, tan, cream, chocolate( red, white, golden, silver, blue, cinnarnon, orange, beige, lilac and slate and the combination thereof. Th; Peruvian is one of the oldest and scarcest varieties, with long fine, silky hair parting from the spine to flow somewhat like a mane. The coat is so even in length that it is difficult to distin- guish the head from the tail. The length of the coftt is a rnost import ant factor in his beauty, the longer the better. The Peruvian is the aristocrat of altr cavies. Another variety, the Agouti, is said to be the original animal brought back from South Aneerica by the Spaniards. There are two distinct varieties, the Silver Agouti and the Golden Agouti" Their marking is a rnixture of black, with gold and silver tipped hair. "Self " is the term applied to the solid-covered coat variety and is the most popular for the amateur breeder. It is not difficult to reproduce the solid colours and its size, shape and shade can be more easily con- trolled than in other breeds. The "Self" cavy is large in size, short bodied, deep shouldered and has a blunt Roman nose. The eyes are large, bold and well set and its ears are even and drooping like rose petals. There are seven colours, but srhite is the most popular and with careful breed- ing, the colours reaih a point of perfection in brightness, rich tone, strength and stamina. Introducing our neur arrival presented no problem as the presence of another cavy brought inarnediate reassurance and relaxation. Lilce dogs the fixro sniffed each other in recognition and gaining confidence, together they ventured further afield" Frowever, any sudden noise soon sent them scurr"ying back to huddle together, motionless, in a corllef . Cavies arg quite defenceless and the greatest enemy in a suburban home is the stray dog, par- ticutrarly at nigh1. \fle found it necessary to biriid E, cage for out-door, which could be to".a -pro- gressively across the lawn, and an indoor t-rurcf, tor safety at night, the floor of which was covered irr neryspaper and huy. our pers roor i;;;.t;; recognize oul footsteps and whistle when hungry. Their acute hearing o"i.[ti r..og'izes the crackle of a biscuit pu.li.t' und' t[. -]iftI; auvrrinian learned ro sit up and b.s ;a ilp;"d.j 1" its name.

Guinea pigs ate rnainly vegetatians and will ravenously devour almost all vegetables, except onions and potatoes, at an alarming tate, and although they can live without water v/e iound that one 'was a "water baby" , happy to play under the hose and demanded a consrant bowl bf milk or water, and for a really special treat would like an icecream. Our next venture uras to try our hand at breeding and as we had a slight-preference for the long-haired variety we decided on an Angora. The sex organs of the boar are within his 6ody and can be found only by holding the animal upright and pressing the lower abdomen gently. After mating, the period of gestation is between sixty-three and seventy days, averaging sixty-eight duyr, and it is importanr to separaie ihe male,-as the sow can be bred a few hours after giving birth. The litters range from one to six bZbiei averaging three, and a good sow will produce five Iitters a year. BabieJ are highlv developed at birth, fumy, with their eyes oFen and with- teeth. They can run with their morher within an hour a.nd after two or three days they can eat solid food, but it is not advisable to wean them until three or four weeks old. Meanwhile the sow sleeps in one box with the litter hidden else- where, an instinctive atternpt to protect the new born from enemies. Cross breeding is simply crossing two genetic Iines- and with our three varieties, v/e find this rnost' interesting, as we can never be sure what the results will b., and we await eagerly for the noisy little ones to put in an appearance. Each new specimen in colour or rnarking brings new fascination and thrill; although they have com- mercial value as a hobby, we do not sell them; but u/e make sure that they have a good and reliable home. Guinea pigs require so little attention that people sometimes forget them, but with proper care they conffact few diseases, and can live to be over seven years old. Their small size makes them ideal for the city, as they can be housed easily and cheaply, and as they can live on a grass diet are not expensive to feed. His gentle, affectionate manner makes him the ideal pet for a youngster, who can take full responsibility, thus deriving experience and pleasure. The rearing of "our cuddly cavy colony" has certainly been a source of great accomplishment and untold delight. _ GWENDA BRADFORD

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