A guinea pig is actually called a cavy and is a kind of rodent. Despite their name, this animal does not come from Guinea nor does it come from the pig family. They originally come from the Andes in South America. Earlier studies of these animals suggest that guinea pigs are a domesticated descendant of other groups of cavy and that the wild is not their true home. Today, guinea pigs that live in the wild can still be found in South America. Guinea pigs that are kept as domesticated pets are descendants of these South American animals. They live amongst the flat grasslands and mountains and can also be found in rocky areas, marshes and the outskirts of forests in South America. Pet guinea pigs are today found in many countries, but they all trace back to the South American guinea pig. The people of South America used guinea pigs as a food source for many thousands of years. During the 1500s explorers from other countries discovered Peru and would take these animals back to their own countries. From this, people started to keep guinea pigs as a domesticated pet. Biological experimentations have been performed on these animals since as early as the 1600s. This is where the nickname 'guinea pig' came about to describe a test subject.
Guinea pigs found in the wild will live in a small group of up to ten. The group will normally sleep, eat and also rest together. They will share their territory and warn other members of their own group about any dangers. If they are frightened they will produce a loud, whistle like scream.
They will make their home in burrows left over by another animal, in shrubbery, or in rock crevices. They can also be found in tall grass fields. The guinea pigs will normally spend their time grooming themselves, eating, playing and resting. They are also the most active when it is nighttime.
Wild guinea pigs are only able to jump a small obstacle and are not good climbers nor very agile. When they are excited they will do little hops into the air which is called 'pop-corning'. They are very good swimmers. Their range of vision is 340 degrees and they can see in partial color. Their smell, hearing and touch is well developed. These animals have a large head with small ears and a small and plump body with short legs.
Because it is a rodent it has two bottom and two top front teeth called incisors. These incisors keep on growing throughout their life. They are adapted to eating coarse foods such as grass. Their other teeth are behind these incisors and are used to grind and crush their food. Guinea pigs living in their natural habitats have coarse, long, grey or brown fur. Domesticated guinea pigs that are bred can have short or long fur with varying textures. They can be brown, black, white, red or a mixture of colors. Full sized guinea pigs can grow up to 36 centimeters or 14 inches long and weighs up to 3 pounds or 1.4 kg. With proper guinea pig pet care, these sweet animals can live as long as eight years.
Guinea pigs found in the wild will live in a small group of up to ten. The group will normally sleep, eat and also rest together. They will share their territory and warn other members of their own group about any dangers. If they are frightened they will produce a loud, whistle like scream.
They will make their home in burrows left over by another animal, in shrubbery, or in rock crevices. They can also be found in tall grass fields. The guinea pigs will normally spend their time grooming themselves, eating, playing and resting. They are also the most active when it is nighttime.
Wild guinea pigs are only able to jump a small obstacle and are not good climbers nor very agile. When they are excited they will do little hops into the air which is called 'pop-corning'. They are very good swimmers. Their range of vision is 340 degrees and they can see in partial color. Their smell, hearing and touch is well developed. These animals have a large head with small ears and a small and plump body with short legs.
Because it is a rodent it has two bottom and two top front teeth called incisors. These incisors keep on growing throughout their life. They are adapted to eating coarse foods such as grass. Their other teeth are behind these incisors and are used to grind and crush their food. Guinea pigs living in their natural habitats have coarse, long, grey or brown fur. Domesticated guinea pigs that are bred can have short or long fur with varying textures. They can be brown, black, white, red or a mixture of colors. Full sized guinea pigs can grow up to 36 centimeters or 14 inches long and weighs up to 3 pounds or 1.4 kg. With proper guinea pig pet care, these sweet animals can live as long as eight years.
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