Do you know why a guinea pig is a pig?

This cute animal is a favorite of not only many kids, but also adults. He does not bite, quickly gets used to hands, he does not require any special care. However, even with such a cute little animal in the house, not everyone thinks about why a guinea pig is a pig? After all, it is clear that it has no direct relation to dairy grunting animals. On the other hand, why is a guinea pig a sea pig? After all, neither she nor her wild relatives can swim. Let's find out these questions, for this we will have to plunge into history.

General information

Before proceeding to the question of why the guinea pig is called this way, and not otherwise, let's find out where the homeland of these animals is and why they were tamed. The breeding of guinea pigs was taken up by Indians in South America, and it was back in the 7th century BC. In the homeland of rodents, then they were called gui, or aporea. Their reproduction in nature occurs all year round, pregnancy lasts a little more than 2 months, and a few hours after giving birth, the animal is ready to reproduce again! It is for this reason that the Indians bred rodents, using them as household animals. Guinea pigs served as their main source of meat, and they were also sacrificed and used for other similar rituals. By the way, these rodents are still eaten in some countries, and the Peruvians once bred a very large guinea pig breed for this, it weighed about 2.5 kg. They were first brought to Europe in the 16th century, but rodents were very expensive, not everyone could afford to play with a funny animal.

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Why a guinea pig is a pig. First version

Yes, there are several versions regarding this issue. One of them says that when the Spaniards first landed in South America and saw these rodents, they strongly seemed to them like suckling pigs. Therefore, they began to eat them without hesitation. After all, if you take a closer look at the guinea pig, you can see some similarities with the grunting animal. For example, such as short legs, a rather large head on a short neck and a plump body.

Second version

According to other sources, the following version as to why the guinea pig is a pig appeared due to the peculiarities of the animal's behavior. The fact is that when a rodent is anxious, wants to eat, is very dissatisfied with something, or, on the contrary, is in a great mood, glad to see its owner, it makes peculiar sounds that are similar to grunting or squealing. Which of these two versions is reliable, no one knows for sure. We can only say one thing – the guinea pig owes its name to the Spaniards. We have found out why the animal is called that, but not completely. It remains to figure out why the guinea pig is marine.

Overseas animal

On this occasion, there is an assumption that in Europe these rodents spread from west to east, and the name that exists today with us indicates that the animals were brought by ships from overseas, that is, from the very beginning there were overseas pigs. These cute little animals, which are unpretentious to maintenance and nutrition and are easily trained, were the favorite companions of sailors. But in fact, guinea pigs can't stand water, so don't try to teach your pet to swim, he will simply drown.

Another interesting puzzle

Guinea pig – that's what the guinea pig is called in English. And regarding the translation, there are two versions. According to one assumption, the animal is called "Guinea" in translation because in English. Guinea – Guinea. Perhaps this version was formed due to the incorrect fact that African Guinea is the birthplace of guinea pigs. According to the second version, when the animals were brought to Europe, they were very expensive, respectively, hence (perhaps) the name guinea pig – "pig for a guinea". Such a price was high for the vast majority of the population. It is difficult to give preference to one of these versions. However, in any case, the animals are still paying for the speculations of the pioneers.

Cute pets

We have tried to figure out why a guinea pig is a pig, and where this name came from. One thing is for sure – if you get such a pet, then a lot of positive emotions are guaranteed to you. It is desirable for guinea pigs to live at home in a high cage with a deep pallet, and as a litter you can use sawdust, hay or specific fillers that are sold in special stores. Rodents feed with pleasure on grass, hay, and grain crops. A very important condition for their normal functioning is a sufficient amount of clean water to drink, preferably with the addition of vitamin C. And in general, animals are sociable, inquisitive, intelligent. In a few days they will respond to the nickname and will be able to sleep peacefully in your arms. They will become a real and full-fledged member of your family.