Guinea Pig

Originally, guinea pigs were domesticated as livestock for their meat, in the Andean region of South America, and they are still consumed there.

the guinea pig was first domesticated as early as 5000 BC for food by tribes in the Andean region of South America

It belongs to the genus Cavia, family Caviidae, and its closest wild relatives include the montane guinea pig.

Animal testing on guinea pigs has been carried out since the 17th century.

From about 1200 to the Spanish conquest in 1532, the indigenous people used selective breeding to develop many varieties of domestic guinea pigs, forming the basis for some modern domestic breeds.

Despite their name, guinea pigs are not native to Guinea, nor are they closely related to pigs.

Peruvians consume an estimated 65 million guinea pigs each year.

Domestic guinea pigs typically weigh between 700 and 1,200 g (1.5 and 2.6 lb)

Pet breeds live an average of four to five years but may live as long as eight years.

Studies from 2007 to 2010 applying molecular markers, and morphometric studies on the skull and skeletal morphology of current and mummified animals revealed the ancestor to be most likely C. tschudii.

They are rubbed against the bodies of the sick and are seen as a supernatural medium.

The scientific name of the common species is Cavia porcellus, with porcellus being Latin for "little pig".

In the early 1500s, Spanish, Dutch, and English traders took guinea pigs to Europe, where they quickly became popular as exotic pets

Early accounts from Spanish settlers state that guinea pigs were the preferred sacrificial animal of the Inca people native to Peru.

Guinea pigs have been raised by humans as a meat source, as pets, as laboratory test subjects, and for ceremonial use.

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.

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.

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped animals and often depicted the guinea pig in their art.

Cavia is Neo-Latin; it is derived from cabiai, the animal's name in the language of the Galibi tribes once native to French Guiana.

One proposed explanation is that the animals were brought to Europe by way of Guinea, leading people to think they had originated there.

The guinea pig's natural diet is grass; their molars are particularly suited for grinding plant matter and grow continuously throughout their life.

Traditionally, the animal was reserved for ceremonial meals and as a delicacy by indigenous people in the Andean highlands.

It continues to be a significant part of the diet in Peru and Bolivia, particularly in the Andes Mountains highlands

The guinea pig was first domesticated as early as 5000 BC for food by tribes in the Andean region of South America.