# Guinea Hog

Guinea Hogs are small, friendly pigs with curly tails and a gentle nature. They are great for farms and can be very playful and curious about their surroundings.

- **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Farms

![Guinea Hog](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sleeping_Guinea_Hog.jpg&width=800)

Photo: abbamouse, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sleeping_Guinea_Hog.jpg)

## Appearance

The Guinea Hog is a small, compact pig known for its shiny black coat and sturdy build. It has upright ears and a distinctive curly tail. Unlike many pigs, its dark color helps it blend into shady wooded areas.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Suidae
- **Genus:** Sus

## Interesting facts

- Guinea Hogs are called 'lawnmowers' because they love to graze on grass!
- Originally from West Africa, they became popular heritage pigs in America.
- These friendly pigs make a funny 'woo-woo' sound when they are excited!
- They can be excellent protectors, alerting farmers to anything unusual.

## Special abilities

- **Master Forager:** Guinea Hogs can root tirelessly with their strong snouts because it helps them find tasty roots, insects, and fallen fruits.
- **Mud Wallow Expert:** Guinea Hogs have a love for wallowing in mud that helps them cool down in hot weather and protect their skin from insects.
- **Strong Snout:** Guinea Hogs have powerful snouts with tough cartilage that helps them dig deeply for food and turn over soil easily.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 100-150 cm
- **Weight:** 70-150 kg
- **Lifespan:** 8-15 years
- **Speed:** 17 km/h
- **Litter Size:** 6-12
- **Gestation:** 112-115 days

## Diet & Feeding

Guinea Hogs eat a bit of everything, from plants to bugs, using their strong snouts to find food.

- **Primary Foods:** grasses, roots, fallen fruits, insects, small rodents, vegetables
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [earthworm](https://www.snappit.app/explore/earthworm) (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — Hogs root for earthworms in the soil.
- **Eats:** [white oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — They consume fallen acorns from oak trees.
- **Eaten by:** [coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Young piglets can be prey for coyotes in rural areas.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter.
- [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always be gentle and calm around animals like Guinea Hogs.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Guinea Hog?

Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Guinea Hog?

100-150 cm

### How much does Guinea Hog weigh?

70-150 kg

### How long does Guinea Hog live?

8-15 years

### How fast can Guinea Hog move?

17 km/h

### What does Guinea Hog eat?

Guinea Hogs eat a bit of everything, from plants to bugs, using their strong snouts to find food.

### Where is Guinea Hog usually found?

Farms

### How does Guinea Hog hunt?

Foraging

## Where to spot

- [Cosley Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cosley-zoo) — Illinois, US · Zoo

## More Mammals

- [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*)
- [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*)
- [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*)
- [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*)

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Source: [Guinea Hog: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/guinea-hog)