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Guinea pigs are one of the oldest and, one might say, the cutest pets in the world: sociable, gentle and pleasant to talk to, they can be liked by both children and adults. Today, 13 breeds of guinea pigs are accepted, each of which differs in color, texture and coat pattern.
The species we know as domestic guinea pigs do not exist in nature. It is entirely created by humans, artificially created for millennia to meet our social needs. The species has wild relatives that still roam its natural habitat in South America, but unlike cats and dogs, humans rarely meet these ancestors. It is unlikely that you will ever see them, even if you happened to visit their natural habitat in South America. But anyone can appreciate their long and compelling history spanning thousands of years. This article will explain where they came from and how they have been used throughout history.
Guinea pig classification
The common domestic guinea pig does not lend itself to simple classification. It appears to have the shape and sound of a pig, but about the size of a large rat. The name, it seems, is intended to cause equally confusion. But scientists have determined that the guinea pig is actually a species of rodent. This is because the guinea pig possesses all the defining traits of rodents, including the presence of incisors on the upper and lower jaws, which grow continuously throughout life. However, not everyone accepted the link between sea rodents and rodents. In the 1990s, some scientists argued that from an evolutionary point of view, eggs are different enough to be classified in a separate order. But a complete genetic analysis carried out since then confirms the notion that they belong to the order Rodentia.
Caviidae (or simply guinea pig) is the name of the rodent family to which the guinea pig currently belongs. Members of the cavalry family are found in various places in South America, with the exception of the Amazon. In addition to all the other guinea pigs, this family includes the largest living rodent, the capybara, which actually looks a bit like a grown-up guinea pig.
Below in the taxonomic ranking, the domestic guinea pig is one of six recognized species belonging to the genus Guinea pig… Five other species that are similar to the common domesticated species are called the Brazilian guinea pig, shiny guinea pig, intermediate guinea pig, large guinea pig, and mountain guinea pig. Some taxonomists recognize three other species of feral guinea pigs that returned to the wild at some point after domestication. There are also four other extinct species known from the fossil record.
Guinea pig evolution
The earliest members of the Caviidae family probably originated about 26–7 million years ago from marmot-sized rodents from North America, Europe and Asia. However, upon arriving in South America, this group evolved into the marine animals we know today. Most chicks are characterized by large heads, short but heavy bodies and barely visible tails. They are also relatively large compared to many rodents.
They are most often found in pastures, forests and swamps with a lot of vegetation and grass. Most species prefer relatively low ground, but the mountain guinea pig can survive up to 16,000 feet. In the wild, they travel together in small herds consisting of a male “wild boar”, several female “sows” and their offspring. This social configuration allows one male to control the reproductive access of several females in his herd. Wild guinea pigs are very active at dawn and dusk, but to protect themselves, they seek refuge in burrows created by other animals during the rest of the day. This is how wild guinea pigs lived when they were first tamed.
Taming the guinea pig
Based on genetic analysis, the guinea pig was probably first domesticated in the Andean region of South America around 5,000 BC; today this region corresponds to the countries of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. The exact history is now lost to us, but we know that the guinea pig was first domesticated from one of the wild species, perhaps the mountain guinea pig or some other extinct species, and then systematically selected for attractive traits such as gentleness and docility. … Curiously, along with the llama and alpaca, it was one of the few animals ever domesticated in South America.
Initially, the guinea pig was used by the local population for a variety of purposes, including communication, food, and even religious practices. According to one common tradition, guinea pigs were used to diagnose painful diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism. Black guinea pigs are said to be particularly adept at this diagnostic art. Guinea pigs were so central to Andean culture that they were exchanged as popular gifts, as a sign of respect and affection. The animal was called Kuwi or Jaka in Quechua, one of the main language families in the Andean region.
Around 500 BC, guinea pigs first began to appear in folk arts and crafts. The Moche people, who flourished from about AD 100 to AD 800, incorporated many animals, including guinea pigs, into their social and religious practices; the statues and the art they created with the images of animals testify to this spiritual and social significance that borders on worship. The rise of the Inca civilization since 1200 AD also had an important influence on the fate of the guinea pig. The Incas suddenly began to create new exotic varieties with unique colors and textures of fur. Many breeds that we still know today were bred during this creative period.
These animals were still used for food and diagnosis, but the Incas seem to have had a special habit of sacrificing their guinea pigs to the gods. Some of these customs persisted in remote villages long after the Spanish conquest finally ended many Andean traditions.
Guinea pig goes global
After the fall of the Inca Empire in the early 16th century, the animal became a very popular export commodity from the Andean region. The first written mention of a guinea pig comes from a 1547 report in Santo Domingo (now the capital of the Dominican Republic), where guinea pigs were not local but were introduced by humans. Later in the same century, as they spread across the Atlantic, the animals became popular with upper-class Europeans and royalty. One of the breed’s greatest fans was none other than Queen Elizabeth I, who helped solidify their status as popular and fashionable pets.
At that time, this animal bore many different names. The Portuguese called them Porchitas da India, or “pig from India” (because America was originally mistaken for India). The Germans named them Meerschweinchen, whi
ch
means “little porpoises,” perhaps because they came from abroad. Latin name porcellus, which is also the scientific name of the species, simply means “piglet”. The French do not call him a pig at all, but rather something like a rabbit.
The English name is also a bit incorrect, and it is not entirely clear how it acquired this term. One of the most popular theories is that the guinea refers to the value of the animal. Guinea was a gold coin in 17th century England made up of metals mined from Guinea in West Africa. However, such an explanation is unlikely, since it was believed that the term was already in use by the time the coin was first minted. Another explanation is that the animal entered England via a stopover in Guinea, or perhaps Guinea could be the usual English slang for any foreign location. It is not entirely clear where this name came from, but it persisted for a long time after its original meaning was lost.
By the 1800s, these animals were used as experimental animals in laboratory tests to study nutrition, disease and toxicology, and health products. Their biological resemblance to humans and their ease of handling made them ideal test subjects. It is estimated that they contributed to the award of 23 Nobel Prizes in Medicine and Physiology. They helped in the discovery of vitamin C and the hormone adrenaline. They also helped develop systems for blood transfusions, antibiotics, asthma medications, and vaccines. Together with the so-called “laboratory rat”, they are closely associated with scientific research and the development of medicine.
Today, the animal still thrives as a lovable pet and companion; millions of them are held by people around the world. Although far from its natural habitat, this humble guinea has become one of the most adorable animals on the planet.
Next: Types of Guinea Pigs: The Complete Guide to Guinea Pig Breeds
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