The Brazilian guinea pig (Cavia aperea ) (preá in Portuguese) is a guinea pig species found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Cavia aperea has been successfully mated to the domestic guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, though many females become infertile in successive generations.Brazilian guinea pigs are mainly diurnal animals and are narrower and longer than domesticated guinea pigs.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withBrazilian guinea pigs are medium-sized animals. They have an almost non-existent tail, which length is only 2.4 mm. Their dorsal fur is dark olive-brown mixed with brown and black. The underparts are a pale grey or yellowish-grey. These pigs have four toes on their forefeet and three toes on their hind feet. Males in this species are larger than females.
Brazilian Guinea pigs are found in South America. Thier range extends from Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela to northern Argentina. They inhabit open grasslands and savannahs and also may be found in the highlands of the Andes mountains.
Brazilian guinea pigs are mainly diurnal creatures. They live in small family groups that consist of one male, one or two females, and their young. These guinea pigs come out to forage in small groups mainly early in the morning and in the evening. After that they seek cover in dense shrubs. They do not dig burrows but make an intricate maze of surface tunnels that are 8 to 12 cm (3 to 5 in) wide. Brazilian guinea pigs communicate through auditory signals and scent marks. Males are known to mark their mates and defend them from rival males.
Brazilian guinea pigs are herbivorous animals. They graze on grasses and other herbs. However, their diet may also include leaves, seeds, stems, and sometimes roots or tubers.
Brazilian guinea pigs are polygynous. A single male mates with multiple females. Breeding takes place at any time of year but mostly in the austral summer. The gestation period is about 62 days and females can have five litters in a year. The average number of young is two but may range from one to five. Soon after birth pups can move on their own. They start eating solid food when they are 3 days old and are weaned by 25 days old. Young Brazilian guinea pigs are ready to breed at around 30 days of age.
There are no major threats to Brazilian guinea pigs. They are sometimes hunted for food.
According to IUCN, Brazilian guinea pigs are locally common and widespread throughout their range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...