Guinea pig

This article is about the small species of Rodent. For various guinea pig species, see Cavia. For other uses, see Guinea pig (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Guinea hog or Pig.

Domestic guinea pig
Domesticated
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Caviidae
Genus: Cavia
Species:
C. porcellus
Binomial name
Cavia porcellus
Synonyms
Guinea pig defense sound

The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (/ˈkeɪvi/ KAY-vee), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus Cavia, family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the name "cavy" for the animal, but "guinea pig" is more commonly used in scientific and laboratory contexts.[1] Despite their name, guinea pigs are not native to Guinea, nor are they closely related to pigs. Instead, they originated in the Andes region of South America, where wild guinea pigs can still be found today.[2] Studies based on biochemistry and DNA hybridization suggest they are domesticated animals that do not exist naturally in the wild, but are descendants of a closely related cavy species such as C. tschudii.[3][4] Originally, they were domesticated as livestock (source of meat) in the Andean region and are still consumed in some parts of the world.[5]

In Western society, the guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a pet since its introduction to Europe and North America by European traders in the 16th century. Their docile nature, friendly responsiveness to handling and feeding, and the relative ease of caring for them have continued to make guinea pigs a popular choice of household pets. Consequently, organizations devoted to the competitive breeding of guinea pigs have been formed worldwide. Through artificial selection, many specialized breeds with varying coat colors and textures have been selected by breeders.

Livestock breeds of guinea pig play an important role in folk culture for many indigenous Andean peoples, especially as a food source.[6] They are not only used in folk medicine and in community religious ceremonies[7] but also raised for their meat. Guinea pigs are an important culinary staple in the Andes Mountains, where it is known as cuy. Lately, marketers tried to increase their consumption outside South America.[8]

Biological experimentation on domestic guinea pigs has been carried out since the 17th century. The animals were used so frequently as model organisms in the 19th and 20th centuries that the epithet guinea pig came into use to describe a human test subject. Since that time, they have mainly been replaced by other rodents, such as mice and rats. However, they are still used in research, primarily as models to study such human medical conditions as juvenile diabetes, tuberculosis, scurvy (like humans, they require dietary intake of vitamin C), and pregnancy complications.

  1. ^ Wagner & Manning 1976, p. 2.
  2. ^ Petrylak, Ashley (2009). Guinea Pigs (Great Pets). Cavendish Square Publishing. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7614-4148-9.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference weir was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Nowak, Ronald M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-5789-8.
  5. ^ Peru, Eat. "Eating Cuy: Peruvian Guinea Pig Delicacy - Eat Peru". www.eatperu.com/. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  6. ^ Leonard, Jonathan Norton (1970). Recipes, Latin American cooking. Time-Life International (Nederlands). p. 21. ISBN 978-0-8094-0063-8.
  7. ^ Morales 1995.
  8. ^ Vecchio, Rick (2004-10-19). "Peru Pushes Guinea Pigs as Food". CBS News. Retrieved 2007-03-12.