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Juvenile Guinea Pig Skull

Juvenile Guinea Pig Skull

Juvenile guinea pig skull. Approximately 2 weeks old. Guinea pigs grow very quickly, and they're born precocial – meaning eyes open, walking and eating hay or other solids if they do wish as well as milk.

This is a small skull; see the skull next to the regular-sized Lego man for size reference.

These guinea pigs were obtained through a veterinarian last year! I cleaned them, but due to age, the skulls did fall apart and needed articulation.

The reason for euthanasia by a vet was that they were born with microphthalmia, which is an unfortunate and lethal gene when a roan x roan or Dalmatian x Dalmatian cross results in a chance that some or all of the babies are born with the microphthalmia mutation. They are pure white, with no pigment at all. They can be blind, very small, unusual eyes or no eyes at all. Sometimes they'll have no teeth, be completely deaf, or have neurology issues or digestive tract issues.

This is an awful gene that, if it can be avoided, it must be. It was the vet who suggested euthanising the babies, as he didn't see them having a good quality life and saw it as a burden on them rather than a blessing.

These guinea pigs do have all their teeth but had no formed eyes, and they could not digest food properly.

It is important to note that this wasn't a purposeful breeding for profit. The guinea pig mother was pregnant already before the family that sought veterinary intervention got her.

The guinea pigs were frozen at the clinic and severely freezer-burned when they were finally given to me during a clean-out. Not good for wet specimens, so I cleaned the skulls.

    $45.00Price
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