What do you really know about Guinea Pigs
Many a time when you visit with a friend or relative one of their children will drag you out to see their pet guinea pig, but have you ever stopped and asked yourself what you know about these delightful pets?
They are adorable creatures that make excellent pets, but they have not always been a family pet, so what is their history and where were they first discovered?
Well let me shock you by firstly saying that they are actually rodents, and are technically known as Cavies, but don’t let all this put you off, please read on.
Now although they have only come into prominence in the past few decades, they have actually been around for a very long time, and in fact a number of fossils have been found which indicate that guinea pigs were around as far as 18 million years ago. Who said they were a new pet?
Those same fossils indicate that the guinea pig used to be much larger than it is today, anything up to 9 feet long.
The first people to domesticate the guinea pig were the Incas, and South America is where they were first discovered. They were, and still are revered as both an Icon, and a source of food, in many South American countries.
Ever thought a rodent would be considered to have healing powers? Well in some parts of Peru they believe this and they think that the guinea pig can aid the transition from this life to the next. Now that is quite something!
These lovely creatures came to Europe and America courtesy of the sailors who brought them to sell for, guess what, a guinea, and that is where part of their name came from.
The other part of the name comes from what is in my opinion a vague likeness to the rear end of a pig, and also to the tendency to squeal like a pig.
One of their claims to fame is that they have been popular in the field of research and who I wonder has never heard the expression ‘being a guinea pig’?
Many years ago medical science cottoned on to the idea of using guinea pigs in their research, and although the downside was the end for the guinea pig, the upside is that it has saved many a human life.
Still today guinea pigs are used for research purposes, but mostly in the area of genetics and hereditary matters, and we are assured that they are not harmed in any way.
Today in Peru, guinea pigs still play a prominent role in various ceremonies, and quite often a person will give one as a present when they are trying to impress.
You may be surprised to learn that a rodent could be so well loved, but a recent survey placed guinea pigs just behind dogs, cats and rabbits in the popular pet league.
So, next time your friends children drag you out to look at their pet guinea pig you will understand a little more about the attraction of these animals.
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