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A cavy's own personality is as different as the individual who owns him.
By observing your pet you will soon learn what his likes and dislikes
are. Some cavies enjoy having the top of their head scratched and some
like to be scratched under the chin.
If you plan on having one cavy as a pet, either sex will do well. A
single cavy can become very attached to its owner and will squeal with
protest whenever he feels he is being ignored.
If you decide to keep two cavies, two sows will get along. You can keep
two boars together, however, they must have been brought up together
from infancy, otherwise they will fight. Occasionally two sows will
squabble, but those squabbles are usually minor. If you decide to keep a
boar and a sow, you will have to be prepared for subsequent pregnancy
and birth. A sow should not be bred before she is three months of age.
Ideally, she should have her first litter just before she turns six
months old. Even though cavies are members of the rodent family, they
are not prolific. White mice, rats, and hamsters average a litter every
25 days, the cavy gestation (pregnancy) period lasts 68 to 72 days
(approximately 10 weeks). While other rodents are born naked, blind and
helpless, the cavy is born with its eyes open, a full coat of hair, a
set of teeth, and can run! The number of young per litter is 2-4 for a
cavy. Day old cavies usually start to nibble on solid food, and are
weaned at 3-4 weeks.
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