Patagonian Cavies
COMMON NAME: Patagonian Cavies
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dolichotis
TYPE: Mammal
YOUNG NAME: Pups
DIET: Herbivores. Wild: Grasses, other shrubs and plants, and cacti
Zoo: Fruits, vegetables, greens, monkey chow, rodent pellets, and hay.
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: unknown
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN CAPTIVITY: up to 14 years
HEAD & BODY LENGTH: 27.5 inches
TAIL LENGTH: 1.5 to 2 inches
WEIGHT: 17 to 35 pounds
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1. The only place Patagonian cavies live in the wild is in the grasslands of central Argentina.
2. Patagonian cavies are active during the day, spending most of their time feeding.
3. Male and female Patagonian cavies bond as monogamous pairs but raise young in warrens of up to 29 pairs.
4. Some of the sounds made by a Patagonian cavy are “wheets,” grunts, and teeth chattering.
5. The nearest relatives of Patagonian cavies are capybaras and Guinea pigs, which are also indigenous to South America.
6. Patagonian cavies are fast. Various sources say their top speed is anywhere from 18-45 mph.
7. As pets, Patagonian cavies can be affectionate and trained to use a litter box and walk on a leash.
8. Hunting and habitat loss of Patagonian cavies threaten their survival to the point that they are now “Near Threatened.”
9. They once ranged all the way to the tip of South America but today are limited to central Argentina. 12 preserves there help prevent the species from going extinct. We do our best to provide some Patagonian cavies with a refuge here in North Carolina.
10. Some of the Patagonian cavv predators are the pumas and foxes, none of whom are permitted visits with Patagonian cavies at Liberty Acres, North Carolina.
11. Male and female Patagonian cavies form monogamous pairs for life. Only if one of the pair dies will the survivor choose a new mate.
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