The texel guinea pig is one of the species that most attracts attention due to its characteristic fur. It is also one of the most difficult to obtain, and somewhat more expensive than the most common ones, but many opt for it when it comes to having a pet.
But how is the texel guinea pig? Where does it come from? And, above all, what care do you need as a pet? All this and much more is what we are going to tell you about at this moment.
Characteristics of the texel guinea pig
The texel guinea pig can reach 20-26 centimeters, although the normal thing is that it is around 20-23 centimeters. Of course, what attracts the most attention is undoubtedly its fur, long and curly, or with waves.
Regarding its physical characteristics, it also stands out from others whose shape is somewhat shorter than the others. In addition, its head is round and quite wide, protruding from what is its body. And speaking of this one, it will look like it's dressed, because the hair on it, if trimmed right, will hide its legs and you could think of it as a dress. Yes indeed, In the area of the muzzle his hair is not long, but short.
Its usual fur is usually brown with white, but the truth is that it can acquire a variety of shades, although three colors predominate: white, black and brown), and you can find it in a single color or in a combination of two or three colors ( this one even rarer).
How the texel guinea pig behaves
As it happens with many whose, the texel guinea pig is quite curious, active and playful. She loves to be with people because they are very affectionate, and that means that she needs to be pampered every day to feel loved. They are also very docile and do not usually get angry easily (unless you go too far or feel in danger). In addition, they are always willing to play outside the cage (since it is important to get them out of the cage to exercise).
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Believe it or not, he likes and seeks contact with the human being, and creates strong bonds with him.
Habitat
The texel guinea pig, as with others, does not have a very natural origin. And it is that, although guinea pigs in general are native to America (specifically, South America), the truth is that in the case of these, their origin is rather a laboratory (or the place where experimented with two types of guinea pig, one of the Sheltie breed and the other of the Rex breed). In the 80s, when the Texel breed was born, it did so as a breeding of those mixes that were carried out, and which gave rise to the distinctive characteristics of its breed: long hair (of a Sheltie) and curly hair (of a Sheltie). Rex) that draws so much attention.
Now, despite this combination of two breeds, they were not very "happy" with it and they proceeded to continue genetically modifying until today the Texel guinea pig is what it is, being declared an official breed in the 90s.
Care to have a texel guinea pig as a pet
Now that you know a little more about the texel guinea pig, you may want to keep it as a pet. It is somewhat affordable, since in pet stores or even through breeders you could find this species. But it is highly recommended that you know what care you should provide to prevent the animal from getting sick, having a short life expectancy or not being happy.
The cage
To begin with, the texel guinea pig is an animal that will require a cage to live in. This must be wide enough so that you can move with some freedom in it, so you have to choose it thinking about the guinea pig as an adult, not as a baby (in case you acquire it small).
Despite the fact that the cage is large, you need to take it out daily to exercise, so having a playpen will allow you to keep it under control and not go where you can't find it.
Hygiene
Another of the care that you must provide to the texel guinea pig is good hygiene. Not only the cage itself, which you will have to clean often if you don't want it to smell bad, and thoroughly weekly to disinfect it so that it doesn't have health problems.
We also talk about hygiene of the animal itself. And it is that its long coat "forces" you to have to brush it daily to remove remains or dead hair, in such a way that you maintain shiny and healthy hair. In addition, this brushing will help you keep it clean without having to bathe it since, although you can do it, it is advisable not to abuse it.
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You should also dedicate some time to ear and ear hygiene since, having the ears bent, and with hair, it is more prone to dirt accumulating in them, in addition to natural earwax.
In addition, it is necessary to exercise daily, since the guinea pig is prone to gain weight and also not taking it out of the cage can cause the animal to become stressed, behaving negatively both inside and outside the cage when you take it out.
Texel guinea pig feeding
The diet of a texel guinea pig is no different from that of other guinea pigs, because they all eat the same way. In this case, we are talking about a diet based mainly on high-quality feed. However, to complete its nutrients, It is highly recommended that they be given fruit and vegetables (whatever is allowed for these animals), daily. Of course, remember that, after a few hours, you have to remove it from the cage to prevent it from being eaten when it is no longer in good condition.
Along with this, you can give it hay and alfalfa, which, with the above, will give it the supplement it needs in fiber and vitamins that feed does not offer 100%.
Finally, it is important that you always have fresh water in the cage, usually through a bottled drinker.
reproduction of the texel guinea pig
The reproduction of the texel guinea pig is the same as in other guinea pigs. That is to say, once they are sexually mature, which is approximately two months, they may already be capable of having young, and they usually give birth, after a gestation somewhat shorter than normal, about 60 days, usually about three pups.
These will be dependent on the mother since they will feed on breast milk during the first month, which is why you must provide them with extra vitamins and nutrients so that they are healthy even during pregnancy.
After that time, it is recommended that the pups be separated to avoid space problems and fights for territory.