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The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (/ ˈ k eɪ v i / KAY-vee), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus Cavia, family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the name "cavy" for the animal, but "guinea pig" is more commonly used in scientific and laboratory contexts. [ 1 ]
Sexual maturity and thus the earliest age at which mammals can reproduce varies dramatically across species. Members of the rodent family Cricetidae can reach sexual maturity in 1–2 months, e.g. the Norway lemming (Lemmus lemmus) in 39 days.
These cavies lack sexual dimorphism, which differs from other cavies, among whom males are usually larger than females. [7] Their cylindrical bodies are in shades of brown or gray and are carried by short limbs. These guinea pigs have coarse, long fur with longer fur in the neck region and no fur on the ears.
Female pigs reach sexual maturity at 3–12 months of age and come into estrus every 18–24 days if they are not successfully bred. The variation in ovulation rate can be attributed to intrinsic factors such as age and genotype, as well as extrinsic factors like nutrition, environment, and the supplementation of exogenous hormones.
Caviidae, the cavy family, is composed of rodents native to South America and includes the domestic guinea pig, wild cavies, and the largest living rodent, the capybara.They are found across South America in open areas from moist savanna to thorn forests or scrub desert.
Cavia is a genus in the subfamily Caviinae that contains the rodents commonly known as the true guinea pigs or cavies. [1] The best-known species in this genus is the domestic guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, a meat animal in South America and a common household pet outside that continent.
Sexual maturity is the capability of an organism to reproduce.In humans, it is related to both puberty and adulthood. [1] Puberty is the biological process of sexual maturation, while adulthood, the condition of being socially recognized as an independent person capable of giving consent and taking responsibility, generally implies sexual maturity (certain disorders of sexual development ...
Some organisms reach sexual maturity in a short metamorphosis, such as ecdysis in many insects and some other arthropods. For others, the transition from juvenile to fully mature is a more prolonged process—puberty in humans and other species (like higher primates and whales), for example.