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Litter Size

How many babies does a Guinea pig have at once? (litter size)

How many baby Guinea pigs are in a litter?

A Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) usually gives birth to around 3 babies.With 5 litters per year, that sums up to a yearly offspring of 15 babies.

Each of those little ones spend around 67 days as a fetus before they are released into the wild. Upon birth, they weight 80 grams (0.18 lbs) and measure 20 cm (0′ 8″). They are a member of the Caviidae family (genus: Cavia). An adult Guinea pig grows up to a size of 89 cm (3′ 0″).

To have a reference: Humans obviously usually have a litter size of one ;). Their babies are in the womb of their mother for 280 days (40 weeks) and reach an average size of 1.65m (5′ 5″). They weight in at 62 kg (137 lbs), which is obviously highly individual, and reach an average age of 75 years.

The average litter size of a Guinea pig is 3

The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also known as cavy or domestic cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, guinea pigs are not native to Guinea, nor are they closely biologically related to pigs, and the origin of the name is still unclear. They originated in the Andes of South America, and studies based on biochemistry and hybridization suggest they are domesticated descendants of a closely related species of cavy such as C. tschudii, and therefore do not exist naturally in the wild. They were originally domesticated as livestock, as a source of food, and continue to be.In Western society, the domestic guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a pocket pet, a type of household pet, since its introduction by European traders in the 16th century. Their docile nature, friendly responsiveness to handling and feeding, and the relative ease of caring for them have made and continue to make guinea pigs a popular choice of pet. Organizations devoted to the competitive breeding of guinea pigs have been formed worldwide, and many specialized breeds with varying coat colors and textures are selected by breeders.The domestic guinea pig plays an important role in folk culture for many indigenous Andean groups, especially as a food source, but also in folk medicine and in community religious ceremonies. The animals are used for meat and are a culinary staple in the Andes Mountains, where they are known as cuy. A modern breeding program was started in the 1960s in Peru that resulted in large breeds known as cuy mejorados (improved cuy) and prompted efforts to increase consumption of the animal outside South America.Biological experimentation on domestic guinea pigs has been carried out since the 17th century. The animals were so frequently used as model organisms in the 19th and 20th centuries that the epithet guinea pig came into use to describe a human test subject. Since that time, they have been largely replaced by other rodents such as mice and rats. However, they are still used in research, primarily as models for human medical conditions such as juvenile diabetes, tuberculosis, scurvy (like humans, they require dietary intake of vitamin C), and pregnancy complications.

Other animals of the family Caviidae

Guinea pig is a member of the Caviidae, as are these animals:

Animals that share a litter size with Guinea pig

Those animals also give birth to 3 babies at once:

Animals that get as old as a Guinea pig

Other animals that usually reach the age of 14.75 years:

Animals with the same weight as a Guinea pig

What other animals weight around 728 grams (1.6 lbs)?