Guinea Pig Lifespan In The Wild

Most guinea pigs have fur but one laboratory breed adopted by some pet owners the skinny pig is a mostly furless breed.

Guinea pig lifespan in the wild. Female guinea pigs called sows that have given birth to one or more litters tend to live for only about three and a half years on the average. In the wild guinea pigs have an average lifespan of between one and four years. Lifespan guinea pigs can live up to 14 years in human care but live an average of 8 years. A well cared for guinea pig will have much more opportunity of living a long healthy life but longevity is also affected by their genes.

Females mature in two months males in three and captive guinea pigs live up to eight years although three to five is typical. The actual precise number of the guinea pig lifespan is not known because the pet owner has their own assumption numbers. Female guinea pigs that reproduce have shortened lifespans and tend to live approximately 3 5 years. According to the 2006 guinness world records the longest living guinea pig survived 14 years 10 5 months.

On the other hand guinea pig life span as a pet may be a completely different story. No natural population of this species exists in the wild. This is the approximate value in terms to learn how long do guinea pigs live in the wild. Not all studies do this though.

Studies of natural herd patterns and social groupings often use guinea pigs in labs. This shortened lifespan is caused by the stiffening of a joint called the symphysis which is located between the guinea pig s two pelvic bones. Wild guinea pig herd patterns. According to the guinness book of world records the oldest guinea pig of all time lived to be 14 years and 10 5 months old before it passed away in the february of 1979.

However these can be criticised for not truly showing a wild guinea pig s natural lifestyle. On the recent report investigation typical guinea pigs can survive for a maximum of 6 8 years. They come in a variety of colors weighing in at one to four pounds and being around eight inches long. Wild guinea pigs enjoy freedom to roam and run in their mountainous or grassy homelands but must look out for a variety of predators.

Also the particular breed has much to do with determining the natural guinea pig lifespan in the wild. However some guinea pigs don t live that long whereas others make it to a much riper old age. Guinea pigs also known as cavies can live from one to four years. If your piggy s parents were strong and healthy and.

Though they have far more freedom than guinea pigs who are kept as pets most will become the victim of natural predators or even be hunted as food by humans. How long do guinea pigs live as pets. The average lifespan of a guinea pig is around 4 8 years.