The Raising and Care of Guinea Pigs

lation, even in the winter. Animals, like humans, need fresh air. See that your hutches are kept clean and dry. Do not let your Cavies get wet. There is no need to build expensive and elaborate hutches, especially at the start. When you get a larger herd you can decide on some uniform style of hutch or pen and make them all alike. This makes them easy to handle and enlarge. Local conditions and circumstances will determine how you will keep your Cavies.

[Illustration: Fig. 3. Practical Type of Indoor Hutch.]

CHAPTER VI

BREEDING.

Guinea Pigs are very prolific, having about five litters a year, and from two to five at a litter. Three is a safe average.

The females are sexually mature at a month, but, of course, should not be bred at that age. Three months is plenty early enough and some breeders wait until they are even older.

The period of gestation is from 65 to 70 days. The young ones are fully developed when born and in a