Peruvian guinea pig origin story. Guinea pig - why guinea pig? Origin of name. Care, proper feeding

30.10.2019

Guinea pig- one of the most popular animals that people keep at home. Pigs are chosen as pets for their unpretentiousness in care, modest disposition and friendliness. And the most frequent question that the owners of charming fluffies ask themselves: Why is a guinea pig called a guinea pig? After all, she has nothing to do with the sea, she does not like to swim, and even seafood in her diet is superfluous. The cheat sheet will help answer this question 😉

Why is the pig named guinea pig?

Strange: a pig, and even a sea one, but the animal has nothing to do with pigs or the sea. This rodent is not a close relative of the porcupine. But in everyday life he is very talkative, and when he hears the sounds associated with cooking, he gets excited and starts squealing like a piglet - that’s how the “mumps” turned out. And the nose of a guinea pig is very similar to a piglet. You just look:

And there is also an explanation for the fact that it is marine: the homeland of the animal is America, and it turned into an “overseas pig”, and then completely into a sea pig. Here why is the guinea pig called that, and not otherwise

At first glance, it seems strange that an animal, unable to swim, climb, or dig holes, feels very good in a natural setting and, one might even say, thrives. The fact is that the composition of the landscape of her homeland includes dense thickets of shrubs and animals perfectly know how to hide in them.

The animal has changed markedly due to the patronage of man. Wild, it is colored modestly so as not to be conspicuous: dark brown, slightly reddish, with very small dark ripples on the back and sides and a light red belly or motley - white-yellow-black. And there is no one to hide from at home, and people bring out white, and black, and black and yellow pigs, which in itself is very interesting.

Domesticated pigs also differ in the structure of their hair: there are Angora pigs, with elongated hair, and swirling ones with rosettes.

If you are interested in crossbreeding, you can combine both of these features and get a completely unusual animal resembling a porcupine, with the difference, of course, that it does not have needles sticking out in different directions, but long hairs.

Guinea pig: character and habits

Guinea pigs are quickly and easily tamed, quickly begin to recognize the person caring for them. With the ability to handle them, they easily and calmly sit on their hands and are quite easy to train. Their paws cannot hold food. But they are good with their teeth and can ring the bell, raise the flag.

The offspring of pigs is very small. Three cubs is already a lot for a guinea pig, but usually there are one or two. And for the initial study of the heredity of the transmission of traits corresponding to the so-called Mendel's laws, guinea pigs are very suitable. In particular, the so-called dominant (dominant) and recessive (returning) sequences can be clearly observed on them.

What scientists consider the lack of animals - moderate fertility makes it convenient for home keeping. If there is a pair of pigs in a cage, then in two months there will be an offspring. Babies are very funny and independent, they quickly get used to adult food, like rabbits, they run around in the very first hours after birth, they are already covered in fur, and even their eyes are open.

These are surprisingly comfortable animals: they do not climb anywhere, they do not have the habit of nibbling at night or running, they do not interfere with sleeping people and can live in the most simple rooms. But if it’s with “comfort”, then you need a spacious box or a mesh cage measuring 40 × 70 centimeters, and inside there is a small wooden house, where the pigs will sleep.

But, of course, pigs are not without "flaws". They catch cold easily, you need to protect them from drafts. And they love the world. If the cage is in a dark corner, then it would be nice to put a table lamp nearby.

Pigs are famous for their peaceful disposition, they can be freely picked up. But they also know how to fight, and quite hard. The writer of these lines once, while trying to separate the fighting males, received a bite on the base of the palm and then for several years wore a mark as a memory of the results of the “unsuccessful peace initiative”.

Therefore, you must first study the temper of your wards, and only then become familiar. Each guinea pig- mine character and habits.

The guinea pig (lat. Сavia porcellus) is a domesticated mammalian rodent belonging to the genus Mumps and the Mumps family. Even despite its very original name, this species of mammal is not related to pigs or marine life.

Origin story

The domestication of guinea pigs took place in the fifth millennium, even before our era, with the active participation of the Andean tribes in South America. Such animals were actively used as food by the ancestors of modern inhabitants of southern Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. It is generally accepted that wild guinea pigs themselves sought warmth and protection in a human dwelling.

Among the Incas, the guinea pig was a sacrificial animal for a long time, so often such mammals were sacrificed to the sun god. Particularly popular were animals with a variegated brown or pure white color. The ancestor of modern domesticated guinea pigs was Savia arerea tschudi, which is found in the southern regions of Chile, in places located at an altitude of no more than 4.2 thousand meters above sea level.

It is interesting! Mammals of this species unite in small groups and settle in fairly spacious underground burrows.

With its appearance and body structure, C.arerea tschudi differs markedly from the currently known domestic guinea pigs, which is caused by a food base that is poor in water and rich in cellulose compounds.

Description of the guinea pig

In accordance with zoological taxonomy, guinea pigs (Cavis cobaya) are prominent representatives of the family of half-hoofed rodents and have a characteristic appearance, as well as a special structure.

Appearance

Body structure, guinea pigs are very similar to the basic anatomical parameters and characteristics of most domesticated animals. However, there are a number of notable differences:

the guinea pig has a pronounced cylindrical body shape, as well as a total length, usually in the range of 20-22 cm, but some mature individuals may be slightly longer;
the spine of the animal is represented by seven cervical, twelve thoracic, six lumbar, four sacral and seven tail vertebrae;
the guinea pig, as such, has no tail, and such an animal is almost completely devoid of clavicles;
male guinea pigs are slightly heavier than females, and the weight of an adult animal can vary between 0.7-1.8 kg;
guinea pigs have very short legs, with both forelimbs noticeably shorter than the hind ones;
on the front paws there are four fingers, and on the hind legs - three, which, with their external characteristics, resemble miniature hooves;
the coat of a guinea pig grows at an average rate of 0.2-0.5 cm within one week;
the sacral region is characterized by the presence of sebaceous glands, and the skin folds near the genitals and anus have para-anal glands with a specific secret;
the head of an adult guinea pig is quite large, with a fairly well-developed brain;
the incisors of a mammal grow throughout life, and the average rate of growth processes is about one and a half millimeters per week;
the difference between the lower jaw of a guinea pig is the ability to move freely regardless of direction;
the total length of the intestine significantly exceeds the size of the body of a mammal, so the process of digestion can be delayed for a week.

The color, structural parameters and length of the coat can be very different, which is directly dependent on the main breed characteristics. There are individuals with both very short and incredibly long, wavy or straight hair.

Character and lifestyle

Under natural conditions, wild guinea pigs prefer to be most active in the morning or immediately after dusk. The mammal is quite agile, knows how to run fast and always tries to stay alert. You can see a wild pig not only in the mountains, but also in forest areas. Guinea pigs do not like to dig holes and prefer to build a nest in a quiet and secluded place. To create a reliable and safe shelter, dry grass, fluff and fairly thin twigs are used.

It is interesting! Domesticated guinea pigs are widely used not only as unpretentious pets, but are also bred in vivariums at various research institutes.

A wild animal is very social, therefore it lives in a common area in a large flock, among its relatives.. Each flock or family is characterized by the presence of one male, which can have from ten to twenty females. At home, guinea pigs are kept in ordinary cages with enough space for walking, due to the activity of the animal. Such pets sleep several times a day, and if necessary, the guinea pig is able to rest without even closing its eyes.

How long does a guinea pig live

The average life expectancy of a wild guinea pig, as a rule, does not exceed seven years, and a domestic mammal, subject to the rules of care and the organization of a competent diet, may well live for about fifteen years.

Guinea pig breeds

Decorative guinea pigs are among the very popular pets, which has led to the development of an incredible number of original and unusual breeds of this unpretentious animal:

the breed is distinguished by thick and beautiful, curly and long hair. Pigs have two rosettes on the back, as well as one, irregular in shape, on the forehead. The hair growing in the forward direction in the muzzle forms sideburns, and the limbs are overgrown with wool exclusively from the bottom up;
The Texel breed has a very beautiful and curly coat, which looks a bit like a wet perm. Thanks to a very unusual and attractive hairline, the Texel breed is one of the most popular in many countries;
The Abyssinian breed is one of the most beautiful and oldest, distinguished by a hard coat with several rosettes in the form of fairly long hairs. Pigs of this breed are incredibly mobile and are characterized by excellent appetite;
The Merino breed has a long and curly coat, as well as distinctive, well-developed cheeks and sideburns. Breed features are large eyes and ears, a short head, as well as a strong and compact physique. On the pig's head is a symmetrical and noticeably raised "Crown";
The Peruvian breed is distinguished by a long and beautiful coat that does not need special or too complicated care. Owners of a guinea pig of this breed often use special curlers for their pet's hair to prevent excessive contamination of long hair;
the Rex breed is one of the short-haired ones, so the fur is distinguished by an unusual structure of hairs that visually make the domestic pig look like a cute plush toy. In the area of the head and back, the coat is more rigid;
the Cornet breed in some countries is called "Crested" or "Wearing the Crown", which is explained by the presence of a special rosette between the ears. The breed is distinguished by the presence of long hair all over the body. The progenitors of the Cornet were the Sheltie and Crested breeds;
the breed is characterized by a long and straight, very silky coat, as well as the presence of a kind of mane in the head area, falling on the shoulders and back of the pig. Animals short-haired from birth receive their full-fledged coat only by the age of six months.

It is interesting! Guinea pigs of the Baldwin breed look very exotic and unusual, having soft and elastic, completely bare skin, and a few subtle and not too long hairs can only be present on the animal's knees.

During the first few days after purchase, a pet guinea pig tends to be lethargic and very quiet, which is part of the standard pet adaptation. At this time, the animal is very shy, has a poor appetite and sits for a long time, frozen in one place. To facilitate the period of adaptation for the rodent, it is necessary to create an absolutely calm and friendly atmosphere in the room.

Cage, filling

By nature, guinea pigs are shy animals, reacting heavily to any change of scenery or too loud sounds. For their maintenance, you can use a terrarium or a cage with a pallet, but the second option is preferable. The cage houses a house for sleeping or relaxing, as well as game attributes, feeders and drinkers. The dimensions of the house are selected taking into account the size of the animal.

Care, hygiene

A pet must be protected not only from drafts, but also from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Water procedures are carried out as needed, and the coat is combed weekly. A couple of times a year, you can trim naturally uncut claws.

Increased attention will be required by exhibition animals, which are taught to sit in a motionless, strictly defined position from an early age. Long-haired pets must be accustomed to the daily process of combing, as well as winding their hair on special papillots. Smooth-haired and wire-haired gilts should be trimmed periodically.

Guinea pig diet

Under natural habitat conditions, guinea pigs feed on roots and seeds of plants, foliage, berries and fruits that have fallen from trees or shrubs. The main food of a domestic guinea pig can be represented by high-quality hay, which normalizes the state of the digestive tract and allows the animal to grind down its teeth. Due to the special structure of the digestive system, such pets eat food quite often, but in relatively small portions.

Various succulent foods are very relevant in the diet of a rodent, which can be represented by apples, lettuce, carrots and other vegetables. Sweet fruits, fruits and berries are given as treats. For effective grinding of teeth, the animal is given apple or cherry branches, celery or dandelion root. It is necessary to install a drinker with clean and fresh water in the pig's cage, which must be replaced daily without fail.

It is important to remember that guinea pigs are herbivores, so any food of animal origin should be excluded from the diet of such a pet. Among other things, lactose is not absorbed by adult animals, so supplementing the diet of such a pet with milk can cause indigestion. Any poor-quality feed and a sudden change in diet cause serious illness, and sometimes become the main cause of death.

Health, disease and prevention

An unbalanced diet or over-feeding can cause a pet to rapidly develop severe obesity.

Reproduction and offspring

It is best to mate guinea pigs for the first time at the age of six months. The female's estrus period lasts sixteen days, but fertilization is possible only for eight hours, after which pregnancy occurs, ending in two months with the appearance of offspring.

A week before the onset of labor, the female expands the pelvic part. In a litter, most often there are from two to three to five cubs. Newborn guinea pigs are well developed and quite capable of moving independently. The female most often feeds her offspring for no longer than two months.

In one children's movie, a guinea pig resents the name given to her. She rightly claims to be related to rodents and complained that she was motion sick on the ship. Why is the guinea pig so called several hypotheses. All of them are realistic and based on real stories.

From the point of view of zoologists, guinea pigs have nothing to do with pigs. These are rodents of the mumps family, a genus of pigs. In the wild, and now the brown-gray rodent lives in South America. The first drawings depicting this amazing rodent, discovered by scientists, date back to the 5th century BC, more precisely, they are more than 25 centuries old.

The first pigs were tamed by the tribes living on the slopes of the Andes. Now this territory belongs to several states:

Peru;
Colombia;
Bolivia;
Ecuador.

Peru played a special role in the appearance of guinea pigs, it was on its territory that scientists got acquainted with this animal. The first rodents came to Europe from the territory of this country. There, the Mochica tribe had a guinea pig among its idols and worshiped it. Found figurines depicting this animal in places of ritual sacrifice.

Ancient Peruvians from the Mochica tribe worshiped the guinea pig

The Incas were the first to domesticate rodents. They still use them as a source of dietary meat. But they called her Koris, Kevy. Currently in Bolivia, many restaurants serve Cui. This is the name of a guinea pig that has changed over time.

Currently, a large number of kewis live in South America. They are found in the mountains and on the plains, live in the sands and savannah. Their color differs slightly, mostly brown-gray with a light tummy. Variants depending on the area in coloring are simple, the predominance of one of the dominant tones on the back.

Pigs dig holes for themselves on their own, uniting 5-12 individuals in one team or reclaiming ready-made ones. They are mostly nocturnal, leaving their shelter in the evening at dusk. They feed on herbs growing around, fruits and berries.

Guinea pigs eat grass, fruits, berries

During the barrack period, couples are not created. Pregnancy in a female lasts 60-70 days. Within a few hours after birth, babies move independently. Mom feeds them for a month and young animals are ready for independent life, and the female mates again and bears new rodents.

Guinea pigs breed all year round. Their main food is always available, they are not in large areas of their residence.

There are many enemies in rodents, therefore, despite the large number of offspring, the number is stable, does not increase. Domesticated animals, under the protection of man and in the presence of food, quickly increase in numbers and grow. Already in 2 months they reach the size of an adult. In addition to grass, they eat grain, vegetables, mixed fodder.

In Peru, some tribes still use guinea pigs for sacrifice. They believe that the gods should be given something pleasant. Their cult forbids killing animals. They domesticated sheep and Kui a long time ago and do not consider them animals, since they grow them themselves.

According to historical sources, from about 1200 CE, until 1532, local aborigines began to select domesticated Kui. So the name of rodents was transformed over time. When the first explorers arrived in America, guinea pigs were bred there by the thousands as a source of tasty meat. The selection was aimed mainly at obtaining larger animals. Now there are breeds whose males weigh up to 4 kg. The color and length of the coat were of secondary importance.

In the first description, guinea pigs were compared to small rabbits. Animals feed on grass, have tender meat, similar to rabbit and chicken at the same time. Males weigh 1 - 1.5 kg, females are smaller, up to 1.2 kg. The length of Kui is 25 - 35 cm. The first name for animals in Europe was given to the Indian rabbit. Then, together with India, America was a colony of England and did not have its own separate name.

The first name of a rodent in Europe - Indian rabbit

When traders brought in rodents, they were examined and given the scientific name Cavia porcellus, which means small pig. The second meaning of Cavia comes from the modified cabiai - the name of the Galibi tribe.

Why are guinea pigs called that? Their body structure is very similar to a pig. Lack of a distinct neck and large head. Animals live in pens for pigs, they are also not demanding in food and chew all day. At the same time, they make sounds similar to the contented grunting of real pigs. If disturbed, they scream loudly like piglets.

Butchered carcasses of guinea pigs differ from young piglets only in paws. Cooked on a spit, they are very similar to little piglets. Currently, 65 million kui are eaten in Peru per year. A local diet dish is also served in restaurants in Ecuador and Brazil.

Kui guinea pigs are eaten in Peru, Ecuador, Brazil

In Europe, funny and cute rodents without a tail became pets, first among the courtiers, then among the middle strata of the population. Now they are ubiquitous as pets, especially they are bought for children. Queen Elizabeth had Guinea pigs.

There are several hypotheses why a guinea pig is called a guinea pig. They were born in different parts of Europe and it is possible that everyone has a right to exist, as a variant of the name of the pig. Moreover, all options refer to different areas, but about the same time - the 17th century. Scientists do not refute any of them as untenable. They also cannot single out the only true one.

Catholic version of the name

The simplest hypothesis, why the guinea pig was called a guinea pig, is explained by the gluttony of Catholic priests and refers to the southern regions of Europe.

Simultaneously with guinea pigs, the largest capybara rodents were brought from Brazil. They lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle and eat only grass. Capybaras reach at the withers up to 60 cm and can weigh more than 60 kg. It's like a big sheepdog. They spend a lot of time swimming and resting in shallow water. Large rodents belong to the mumps family, have tender meat.

Copybara, the largest rodent in the world, was brought from Brazil at the same time as pigs.

Catholic priests attributed Capybara and Guinea pigs - as they called then marine, to fish. This allowed them to eat their meat during fasting.

Russian version

Rodents came to the territory of Russia under the name Guinea pig. The name itself has had several interpretations.

Pigs were imported from Guinea.
They were sold for 1 guinea.
At that time, Guinea denoted everything that was brought from across the sea, and it was marvelous for the locals. Only sailors knew where the country was located and what it looked like with outlandish plants and fruits.

Gradually, in Russia, animals began to be called the Overseas pig. Over time, the pretext disappeared, and the name Morskaya remained.

port option

Sailors, making a long journey, took provisions with them. The British, who often had to fall into the fog, used pigs as sirens. The animal is able to scream piercingly for hours and not lose its voice. This made it possible to avoid collisions of ships when nothing was visible. The rest used the omnivorous unpretentious animal as a food supply. Then chickens lived in the hold, sometimes cows. There were no refrigerators, meat, milk, eggs were kept alive and freshly laid.

Guinea pigs can scream for hours without losing their voice, so sailors used them as sirens.

Traveling to America, sailors released guinea pigs back into the pig pens. They made similar sounds and behaved like piglets, quickly multiplied and grew. Many people liked the tender meat. The rodents tolerated rolling well and did not come into conflict with ship rats. They were then called mainly Indian pigs.

So sea travelers got their name in the ports of the Mediterranean Sea and became Guinea pigs.

Linguistic hypothesis

Why scientists named the guinea pig. The name Cavia porcellus has been translated into various languages in Europe. Wherever the cute animal came as a pet and entertainment, its name was pronounced in a local way. In Poland it became Swinka morska.

This is another hypothesis for the appearance of the name of the rodent. Given that the pig swims well, the name is quite justified.

domestic guinea pigs

In Europe, guinea pigs are kept exclusively as decorative pets. The animal is sociable and playful, lives on average 8 years. Already at the age of 2 months, the rodents are ready for breeding, but this moment should be postponed until the female reaches the year. So that the guinea pig does not get bored, there should be several of them. The optimal amount for one large cage per 1 male is 2-3 females. If the animal is alone, it must be provided.

There should be hay in the cage all year round. Animals chew it all day long. They not only eat, but at the same time grind down the teeth that grow constantly in rodents. In addition to dry grass, they should be given:

cereal grains;
carrot;
Apple;
cucumber;
beets;
fruits;
branches of fruit trees.

Guinea pigs love cereal grains

Guinea pig or cavia is a small rodent representing a large family of pigs. The animal has a calm and friendly character, quickly gets used to the owner and can be trained. The guinea pig feeds on root crops, grass, hay and various fruits, and is very undemanding and unpretentious in keeping.

The history of domestication of the guinea pig goes back over seven thousand years. Before the invasion of the Spaniards, the Inca tribes bred several domestic breeds, from which all modern species and subspecies of Cavia originated. However, the main criterion for breeders of the past was not at all color and intelligence, but the taste of meat and size. To this day, in Peru, Ecuador and China, the tradition of eating guinea pigs has been preserved. In Europe and the USA, cavia meat is treated with distrust: culinary experts admit that it is tasty and has a pleasant aroma, but they classify it as exotic.

According to information that has come down to our days, cavia came to the European continent at the end of the sixteenth century.

They quickly gained popularity due to their cute appearance, quick wit and a wide variety of colors. They got their name for sounds and squeals similar to grunting, as well as for the proportions of the body and head. Guinea pigs were named because of the fact that sailors took the animals with them on long voyages. The animals take up little space, eat simple plant foods and are very prolific, plus they are a source of valuable meat.

Appearance of pigs

A simple description of a guinea pig looks like this: a small animal with a cylindrical body, reaching a length of no more than thirty centimeters. An adult male weighs no more than two kilograms, and a female - about a kilogram. The head of the cavia is relatively large, the neck is poorly visible, and the legs are short. Distinctive features from the order of rodents are manifested in the way the guinea pig looks, and in the way of life, in the duration of pregnancy. One of the most obvious distinguishing features is a very short tail.

In nature, they do not dig minks, but live on the surface, and pregnancy lasts up to seventy days.

However, like all representatives of rodents, cavia have a specific bite and pronounced long incisors. The incisors grow throughout life and it is very important to give them hard food to chew on, as well as tree branches so that the teeth grind down. Otherwise, excessively long teeth can damage the tongue, lips and palate. Even experienced breeders don't always know how many teeth a guinea pig has.

From birth, the animal has twenty teeth with a folded surface:

two pairs of cuts,
two pairs of premolars
three pairs of lower molars
three pairs of upper molars.

Animals differ in color vision. They can see yellow, green, red and blue, but guinea pigs have poor vision and hardly rely on their eyesight. Wild or natural color of pigs is close to black. All color forms that exist today, as well as bald and short-haired breeds, are obtained by artificial means.

Coprophagous pigs

Animals that eat their own excrement are called coprophages. Pigs eat their litter in a rather strange way: they curl up into a ball and swarm around the anus, where the fecal pocket is located. Many breeders have a question - why do guinea pigs eat their own droppings and is it not dangerous to health. Zoologists explain this behavior as follows: the pig's body is not able to process all the amino acids contained in food. Some of the important amino acids and vitamins of the K and B groups are excreted from the body along with feces. Even with vitamin supplements, the animal will continue to eat particles of litter - there is no other way to get all the necessary amino acids.

In nature, pigs eat their droppings for another reason: they are very vulnerable and tend to destroy any traces of their vital activity so as not to attract the attention of predators.

Pig lifestyle

In nature, guinea pigs are most active in the morning and at dusk. They are agile, able to run fast and always alert. Cavia can be seen both in the mountains and in the forests. Guinea pigs do not dig minks, preferring to equip nests in a secluded place from dry grass, fluff and thin twigs.

The social lifestyle of guinea pigs involves living in one territory of a large flock of animals. Each pack or family consists of one male and ten or twenty females. In their natural habitat, the guinea pig eats roots and seeds of plants, leaves, fallen berries and fruits of trees. The life span of wild cavia is no more than seven years.

At home, a guinea pig can live 12-15 years.

They are kept in ordinary cages, but they are provided with sufficient walking: the animal is very active and needs to move. The constant activity of animals raises the question for some breeders: how much guinea pigs sleep and whether they sleep at all. The animal sleeps for ten to fifteen minutes several times a day. The sleep of cubs is less long. If the animal is worried or feels threatened, it may sleep with its eyes open.

In the life of Cavia, four age stages are distinguished. The first is under the mother, when the cub drinks its mother's milk. From the third day on, cubs begin to try adult food, but without milk, the chances of surviving are zero. The second period begins at the moment when the young individual switches to independent feeding and begins to eat all the main adult foods. At home, a grown guinea pig is happy to eat alfalfa or clover hay, young shoots of dandelions and clover, various root crops, fruits, and greens. From roughage, pigs prefer to eat germinated oats or wheat, corn grains. The third period occurs during puberty. Females are ready for fertilization at the age of eight weeks, males - twelve weeks. The fourth period is characterized by a decrease in activity and loss of reproductive function.

Breeders need to constantly monitor the animal's diet and how much the pig eats. Overeating, like fasting, has a negative impact on health. Another important point that every breeder should know is what foods should not be given to cavia. These include:

red cabbage,
sweets,
meat products,
fish products,
eggs,
milk products.

Despite the fact that pigs are ready for breeding at a very early age, it is recommended to receive the first litter from one-year-old animals. By this age, they have time to fully grow, get stronger and form.

Interesting facts about guinea pigs are not limited to their differences from rodents and their attitude towards coprophages:

distant ancestors of the guinea pig weighed more than 600 kg,
cavia have 64 chromosomes (humans have only 46),
Animals make many sounds. They can squeal, snort, grunt, chirp, purr, grunt,
Cavia can't stand being alone
their intelligence is slightly inferior to that of dogs and cats.

It is also interesting what the guinea pig dreams of. According to the dream books, if a guinea pig dreamed, this means that a person is not able to withstand the prevailing circumstances, he has low self-esteem. However, a guinea pig sitting on her hands portends joyful events and good news.

Cavia relatives

Relatives of guinea pigs are beavers, squirrels, and even gophers, mice and rats. Such a large number of relatives is explained by the large number of rodents.

Among the relatives of Cavia there are many familiar, and many unusual mammals:

mara looks like a hare, but larger - weight up to 16 kg,
agouti - an animal that looks like both a rabbit and an ancient ancestor of modern horses,
paka - a cautious and more like a deer rodent, weighing up to 12 kg,
capybara - the largest representative of the detachment weighing up to 60 kg, grows up to 140 cm in length, leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle.

The origin of the Russian name of the animal "guinea pig" apparently comes from the word "overseas". Later, the word "overseas" turned into the word "marine". The very origin of the word "overseas" is connected with two points. Firstly, initially guinea pigs came to Russia mostly by sea on ships, that is, "from across the sea." Secondly, they were brought mostly from Germany, where they are called Meerschweinchen. So our name for this animal, "guinea pig", is most likely a simple literal translation of its German name.

We see that the guinea pig has the most indirect relation to the sea, since its homeland is located across the ocean, that is, as they said before, "beyond the sea." Yes, and she does not know how to swim, as she is a purely land animal and does not tolerate water. But, nevertheless, until now, some unfortunate animals have to pay for the mistakes and ignorance of people. There are reliably known cases when new owners let a guinea pig purchased for their children into aquariums with fish or water containers so that the animals "swim" there - they are "marine" after all! And after these poor animals, exhausted from floundering in the water, drowned, some of them called zoological shops and complained indignantly about the loss of their acquisition.

But why is this glorious animal called "pig"? Apparently, this is due, firstly, to the appearance of the animal. As we remember, to the Spaniards, she resembled a suckling pig. The identification of a pig with a domestic pig occurred not only due to the appearance of the animal, but also by the way the Indians cooked it for food: they doused it with boiling water to clean it of wool, as was done by Europeans to remove the bristles from a pig. Some historians suggest that in Europe, as in their homeland, the guinea pig originally served as a source of food. Secondly, apparently, this is due to the fact that they have a large head, a short neck and a thick body and a peculiar structure of the fingers of the limbs. They are armed with elongated, hoof-shaped, ribbed claws that our ancestors somewhat resembled the hooves of piglets. And thirdly, if at rest the mumps makes gurgling sounds, then when frightened, it switches to a squeal, which is somewhat similar to a pig.

Until the middle of the 19th century, the guinea pig was very expensive and was available only to rich people. This is reflected in the English name of the animal guinea pig - "a pig for a guinea." Until 1816, the guinea was the main gold coin in the British Empire. Guinea got its name from the name of the African country of Guinea, which at that time was a British colony and a supplier of gold, which went to England for minting gold coins.

There is another translation - "guinea pig", which is mentioned by some authors. M. Cumberland explains the name "Guinea pig" by the fact that the British had more trade relations with their colony than with South America, and therefore they were accustomed to looking at Guinea as part of India. And as we remember, one of the early European names for the guinea pig was "Indian pig".

It should be noted that at present the British often call her Cavy or Cui. In addition to the above names, other, less common names for this cute animal can still be found in England: Indian little pig - a small Indian pig, restles cavy - restless (mobile) pig, Gvinea pig - Guinea pig and domestic cavy - domestic pig.