Key Technical Points of Pen-based Rearing in Black Guinea Pig Farming

Once the young guinea pigs' feeding habits have stabilized, generally 15-25 days after birth, they can be separated into pens according to the weather: in summer when the weather is hot, separate them at 15-20 days, and in winter when the weather is cold, separate them at 20-25 days. They can then be divided into pools for adult guinea pig rearing and management. Generally, they are separated into pools for rearing according to body weight and physical condition. To prevent the phenomenon of inbreeding and early mating, they can also be raised in separate male and female groups. 5-8 animals can be placed per square meter, allowing them room to move, which helps them eat evenly and grow in a balanced way, and also enables weak young guinea pigs to recover their condition quickly and catch up with the growth rate of robust black guinea pigs. In summer when the weather is hot and in winter when green feed is insufficient, attention must be paid to replenishing water for the black guinea pigs. For newly separated young guinea pigs in winter, cold protection and warmth measures must be done well, adding some dry straw or wood shavings to the pens. Windows should be sealed with plastic film, and glass windows can be used if conditions permit.

Manure in the pens must be cleaned frequently, and leftover feed in the feed bowls should be cleaned out during feeding; the feed bowls and water bowls should be washed clean and disinfected regularly. After the manure in the pools is cleaned out, bedding straw or wood shavings should be promptly put back to absorb moisture. In summer, bedding straw or wood shavings are generally not used, but after cleaning out the manure, quicklime should be used to disinfect the pens. Cats and dogs must be prevented from entering or making loud noises. Rodents and other natural enemies must be prevented from entering the house; rats are extremely harmful to black guinea pigs, so some Qiu's bromadiolone bait can be placed around the guinea pig house, which is very effective. Newly separated black guinea pigs must be given a quiet, clean and comfortable environment in which to grow.