Have you ever heard of a guinea pig? You might have seen them in a pet store, or you might know somebody who owns them. You might even own some yourself. Guinea Pigs are large, social rodents that come in many breeds, which each have a unique personality and look. They are well known as pets, but they are a lot more than just that. Guinea Pigs played a big role in Incan Culture and are important to scientific research and breeders.
Weighing up to 2.6 lbs. and measuring up to 25 cm, guinea pigs (Cavia Porcellus), also known as cavies, are bigger than most rodents. Their average age is about 7 years and, “according to the 2006 Guinness World Records, the longest living guinea pig survived 14 years, 10.5 months.”(Wikipedia, Guinea Pigs).Domesticated Guinea pigs live on a diet of mainly pellets and Timothy hay. Guinea pigs also need vegetables in their diet for vitamin C, which they can’t produce themselves, and many other nutrients.
Guinea Pigs are extremely social animals. They are so social that a law was made in Switzerland making it illegal to own only one guinea pig. In groups, guinea pigs social groom, and do many things to establish dominance like mounting and biting. Guinea pigs also make a wide variety of sounds. Here are some of them. Wheeking is when Guinea pigs squeak loudly. They do this when they are excited, mainly when they think they will get food. Guinea pigs purr when they are happy and content. Rumble strutting is when guinea pigs make a low rumbling purr while strutting around. Guinea Pigs usually do this when they are establishing dominance. Guinea pigs chatter their teeth while raising their head to warn others. Lastly, guinea pigs make a high-pitched squeal when upset or in pain.
The guinea pigs we know today are not the guinea pigs that naturally live in South America and were domesticated by the Incans. These wild guinea pigs are recognized by the name Cuy in South America. Cuy live in groups of several females, a male, and the young. The groups graze through grassy fields, where they live, during dawn and dusk and shelter in other animals’ burrows. Cuy have grey, dark brown, white, and rarely black coats that camouflage with their surroundings, unlike the colorful guinea pig breeds.
Around 5000 BC, Andean Tribes domesticated the guinea pig for food. Cuy wasn’t eaten in every day life though; usually it was a major food dish in many ceremonies. Cuy were almost never bought by Andean People. “A mating pair is a very typical household gift, especially to a newlywed couple, special guests, or to children.” (Cavyhistory.tripod.com, History of the Guinea Pig) Traditionally, Cuy are housed indoor, usually in the kitchen, and allowed to run around. They are fed Alfalfa (a type of hay) and kitchen scraps. They were not just bred for food, though. Cuy play a big part in Incan religion and medicine. “Legend holds that guinea pigs are mystical beings that can heal the sick and assist the dying in the journey from the world of the living to the great beyond.”(Animalcorner, History of Guinea Pigs)One medical use of Cuy is when one of these rodents is rubbed against the body of the sick. When the Cuy squeaks, that area is sick. It is then cut open to diagnose the illness.
“In the 1600’s, the Spaniards were the first Europeans to see these animals. Dutch merchants brought Guinea Pigs back from the Americas to Europe, where they became popular pets with aristocrats.”(AnimalCorner, History of Guinea Pigs). Even Queen Elizabeth the 1st owned one. Guinea Pigs eventually ended up in the United States when British immigrants brought them their in the early 1900s.
Nobody knows for sure how guinea pigs got the first part of their name, “guinea”, but there are a few theories. “One proposed explanation is that the animals were brought to Europe by way of Guinea, leading people to think they had originated there. "Guinea" was also frequently used in English to refer generally to any far-off, unknown country, so the name may simply be a colorful reference to the animal's exotic appeal.”(Wikipedia, Guinea Pigs). Another explanation is that the cost of one of these pets was a guinea (a European gold coin). The pig in “guinea pig” is much more easy to understand. Guinea pigs look and squeal like a pig.
“The use of guinea pigs in scientific experimentation dates back at least to the 17th century, when the Italian biologists Marcello Malpighi and Carlo Fracassati conducted vivisections of guinea pigs in their examinations of anatomic structures.” (Wikipedia, Guinea Pigs) Guinea pigs were a big part in the formation of the germ theory during the late 1900th century. These rodents have also been in space several times, starting from the time they were sent into orbital space flight in the Sputnik 9 biosatellite. “Guinea pigs were popular laboratory animals until the later 20th century; about 2.5 million guinea pigs were used annually in the U.S. for research in the 1960s.” (Wikipedia, Guinea Pigs) So many guinea pigs have been used for scientific research, that the term guinea pig can be used for anything that is a subject in scientific experimentation. Now, mice, rats, and other rodents have mostly replaced them.
Because of their friendly personality, a proneness to not biting, and fairly easy care, the guinea pig is an extremely popular pet. “Domesticated guinea pigs occur in many breeds, which have been developed since their introduction to Europe and North America.”(Wikipedia, Guinea Pigs) Here are 10 breeds. The American is the most common guinea pig breed. Itis very friendly to pigs as well as humans, and requires little care, partly due to their short coat, which needs minimal grooming. Second is the Abyssinian. This breed has medium length swirly hair, and is used in shows a lot. Abyssinians are more mischievous than other breeds. The Peruvian is the guinea pig breed with the longest hair. One Peruvian set the achievement of the longest guinea pig hair with a hair-length of 20cm. This breed is alert, loving, and curious. Unlike the Peruvian, which has long, straight hair, the Silkie (also known as the Sheltie), has curved, long hair. It is very gentle and shy. Teddy Guinea Pigs have a short, rough coat of hair and an upturned nose. They require little care, and are energetic and friendly. The Texel guinea pig has curly, soft hair surrounding their entire body. The white crested guinea pig is the same as the American guinea pig except for its white crest on top of its head. The Rex guinea pig is a shorthaired breed that is missing its guard hair (the coat of hair that protects the other hair fromwearing out) and has droopy ears. This gives its fur a wool-like texture. The Himalayan is another shorthaired guinea pig breed that is albino. It has points of black all over it that may disappear when exposed to too much sunlight. Lastly, Skinny Pigs are a guinea pig breed that is unique because of its very little amount of hair. It only has a bit of hair on its feet, legs, and muzzle.
Guinea pigs are very important to cultures around the world and have helped us advance in science. They are very enjoyable pets to have, and no matter what breed they are, they will have a great personality and look. Guinea Pigs are easy to take care of and make a great addition to any family, just make sure to get two.
Bibliography
Hirst, K. "How and Why Guinea Pigs Were Domesticated." Abouteducation. Web. 3 June 2016. <http://archaeology.about.com/od/gterms/qt/guinea_pigs.htm>.
"Guinea Pig." Wikipedia. Web. 3 June 2016.<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_pig>.
"Guinea Pig History." Animal Corner. Web. 3 June 2016.<https://animalcorner.co.uk/guinea-pig-history/>.
Forstadt, Michael. "History of the Guinea Pig (Cavia Porcellus) in South America." Tripod. Web. 3 June 2016. <http://cavyhistory.tripod.com/>.
James, Richard. "10 Types of Guinea Pig Breeds." Guinea Pig Hub. N.p., 13 Dec. 2014. Web. 2 Aug. 2016. <http://www.guineapighub.com/guinea-pig-breeds.html>.
James, Richard. "Silkie Guinea Pig - The Hollywood Cavy." Guinea Pig Hub. N.p., 7 Oct. 2014. Web. 2 Aug. 2016. <http://www.guineapighub.com/silkie-guinea-pig.html>.
James, Richard. "Teddy Guinea Pig - A Quick Guide." Guinea Pig Hub. N.p., 10 Sept. 2015. Web. 2 Aug. 2016. <http://www.guineapighub.com/teddy-guinea-pig.html>.
James, Richard. "Skinny Pig - The Hairless Guinea Pig." Guinea Pig Hub. N.p., 10 Sept. 2015. Web. 2 Aug. 2016. <http://www.guineapighub.com/skinny-pig.html>.
Jacob Burke, 8/3/2016
No comments:
Post a Comment