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 living in South America a large number of kevy. 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 came to 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 big 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. Serving local diet dish and in restaurants in Ecuador, 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 buy them 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 Europe and it is possible that everyone has the right to exist, as a variant of the name of the mumps. 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.

Simultaneously with the pigs from Brazil, they brought copybara - the most large rodent in the world

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.

  1. Pigs were imported from Guinea.
  2. They were sold for 1 guinea.
  3. 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 ports mediterranean sea and became guinea pigs.

Linguistic hypothesis

Why scientists named the guinea pig. The name Cavia porcellus was translated in Europe into different languages. 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;
  • twigs fruit trees.

Guinea pigs love cereal grains

Guinea pig (lat. Cavia porcellus), would probably be very surprised if she found out about her Russian-language name, because she has nothing to do with either real pigs or the sea. Then why is it called that?

Everything is very simple: it became “marine” because it was brought from America, i.e. from across the sea. Although, perhaps, it would be more correct to call it "overseas". In Europe, it is most often called "guinea pig", "pig mouse" or "Indian pig". As you can see, only the word "mumps" does not cause controversy. Why? Because this animal sometimes makes grunting sounds, just like its big namesake.

The Andean tribes of South America were the first to domesticate guinea pigs 5 thousand years ago. True, then they were not just pets. People used them as a source of delicious meat or for various rituals and rituals. Starting from the 13th century AD. Indian tribes became seriously interested in their breeding and before the conquest of the Inca Empire in 1533, they managed to breed many different breeds.

Of course, modern breeders have gone even further. Today there is great amount varieties of guinea pigs that are completely. For example, in pet stores you can find both long-haired animals, and wire-haired, short-haired and even animals with no hair at all or with a little fluff.

In general, guinea pigs have a body length of 25 to 35 cm, they have a wide blunt muzzle with hanging ears, a large body with rounded shapes and no tail at all. Males weigh from 1 to 1.5 kg, females - from 0.8 to 1.2 kg. In wild individuals, the natural color of the upper body is brown-gray, the belly and inner side paws are lighter.

These are quite cute pets with a good-natured and trusting character. They love to sit on their hands and play with the owner. However, during such activities, you should be very careful, since a fall even from a small height can have very sad consequences for the animal.

Interestingly, guinea pigs, in addition to grunting, can make many other very different sounds. For example, when they are happy, they can purr. When courting, males sometimes purr. Females during pregnancy or in the absence of a male begin to chirp like birds. They do it at night, continuing their "song" from 2 to 10 minutes. True, this happens very rarely.

Guinea pigs eat hay, grain feed, juicy vegetables and fruits. When feeding, it should be borne in mind that fresh hay should be in the cage around the clock, since the animal grinds its teeth with it, in addition, it helps to normalize the digestive system.

Sometimes the animal can be caught for not too pleasant procedure- eating their own droppings. This habit was inherited from wild ancestors- it turns out that in this way guinea pigs are enriched with vitamins, since vitamins of groups B and K are absorbed in the animal's body only when they pass through the gastrointestinal tract again.

house for guinea pig

Your new friend definitely needs his own house. Any single-story cage or aquarium of sufficient size will do. Since guinea pigs have short legs, they do not need to arrange many attractions in the form of ladders, hammocks, etc.

However, there must be some kind of shelter in the cage so that the shy animal can hide if necessary. It is better if it is a small construction made of bark, then the rodent will grind its teeth on it.

Some veterinarians believe that the constant presence of a shelter for a rodent makes it less tame: he sits in the house all the time, is scared of everything in the world and does not want to play with the owner. If you notice this for your pet, put the house only for the night - let the animal do without it during the day.

It is necessary to pour a litter on the floor: tyrsa, hay, straw, sawdust or wood filler. Make sure that the tyrsa is large, otherwise it can clog the animal's nose. Choose hay that is fresh, not soaked, and devoid of any signs of mold. Tyrsa or hay will have to be changed every 1-2 days, otherwise an unpleasant smell will begin to spread around the apartment.

There will be less trouble with wood filler: it absorbs liquid well, so it needs to be changed much less often (once every 3-4 days). True, all these materials can serve as a source of dust, so special corn or paper litter for rodents is a good alternative for them.

Often guinea pigs are very clean and use the same place in the cage for the toilet. Then it remains for the owner to put a small tray with low sides there and pour a little filler. Caring for such a cage will be much easier.

Drinker and feeder

In addition to the house, the guinea pig will need two feeders and a drinker. It is better to buy a vertical ball drinker, it will not be so convenient with a simple bowl: the filler can get into the water, which will make it unsuitable for consumption. You need to change the water every day, even if it seems that the animal does not drink at all.

For dry and wet food, two separate feeders should be purchased. They must be heavy and stable enough, otherwise the mobile animal will constantly turn them over. You can even attach one of them to the cage, and put the second (for wet food) from time to time.

Guinea pig nutrition

Since hay can contain a lot of dust, it must be fed to the rodent in special devices - hay feeders or hay balls. The haymaker is similar to a simple shovel - it must be attached to the outside of the cage so that it fits snugly against the wall. A hay ball is a round mesh structure that is filled with hay. It is hung on the ceiling or fixed in the corner of the cage.

In addition to hay, guinea pigs need to be given straw, various dry herbs (most of all, these animals love dandelions and plantain), cereals and legumes. In summer, they are given sprigs of fruit trees and shrubs, as well as bark and leaves of maple, oak or birch.

In general, about 80% of an animal's menu should consist of dry food. Pet stores sell specialized food designed for guinea pigs. If you have settled on this option, you should not change it too often, otherwise the animal may take a long time to get used to the new taste.

Only 20% is left for wet and soft food. If you exceed this rate and feed the rodent with such food all the time, this can lead to health problems and tooth growth. However, it is also not necessary to deprive the animal of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Guinea pigs love apples, cucumbers, broccoli, white cabbage, lettuce, parsley and various fruits. Since all of these are extremely tasty, they may specifically begin to beg for just such delicacies and ignore everything else. You should not follow their lead, otherwise it will end badly, and, above all, for the pet itself. To calculate the allowable amount of wet food, it is enough to use a simple formula: 5-7 g of wet food per 100 g of animal weight.

Although the ancient Incas fed their guinea pigs with food from their table, as there is a lot of evidence in the form of drawings on vases and other utensils, do not try to repeat this experience: after all, much has changed since then, especially our food.

Remember: a healthy pet is one who has the right diet.

Do I need to give the animal additional vitamins?

Often, veterinarians recommend giving guinea pigs vitamin C by adding it to the drinking bowl with water at the rate of 1 mg per 1 ml of water. However, in the light, this vitamin quickly loses its properties, so the solution must be changed at least once a day.

The rest of the vitamins the animal must receive with food. It is curious that vitamins of groups B and K are absorbed only the second time, so rodents sometimes eat their own droppings.

Features of caring for guinea pigs

From time to time they need to be released from the cage so that they can play. Just take care of their safety: close cats or dogs in another room and do not take the pig to your sofa or table - it may accidentally fall and be injured.

Otherwise, caring for them is not particularly difficult, they do not need as much attention as a cat or dog, so even very busy people often take them into the house.

Come from guinea pig from South America. The Spanish conquistadors saw many of these rodents in the villages of the Indians. The Incas roasted them and ate them public holidays. And now guinea pigs still live in some settlements of the Indians, during the day they run freely around the houses, and come to spend the night in huts.

Guinea pigs were brought to Europe in the 16th century, 60 years after Columbus discovered America. In Konrad Gesner's book on animals, published in 1554, they are already mentioned.

Why is it so strangely called this purely land animal, which has nothing to do with pigs? Mumps, obviously, for the pig squeal with which this animal expresses its fear. Perhaps also for the "grunt" similar to the gurgling of water. This is the voice of a calm, peaceful guinea pig.

With the origin of the epithet "marine" is more complicated. If they called it "overseas", everything would be clear; brought from the sea. But it is still called marine. Maybe because in those distant times sailors loved to keep guinea pigs on ships for fun.

The disposition of the pigs is peaceful, they never bite, children can safely play with them. In many foreign countries guinea pigs are slaughtered and eaten. But the main purpose of this rodent is not children's fun, not gastronomic use, but service in the medical field. The guinea pig has been and remains one of the best laboratory animals. She is very sensitive to infectious diseases. Therefore, experiments are carried out on it to diagnose contagious diseases of humans and farm animals (diphtheria, typhus, tuberculosis, glanders, etc.).

Physiologists, geneticists, allergists, virologists, bacteriologists experiment with it. In a word, in all areas of medicine and related sciences, the guinea pig serves as an experimental animal.

In a relatively short period of time, amateur breeders have bred different breeds of guinea pigs.

The Himalayan is especially beautiful. By color, it is a complete analogy with the Russian ermine rabbit: ears, muzzle, legs are black, everything else is white. Instead of black, a dark chocolate color is acceptable. All other deviations in color are rejected. This coloration appears in young pigs only by the age of four months. Newborn Himalayan pigs are completely white.

Dutch pig. Bred in Holland and improved in England. Its color is also two-tone. The front of the body and head are white. The back half of the body, ears, cheeks are black, brown or gray.

Agouti. There are two varieties of this breed: the golden agouti (golden brown with a rufous belly) and the gray agouti (with a light silver belly).

All three breeds mentioned above are smooth-haired. But there are also long-haired and wire-haired guinea pigs. They are infertile (rarely bring more than one cub and are not suitable for laboratory purposes).

Angora guinea pig. Her coat is long and silky. The color is different: black, white, red, agouti and blue. Because of this magnificent coat, the Angora pig requires special care.

Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

And here she is, a guinea pig, only long-haired. That's why she looks so messed up.

Wirehaired rosette guinea pig. Although it is often called Abyssinian or Japanese, its homeland is England. Rosette is called because her long and coarse hair in different places the bodies diverge in rosettes - from the center to the periphery, as we have on the top of our head. Color black, white and red.

Unfortunately, there are few purebred guinea pigs, most of them are crossbreeds. different breeds. The most common of them are piebald guinea pigs: black and white, red and white or tricolor (tricolor) - red, black and white. There are also black or white with red eyes (albinos). These are the most susceptible to various diseases.

For laboratory purposes, breeders have bred breeds of guinea pigs whose sensitivity to allergens and pathogenic microbes knew no bounds. They got sick and died from almost everything. It became impossible to experiment on such animals.

In general, guinea pigs are naturally highly sensitized animals, allergic, which have almost no equal in this. Especially the so-called Brazilian varieties of pigs. Argentinean ones are more persistent. But both are difficult to work with because of their high susceptibility and poor - shall we say - health. A slight breeze in the room, and the guinea pig is already sneezing: she has a cold. Hot day - she lies in a stretch, breathes often: overheated. And a very nervous animal! May die of fear if rudely taken out of the cage.

Guinea pigs live well in laboratories, and in the homes of various amateurs, and young naturalists. And still, you need to remember that every guinea pig is susceptible to colds, and therefore the room where it is kept must be warm, bright, dry and without drafts.

One guinea pig can live in a simple box (which often happens). But for breeding purposes, special cages are needed - cages, which have two floors: the lower one is solid (sloping back) and the upper one is slatted. The size of the cage is approximately: 70 centimeters long, 50 - width and 40 - height. The cage is closed on all sides, except for the front wall, which is a door covered with wire mesh.

Such cages usually contain five adult females and one male. Pregnant females before lambing are either deposited in special uterine cages or not. In the latter case, lambing occurs in common cage. The male does not bring harm to newborn cubs, but, on the contrary, protects them, driving away other females. If two or more lambings happen at the same time, then the cubs often confuse their mothers with other nursing females. Those willingly accept the kids, feed along with their own.

Sexual maturity in guinea pigs occurs in about two to three months. But before four months they should not be mated. Pregnancy -60-70 days. Usually, females bring two to four cubs, which are born fully developed. As they dry, they stand firmly on their legs and run after their mother. On the 3-4th day, they begin to try tender grass and other foods. But milk is the main food, and the mother feeds them for about a month. Guinea pigs, which are fed succulent herbs and root vegetables, do not need water at all. But pregnant females are thirsty two or three days before lambing, and they need to put a drinker with warm water or milk.

The best food for guinea pigs is wheat bran, oats, carrots, beets and good hay, and in summer root crops and freshly cut grass. Bran should be given slightly moist. They eat guinea pigs and vegetable kitchen waste and even mushrooms. But everything must be fresh. Musty hay, rotten vegetables, grass warmed by the sun cause stomach diseases and death of animals.

The natural habitat of guinea pigs is South America. Rodents were first described by Christopher Columbus. These little animals with brownish fur looked like rabbits, and locals willingly ate their tasty meat. The homeland of wild pigs is Peru and Chile, over time, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bits settlement on the mainland has greatly expanded. Now these rodents can be found in many countries of the continent, such as Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia. The animals live in forests, in the savannah, in sandy and rocky areas, where they hide behind stones to escape from predators.


Guinea pigs live in forests, savannas, sandy and rocky areas of South America.

Real name

In biology, guinea pigs have the Latin name Cavia, which combines several subspecies of South American rodents. The closest species to the domesticated decorative pig is called kui. - that's what the Germans called cute, pig-like animals brought from across the sea, then the Poles adopted this name, and from them the Russians. The British call guinea pigs "Guinean" - this definition of a common noun refers to any phenomenon from exotic countries.

Appearance

The wild guinea pig outwardly differs slightly from the proportions of its domesticated relatives that are familiar to us. The body of the Cavia is smaller and lighter, looks more elongated, and the legs are also longer. , so they rarely get fractured even after falling from a height. Wild cavia are strong, agile, run fast, able to jump, even climb ledges, dig shelters in the sand. This is a lively and nimble animal, instantly breaking away at the sounds of danger, with sufficient endurance to overcome long distances.

The coat color of wild pigs differs most noticeably - forest dwellers cannot boast of such bright fur coats as their domesticated counterparts. Cavia's coat is brownish or grayish with reddish, this color helps them hide from enemies in the savannah, go unnoticed even for a sharp look birds of prey. The peculiarity of wool allows animals to endure extreme heat up to 45 degrees, and also survive when it gets cold.


Wild guinea pig color grayish with red

REFERENCE: Cavia are able to endure even slight frosts, usually low temperature leads to the death of only weakened, sick animals.

How wild guinea pigs live

Cavia are herbivores, most of their life consists of searching and devouring plant food. Therefore, guinea pigs live in nature, usually in the area where there is plenty of food suitable for them:

  • seeds and cereals;
  • various types of wild herbs, flowers;
  • roots, branches of shrubs;
  • leaves, bark of trees, their fruits.

If the food runs out, or it is not enough to feed the flock, the cavia go in search of best place sometimes moving long distances. The life of guinea pigs in the wild is a constant movement forward, exploring new terrain. , small rivers, but do not differ in great love for water. Only some subspecies of cavia settle on the banks of water bodies, feeding on aquatic plants.

IMPORTANT: Wild guinea pigs do not need constant proximity to a body of water to quench their thirst. They have enough moisture obtained from juicy fruits, herbs, as well as dew and raindrops that collect on plants.

Rodents move in small flocks of 10-15 adult females, the leader is always the male. Some females look after the cubs during the day, others look for food and protect the territory, then they change roles. The ability to make piercing sounds allows the pigs to communicate over fairly long distances, warning each other of the approach of the enemy.


Wild guinea pigs differ from domestic ones in a more elongated body and long legs.

When males from a new generation grow up, an inevitable struggle for power occurs, after which the strongest takes the place of the leader, and the defeated males leave the pack. Also, conflicts with other populations are not uncommon, when there is a struggle for a territory rich in food. But for the most part, Cavia are peaceful, skirmishes rarely happen inside the pack, usually showdown is limited.

Enemies of guinea pigs in nature

Cavia do not have any means of protection from predatory animals and birds, so their only salvation is to hide well and quickly run away. To hide from the eyes, a rodent can dig a shelter for itself, but Cavia cannot really be called burrowing animals. They prefer to use ready-made shelters - caves and crevices in the rocks, empty holes and hollows of trees.


Pigs flee from enemies

REFERENCE: One of the most effective means of protection in conditions wildlife- lack of smell. Therefore, Cavias take such good care of themselves and their habitat - the smell can show the enemy the way to the mumps' shelter.

To avoid death, furry rodents leave their shelters mainly at night and at dawn, when most predators are sleeping. Also, the eyes often remain ajar. The sleeping pig remains in full readiness to escape, therefore it can instantly break away from its place at any sound that speaks of danger.

Due to the abundance of enemies, wild guinea pigs live much less than domestic ones. The life expectancy of cavia varies from one to five years, but due to their high reproductive capacity, population sizes are not reduced. During the year, each female brings up to four litters, each of which has up to eight cubs. Little pigs achieve independence very quickly - after a few days they begin to look for food on their own, and after two weeks they become completely independent.

Video: wild guinea pig

Habitat and lifestyle of guinea pigs in the wild

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