Where do guinea pigs come from?

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dazie

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We were just discussing where guinea pigs originate from any ideas?
 
no idea, maybe america (everything comes from there, unless it is made, then it comes from china!)
 
This place:
grasslands1.jpg
 
They're from South America where they are native and are/were (don't really know) wild. They were then put into captivity and bred for food until they were discovered as great pets from somebody. They're still sadly eaten, but they're obviously pets as well.

Kimmie
 
Nicked this bit from wikpedia :)

They are originally native to the Andes, and while they are no longer extant in the wild, they are closely related to several species which are commonly found in the grassy plains and plateaus of this region.
 
Apparently when they were brought over to England, one of our queens(can't remember which one) had one as a pet, and they became popular with the rich people,& were sold to the rich for a guinea, hence the name guinea pig, & pig because they look a bit similar to a pig.
Well that is the story.
 
Perhaps I'm going to sound very ignorant when I say this.. but I thought they're from New Guinea!............ :-\
 
No problem MDS O0
And LilTuff, you don't sound ignorant at all. I first thought they were from New Guinea and when I found out they weren't I was like, "then their name doesn't make sense at ALL!" ;D

Kimmie
 
I spent about 6 months in Peru and I definitely saw them in the wild so not sure what wikipedia is talking about.... Although they were close to an inhabitated area so could have just been part of some free-range guinea pig farm i suppose. :-\ They were considered vermin in this country but are eaten about as widely as we eat pork here. On every street corner there were spit roasts with loads of guinea pigs on and on every menu was guinea pig and chips. These come roasted, still with eyes, teeth and claws intact. It was all very upsetting for a piggy lover. :'(
 
ive seen that before and its so upsetting :'(

i found somethin on the net the other day where this woman had a back room totally full of piggies waiting to be slaughtered,and the pic was so sad,there mustve been 100 or more :'(
 
:'( :'( :'(

But they do it to other animals, we do to pigs and cows etc
 
You're right Rachel. It was sad, but Lambs are just as cute and we eat them (well I don't cos I'm a veggie but still...) I was particularly horrified when one of my travelling companions put a guinea pig eyeball down the back of someone's jeans! But we must stop this horrible thread about eating guinea pigs! :-X
 
yep, oops changed the subject, always does that when i am around!
 
Have you seen a capibara? They are lovely they have a family of them in the zoo by us and they are a giant guinea pig well they are from the guinea pig family, they love water! Now if I could have adopt one of these then my life would be complete :D check out the pics in on google
 
They have them in Chester Zoo I think. Or at least I fell in love with some mammoth guinea pig things last time i was there that had a similar name. Not sure my piggies would like the new edition though if I kidnapped one. It'd be like land of the giants for them. Aggghhhh...
 
That must have been awful EmmaJ. I don't know how a person could eat something so cute or eat something that still has its eyes, teeth and nails still intact. :o :( As for the name guinea pig no one is sure why they are called guinea pigs, yes one theory is they were sold for a guinea, however there are many theories and names that translate into meanings, words such as in Germany guinea pigs are known as Meerschweinchens, which translates into little sea pig, this is just one example. They are known as many things in different languages, texts and myths. No one can say for sure what their original name was and since they can’t tell this they cannot know where their original name originated from or came about and no one ever will, being that there are too many theories and not enough strong evidence to support anyone of these. Hope this makes sense. :)
 
LilTuff said:
Perhaps I'm going to sound very ignorant when I say this.. but I thought they're from New Guinea!............ :-\
Click to expand...

Lots of people think so, too! Alas, no, they really did originate in the grasslands of the Andes. In the poorer regions of Peru, guineas--which the Peruvians call "cuy" after the sound they make (what we call the wheek)--are raised in cottages as a food source. By the way, Peruvian scientists also developed the "super guinea pig," a cavy about twice the size of the ordinary cavy, as a source of cheap, healthy protein for the human population. Haute cuy-zine, wouldn't you say? 88)
 
Rodent Doll said:
LilTuff said:
Perhaps I'm going to sound very ignorant when I say this.. but I thought they're from New Guinea!............ :-\
Click to expand...

Lots of people think so, too! Alas, no, they really did originate in the grasslands of the Andes. In the poorer regions of Peru, guineas--which the Peruvians call "cuy" after the sound they make (what we call the wheek)--are raised in cottages as a food source. By the way, Peruvian scientists also developed the "super guinea pig," a cavy about twice the size of the ordinary cavy, as a source of cheap, healthy protein for the human population. Haute cuy-zine, wouldn't you say? 88)
Click to expand...

;D ;D ;D Good one. Super guinea pigs indeed. Maybe I have one of these...? hmmm... and I thought he was just a big fat chubster.
 
Rodent Doll said:
LilTuff said:
Perhaps I'm going to sound very ignorant when I say this.. but I thought they're from New Guinea!............ :-\
Click to expand...

Lots of people think so, too! Alas, no, they really did originate in the grasslands of the Andes. In the poorer regions of Peru, guineas--which the Peruvians call "cuy" after the sound they make (what we call the wheek)--are raised in cottages as a food source. By the way, Peruvian scientists also developed the "super guinea pig," a cavy about twice the size of the ordinary cavy, as a source of cheap, healthy protein for the human population. Haute cuy-zine, wouldn't you say? 88)
Click to expand...


ive seen pics of them in a room at the back of a cottage,it was so sad,at least a hundred or more in there just waiting... :'( :'(
 
I HAVE such picture but I won't post it on here. Took the photo cos they were cute but felt horrible afterwards. Guinea pig arming is no worse than chicken farming etc though. We have to remember that. All animals have feelings. x
 
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