Guinea Pigs

All the cavy family are hunted for their meat. The Incas used to farm them. They are still eaten widely in their native South America.

Guinea pigs have unusual feet with 3 toes on the back feet and 4 on the front feet.

Guinea pigs, being easy to rear, have been used widely in research, especially in the study of tuberculosis as they catch it easily. They were also used in the study of the former children's killer disease, Diphtheria, and in work towards other serums. They have been replaced more recently by faster breeding rats and mice, but the nick-name 'guinea pig' lives on!

They are one of the few animals that, like humans, do not have the hereditary ability to make Vitamin C.

The reason for their name is uncertain, but most likely they are named from the Portuguese word guine, meaning a far off and unknown land, from which the countries of Guinea and the gold of the guinea coin derived their names.

Domestic Guinea Pigs can breed at 2 months old; can have as many as 6 babies after a pregnancy of 67-68 days. Within a few hours the mother may be pregnant again. Because of the long pregnancy the young are born strong and can run when a few hours old and nibble at solid food the next day.