The guinea pig is not a pig and it has nothing to do with Guinea. It is related to the hares and rabbits and its real name is "cavy". In other words, it is really a rodent.
Long before the Spaniards came to the New World, the Incas of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia had domesticated this rodent. They used it for food, and considered it a great delicacy. As a matter of fact, soon after the discovery of America the guinea pig was introduced into Europe for the same purpose, and was eaten by people everywhere.
Nowadays, the only people who eat guinea pigs are some natives of Peru, but they are still kept as pets by many people in South America and all over the world.They are about 25 centimeters long and weigh about 1 kilogram. They have no tail but have small, naked, rounded ears. The fore feet have four toes, the hind feet only three, and all the toes have broad claws.
They live wholly on vegetable food. While feeding they generally sit on their hi ad feet. When free they live in burrows and feed at dusk and on dark days. When they get plenty of preen vegetation, they can get along without water. In captivity they may be kept on rabbit or rat food, but then they need water.Guinea pigs have litters of two to eight or more, twice or three times a year. A few hours after they are born they car run about. They are gentle and easy to handle, and as pets they can live as long as eight years. There are many different colored varieties with long or short coals available in pet shops.
Long before the Spaniards came to the New World, the Incas of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia had domesticated this rodent. They used it for food, and considered it a great delicacy. As a matter of fact, soon after the discovery of America the guinea pig was introduced into Europe for the same purpose, and was eaten by people everywhere.
Nowadays, the only people who eat guinea pigs are some natives of Peru, but they are still kept as pets by many people in South America and all over the world.They are about 25 centimeters long and weigh about 1 kilogram. They have no tail but have small, naked, rounded ears. The fore feet have four toes, the hind feet only three, and all the toes have broad claws.
They live wholly on vegetable food. While feeding they generally sit on their hi ad feet. When free they live in burrows and feed at dusk and on dark days. When they get plenty of preen vegetation, they can get along without water. In captivity they may be kept on rabbit or rat food, but then they need water.Guinea pigs have litters of two to eight or more, twice or three times a year. A few hours after they are born they car run about. They are gentle and easy to handle, and as pets they can live as long as eight years. There are many different colored varieties with long or short coals available in pet shops.
