Guinea pigs are small crossbreeds that were crossed with wild pigs caught on the island of New Guinea. The fact that these animals were first bred in the lab to create a breed of pigs small enough to be kept as domestic pets and docile is the reason why guinea pigs are still associated with the lab in most people's minds today.
Yes, I made everything. A guinea pig is not a New Guinea pig just like a pineapple is a Granny Smith apple that grows on a pine tree. All are terrible and deceptive maneuvers. Guinea pigs are not pigs and have nothing to do with New Guinea, Old Guinea, Young Guinea or any other guinea we know of.
As the title suggests, the term "guinea pig" is completely rigged. These little creatures are not mutant dwarf pigs. That would be ridiculous (actually they're little child actors in little mutant dwarf pig costumes). ok i made it too They are rodents belonging to the genus Cavia (for this reason they are also called Cavie). As rodents, they are related to chinchillas and hedgehogs rather than pigs and wild boars.
Guinea pigs are native to South America, not New Guinea. As far as we know, guinea pigs are all domesticated animals and therefore no longer exist in the wild. The guinea pig's cousin, the capybara, can still be seen in the wild in South America. Because of their gigantic size, capybaras appear to be more closely related to pigs and wild boars than their actual relatives, the domestic guinea pig. That guinea pig has a strange family.
So, why is this charming little South American rodent known as the guinea pig? It's unclear as this little species was given this misnomer a few years ago. Some speculate that the guinea pig got its name because it makes a sound similar to the chirping of a pig. Others believe that guinea pigs are similar to pigs and pigs, and have a round, sturdy, and short-legged shape, despite many differences from barnyard pigs. Also, guinea pigs are voracious prey animals, which may explain the allusion to pigs.
The "Guinea" part of the name, on the other hand, is said to be derived from the South American territory of Guinana. Another hypothesis is that the trade route that introduced the lovable rodent to Europe may have passed through Guinea and gave the fuzzy little rat its name.
Anyway, I hope this essay will clarify at least some of the guinea pig secrets. We don't know where the guinea pig label came from, but we know where it didn't. Guinea pigs are neither pigs nor natives of New Guinea. They are rodents and are native to South America. To learn more about guinea pigs and guinea pig cages, click the link now in the resource box below.