? Guinea pigs
Cavia porcellus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Caviidae Subfamily: Caviinae Genus: Cavia Pallas, 1766
Species
Cavia porcellus Cavia aperea Cavia tschudii Cavia guianae Cavia anolaimae Cavia nana Cavia fulgida Cavia magna Guinea Pigs. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Subregnum Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascideiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands... Families Many, see text The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ... Subfamilies  Caviinae  Dolichotinae The Cavy (family Caviidae) is divided in two subfamilies: Subfamily Caviinae: cavies and guinea pigs Genus Cavia, this genus is especially called cavy. ... Peter Simon Pallas (September 22, 1741 - September 8, 1811) was a German-born Russian zoologist. ...

Guinea pigs (also called cavies) are rodents belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Guinea pigs are classified in order Rodentia, although there is a minority belief in the scientific community that evidence from mitochondrial DNA indicates that the Hystricognathi may belong to a different evolutionary offshoot, and therefore a different order. Families Many, see text The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ... Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA, or less popularly, mDNA) is DNA which is not located in the nucleus of the cell but in the mitochondria. ... Hystricognathi is a subordo of the Rodentia. ... Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution by natural selection. ...

Despite their common name, the animals are not pigs, nor do they come from Guinea. Although there are more than 20 different species, the one most familiar to people is C. porcellus, the common guinea pig. The majority of information in this article is about the common guinea pig. Species Sus barbatus Sus bucculentus Sus cebifrons Sus celebensis Sus domesticus Sus heureni Sus philippensis Sus salvanius Sus scrofa Sus timoriensis Sus verrucosus Pigs are ungulates native to Eurasia collectively grouped under the genus Sus within the Suidae family. ...

History

The common guinea pig was first domesticated c. 2000 BC for food by the Inca, in the Andean region of South America, in what is now Peru and Bolivia. They continue to be a food source in the region, subsisting off a family's vegetable scraps as a half pet/half future meal. Guinea pigs are called cuy (pl. cuyes) in Perú and considered a culinary delicacy, prepared usually by roasting; the general opinion considers them similar to rabbit in taste. They also play the role of evil-spirit collector in traditional healing rituals. Domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms are those whose collective behavior, life cycle, or physiology has been altered as a result of their breeding and living conditions being under human control for multiple generations. ... (Redirected from 2000 BC) (21st century BC - 20th century BC - 19th century BC - other centuries) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events 2064 - 1986 BC -- Twin Dynasty wars in Egypt 2000 BC -- Farmers and herders travel south from Ethiopia and settle in Kenya. ... The word Andean refers to the geographic area in and around the Andes Mountains of South America, and to the indigenous peoples that inhabit the area, such as the Inca. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the most diverse in the world. ...

Dutch and English traders brought guinea pigs to Europe, where they quickly became popular as exotic pets. How they came to be thought of as "pigs" is not clear. One thought is that some of the sounds they make reminded people of pigs. They are also built something like a pig: a large head relative to the body, a stout neck, and a rounded rump with no tail of any consequence. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... World map showing location of Europe When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... A picture of a man with a domesticated dog A pet is an animal that is kept by humans for companionship and enjoyment, as opposed to livestock, which are kept for economic reasons. ...

Name

Whatever the reason, this perception of pigginess occurred in many languages other than English; the German word for them is Meerschweinchen, literally "Little Sea Pigs" (sailing ships stopping to reprovision in the New World would pick up stores of guinea pigs, which provided an easily transportable source of fresh meat), the Russian and Polish word for them is similar: "morskaja svinka" (Морская свинка) and "świnka morska" respectively, meaning also "Little Sea Pig". The French word is Cochon d'Inde, (Indian pig), the common Spanish word is 'conejillo de Indias' (Indian bunny rabbit), the Dutch used to call it guinees biggetje (Guinean piglet), in Sweden they are called marsvin (a combination of the Latin word mare for ocean, and Swedish svin which means pig) and in Greek they are called 'indika xoiridia' (Small Indian Pigs ; ινδικά χοιρίδια). The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A mare is a female horse. ...

The scientific name of a common species is Cavia porcellus, with porcellus being Latin for "little pig." In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ... Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

The origin of "guinea" in "guinea pig" is even harder to explain. One theory is that the animals were brought to Europe by way of Guinea, leading people to think they had originated there. Another theory suggests that "Guinea" in the case of the guinea pig is a corruption of "Guiana," an area in South America. A common misconception is that they were so named because they were sold as the closest thing to a pig one could get for a guinea (an old British coin with a value of 21 shillings, or 1.05 GBP in modern decimal currency). However, evidence does not support this conjecture: for example, the Dutch name refers to the country of Guinea rather than the British coin, and the first guinea pig was described in 1554 by the Swiss naturalist Konrad Gesner more than a hundred years before the first guinea was struck. World map showing location of Europe When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... Guiana (also known as the Guiana highlands or the Guiana shield) forms a portion of the northern coast of South America. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... The shilling (or informally: bob) was a British coin first issued in 1548 for Henry VIII, although arguably the testoon issued about 1487 for Henry VII was the first shilling. ... Events February 12 - After claiming the throne of England the previous year, Lady Jane Grey is beheaded for treason alongside her husband. ... Conrad von Gesner (Konrad von Gesner, Conrad Gessner, Conradus Gesnerus) (26 March 1516-13 December 1565) was a Swiss naturalist. ...

Traits and Environment

Guinea pigs are large for rodents, weighing between 1 and 3 pounds (0.5 and 1.5 kg) and measuring 10 to 15 inches (250 to 400 mm) long. They live an average of five years with a maximum age of about eight years. They are social, living in the wild in small groups which consist of sows (females), a boar (male), and the young (which in a break with the preceding porcine nomenclature are called pups). Officially the pound is the name for at least three different units of mass: The pound (avoirdupois). ... The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ... Mid-19th century tool for converting between different standards of the inch An inch is an Imperial and U.S. customary unit of length. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter), symbol mm is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ...

In their wild state, Guinea pigs are found on grassy plains and occupy an ecological niche similar to that of the cow. They move together in small groups (herds) eating grass or whatever other plants they come across. They are crepuscular, tending to be most active during dawn and dusk, when it is harder for predators to spot them. If startled they can run for cover with surprising speed. Domesticated guinea pigs have developed a different rhythm, and have longer periods of activity followed by short periods of sleep in between. Activity is scattered randomly over the 24 hours of the day. In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle (called simply cows in vernacular usage) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Categories: Animal stubs | Animal behaviour | Social psychology ... Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during the twilight. ...

Unlike many rodents such as mice, rats, or squirrels, guinea pigs are not very athletic. Jumping gaps, climbing, and fearlessness in the face of heights were not skills guinea pigs needed in the environment in which they evolved, although they can hop over small obstacles with agility. When excited, guinea pigs tend to do little jumps in the air (known as "popcorning") but they seldom jump higher than a few centimeters. Feral mouse A mouse is a mammal that belongs to one of numerous species of small rodents in the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridæ (Old World Mice). ... Rattus may also be known as ryan or stavarak, but he is also called fuckwit, cockhead faggot dooshbag. ... Genera Many, see the article Sciuridae. ... Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution by natural selection. ...

Guinea pigs are vocal animals, with a fairly large vocabulary. Some sounds are:

• The "Wheek". A loud noise that sounds about the same as its written form. Means "feed me" or "pay attention", or possibly "I'm hurt".
• "Rumbling". This sound is related to guinea pig dominance or in response to an unfamiliar sound. It sounds like purring and is often vocalised whilst the animal struts around slowly (showing desire to mate or dominate). Also known as "Rumble Strutting" or "Motor Boating". Although a similar sounding to a cat's purr, the meaning is very different.
• "Chattering". This sound is made by rapidly gnashing the teeth together—it's a warning to others to keep away. Guinea pigs tend to raise their heads when making this sound so they look more dangerous.
• "Tribbling". This rather pleasant sound is made when the guinea pig is enjoying itself, usually when being petted or brushed. They may also make this sound when grooming each other.

Guinea pig pup at 8 hours old

Guinea pig pups can walk soon after birth and run within a few hours

Trinomial name Felis silvestris catus (Linnaeus, 1758) This article is about the domestic cat. ... Guinea Pig baby. ... Guinea Pig baby. ... Download high resolution version (1280x960, 921 KB)Guinea pig pups can walk soon after birth and run within a few hours. ... Download high resolution version (1280x960, 921 KB)Guinea pig pups can walk soon after birth and run within a few hours. ...

Young

The gestation lasts from 68 to 72 days, which is quite long for such a small animal. As a consequence pups are already well developed (including fur, teeth, claws and full eyesight) when they are born. The young are mobile from birth, and depending on the environment, will usually venture outdoors within a week. Pups begin eating solid food after a couple of days, though continue to suckle also. Males may demonstrate courtship behavior (following young females and making a "warbling" sound) in the second or third week after birth. Females can breed when only three weeks old. Litters vary from 2 or 3 young to as many as 8 or more. In smaller litters, difficulties may occur during labour, due to oversized pups. Up to half the young may be lost in larger litters, as the mother cannot attend to the newborns fast enough. If a large number survive, it is likely that the weakest (or runts of the litter), will be insufficiently nursed, resulting occasionally in the death of one or two pups. A pregnant woman Pregnancy is the process by which a mammalian female carries a live offspring from conception until it develops to the point where the offspring is capable of living outside the womb. ... Litter in the habitat of a lizard. ...

Domestic Guinea Pigs

A long-haired black and white Guinea pig

Domesticated guinea pigs come in many varieties which have been developed since their arrival in Europe and North America. These varieties vary widely in hair and color composition. The most common varieties found in pet stores are the English Short Hair (also called American) which has a smooth, glossy, short coat, and the Abyssinian which has a rough coat made of cowlicks, crests, and swirls called rosettes. Each of these varieties come in a number of colors and color patterns. The rarer Peruvian has very long hair, hanging all the way to the ground. A rare new breed known as the Texel has long hair like the Peruvian, but this hair is curly and doesn't come over their face. Made by me File links The following pages link to this file: Guinea pig Categories: GFDL images ... Made by me File links The following pages link to this file: Guinea pig Categories: GFDL images ... Domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms are those whose collective behavior, life cycle, or physiology has been altered as a result of their breeding and living conditions being under human control for multiple generations. ... World map showing location of Europe When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere, bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west... Colour is an important part of the visual arts. ... A pattern is a form, template, or model (or, more abstractly, a set of rules) which can be used to make or to generate things or parts of a thing, especially if the things that are generated have enough in common for the underlying pattern to be inferred or discerned... Dennis the Menace (known as Dennis the Menace and Gnasher since the early 1970s) is a long-running comic strip featured in The Beano childrens comic in the United Kingdom. ...

All over the world there are Cavy Clubs and Associations dedicated to the showing and breeding of guinea pigs. ACBA (American Cavy Breeders Association) is the governing body in the U.S. In Canada, the OCC (Ontario Cavy Club) is the most prominent club, and many others exist. Each club publishes it's own Standard of Perfection and determines what breeds are eligible for showing.

ACBA has many accepted breeds. These include:

• Abyssinian: The Abyssinian cavy has 10 rosettes- one on each shoulder, four across the "saddle", one on each hip, and two on the rump. An ideal Abyssinian has a harsh textured coat that stands on end in straight ridges, forming the rosette pattern. Rosettes should have pinpoint centers.
  
• American (AKA Smooth Coat): The American cavy has short smooth hair all over the body.
  
• Crested: A Crested is like an American, but has a single rosette on the top of the head. According to ACBA standards, the Crest must be white coloured with no white present on the body of the animal. Other clubs allow the crest to be any colour.
  
• Teddy: A Teddy guinea pig has short, rough hair that stands on end all over the body, resembling a plush teddy bear.
  
• Silkie: A Silkie has long hair, sometimes up to 24 inches, that flows back over its body. When viewed from above it should be a teardrop shape.
  
• Peruvian: A Peruvian cavy has long hair like a Silkie, but the hair flows over the whole body from the center and spreads out, covering the face. When viewed from above it should look like an oval and the head cannot be distinguished from the rear.
  
• Coronet: A Coronet cavy has long hair like a Silkie, and a crest like a Crested.
  
• Texel: A Texel is like a Silkie, but with curls. The curls should ideally be tightly wound corkscrew curls.
  
• Merino and Boucle: Merino is the curly equivalent of a Coronet and a Boucle is the curly equivalent of a Peruvian. These breeds are not yet accepted according to ACBA regulations.
  

All breeds also come in a Satin variety. A satin cavy has a different type of hair shaft that reflects light, giving it a beautiful, shiny appearance.

Cavies come in many colours, including Black, White, Red, Buff/Cream (blonde), Chocolate and Beige.
Agouti coloured cavies have a hair tip and root that are different colours, much like someone whose roots are showing from dyeing their hair. Golden Agouti has a red tip and black root, Silver Agouti has a white tip and black root and Dilute Agouti can have a variety of different combinations.
Parti coloured cavies have two or more colours on the body, often white and another colour. To be eligible for showing, each colour must be present in at least a one inch by one inch patch. An ideal cavy has several patches of each color on its body, evenly distributed so that the animal has an equal amount of each color no matter what angle the animal is viewed from.
Tortoiseshell coloured cavies are black and red.
Roan cavies have white and one or more coloured hair intermixed throughout the body.
Brindle cavies have two different colour hair intermixed throughout the body like a Roan.
Dalmation cavies have white hair and black spots. Dalmations also have a unique eye colour- blue with a red rim.

Two abyssinian guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are widely considered to be good pets. They are generally easy to care for, and while they do require frequent cage cleaning and companionship, with a little diligence all their needs can easily be met. They are considered by many to be very cute and are very verbal (they squeak) in contact with humans. Guinea pigs who become familiar with their human seem to consider them part of their herd, and become distraught when separated for long periods. Two abyssinian guinea pigs. ... Two abyssinian guinea pigs. ... The Fuel Cell Bus Club comprises the participants of the projects CUTE, ECTOS and STEP ([1]). They currently operate the largest fleet of fuel cell buses in the world, 33 buses, as part of a two-year Mercedes-Benz Citaro hydrogen fuel cell bus trial with three buses in each...

Habitat

Guinea pigs can be kept in cages with low sides as they will rarely climb out. The cage should ideally be as large as possible – 7.5 square feet (0.7 square metres) for one guinea pig is about the minimum to allow space for moving about, exercise, and exploration, as they are naturally curious animals. If the guinea pig is kept in a smaller cage such as those sold in pet stores, it is essential to allow them daily time to move outside the cage (and this is always a good idea no matter how big the cage is.) Wire floors should not be used unless the gaps between the wire are very small. Guinea pigs do not have hair on the soles of their feet the way most rodents do. If they live on wire floors, they can develop terrible foot sores. For this reason, it is essential that they be given a carpet or block of wood to sit on. If the wire grid is too large, their feet can slip through the wire, causing them to break toes, feet, and legs.

Guinea pigs do best in groups of two or more guinea pigs, as they have a herd mentality. However it is not advisable to keep guinea pigs and rabbits together as it is not uncommon for a guinea pig to be badly, if not fatally, injured by a rabbit suddenly kicking out with its paws or an overly romantic rabbit repeatedly trying to mount a guinea pig. Nor should guinea pigs be kept in the same cage or enclosure with domesticated rats (or any other species of rodents for that matter). Guinea pigs have a natural fear of rats and although their friendly appearance does not show it, a threatened cavie can seriously injure a domesticated rat. Rattus may also be known as ryan or stavarak, but he is also called fuckwit, cockhead faggot dooshbag. ... Families Many, see text The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ...

Domestic Guinea pigs' cages are often lined with wood shaving or a similar material; paper and aspen are generally considered safe bedding. Cedar and pine beddings which were common in the past, have harmful phenols (oils and scents) that can cause upper respiratory infections (which are fatal for many cavies). Many stores still sell cedar and pine beddings as safe for Guinea pigs, but there is growing pressure to stop the practice. A much safer bedding type is made from recycled newspapers.

A common cage type is the C&C, or coroplast and cubes cage, made from corrugated plastic and wire squares. These wire squares are generally a kind of unassembled shelving. These C&C cages are a much cheaper and spacious alternative to store-bought cages, and can be assembled in many creative ways.

Diet

They must be fed fresh vegetables and a commercial food made for guinea pigs. Rabbit food, for example, is not fortified with the vitamin C that guinea pigs must have in their diet. Like humans but unlike most other mammals, guinea pigs cannot synthesize their own vitamin C, but must obtain this vital nutrient from the food they eat in order to stay healthy. Also like humans, if guinea pigs cannot get enough vitamin C they will suffer from scurvy and ultimately die. Commercial vitamin C pills are also an excellent source. There are several approaches for feeding the pills, but in practice most guinea pigs quickly learn to like them. After a brief period of 'friendly-force-feeding', the animals start eating the pills from their owners' hands, making it an ideal source of essential vitamin C. Oranges can be fed, but some guinea pigs will develop irritations on their lips from the acid. Human beings are defined variously in biological, spiritual, and cultural terms, or in combinations thereof. ... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ascorbic acid. ... Scurvy is a disease that results from insufficient intake of vitamin C and leads to the formation of livid spots on the skin, spongy gums and bleeding from almost all mucous membranes. ...

Guinea pigs are probably the smallest grass-eating mammals. Grass digestion requires a special digestive system: whereas most grass-eating mammals are quite large and have a long digestive tract, guinea pigs use a more unusual method: they practice coprophagy, the eating of one's own feces. However, they do not consume their feces indiscriminately. They produce special soft pellets, called "cecotropes," which contain the B vitamins and bacteria required for proper digestion. These pellets are not the same as regular feces. They share this behaviour with rabbits. Coprophagia is the consumption of feces. ... Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae, found in many parts of the world. ...

Cavies also need unlimited timothy hay. However, alfalfa hay, which is richer, may be more appropriate for young guinea pigs. This provides roughage and fiber needed in their diet. A list of fresh food and more information about feeding fresh foods can be found at http://www.guinealynx.info/nutrition.html. Cavies should be fed approximately one cup of fresh vegetables daily. Favorites include apples, bananas, parsley and green peppers. They should not be fed "watery" vegetables such as celery stalks or iceberg lettuce, as this can give them diarrhea. Binomial name Phleum pratense L. Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense) is an abundant perennial grass native to most of Europe except for the Mediterranean. ... Rolled bales of hay on a farm near Ames, Iowa Hay from Romania Hay is dried grass (and pasture flowers) used to feed domestic animals at places or times where there is not enough (fresh) grass or when fresh grass by itself is too rich in some qualities for easy... Species Medicago arabica Medicago heldreichii Medicago hybrida Medicago laciniata Medicago littoralis Medicago lupulina Medicago minima Medicago monantha Medicago monspeliaca Medicago orbicularis Medicago polymorpha Medicago praecox Medicago rigidula Medicago rugosa Medicago ruthenica Medicago sativa Medicago scutellata Medicago secundiflora Medicago truncatula Medicago turbinata Ref: ITIS 183622 as of 2002-07-31 Alfalfa...

Pelleted food is available under many different brand names, however most experts feel many brands are unacceptable to meet a cavy's needs. Mixes should not be fed, just plain pellets. Mixes often have artificial colorings or animal products that are not suitable for guinea pigs. Alfalfa-based pellets (the most common pellet based food available) should be fed only to cavies one year of age or younger. Timothy-based should be fed to cavies older than one year. A number of timothy hay brands make commercially prepared pellets based on dehydrated timothy hay, which is ideal for guinea pigs over six months that are not pregnant or lactating.

Alfalfa, like other foods rich in calcium (such as spinach) should only be fed to adults in moderation. Being fed too much calcium-rich food can result in an animal developing problems with bladder stones and similar disorders.

Health

Guinea pigs need to be seen by a vet just like any other pet. Be sure your vet is "cavy savvy" and knows about the special needs of Guinea pigs. A lot of antibiotic medications, like those that are penicillin based, are toxic to Guinea pigs.
Common ailments in domestic guinea pigs include wet-tail, abscesses (large amounts of a thick pus that create a bulge, often in their neck, due to infected internal scratches from hay that is too hard or infected external scratches received in a variety of ways), and mites (which look like small pieces of moving dandruff, which can be removed with small animal mite sprays).

Breeding

Pregnant sow 1 week before delivering 3 pups

Breeding is easy and males are not known to attack their own pups (however, females will breed on the day they give birth so it may not be wise to keep males with them at that time). Females are fertile as early as 3 weeks and can carry litters before they themselves are fully grown. This can seriously affect the growth of the young mother as her pups compete with her for nutrition. Male and female pups must be separated by 3 weeks of age. Because of the long gestation period and the large size of the pups, pregnant females become extremely large. Pregnancy toxemia is common and kills many pregnant females, so breeding is not recommended for the casual owner. Breeding males produce a strong musk that smells much like bee's wax. Picture of a pregnant guinea pig 1 week before delivering 3 pups. ... Picture of a pregnant guinea pig 1 week before delivering 3 pups. ... Pre-eclampsia (previously called toxemia) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. ...

There are many homeless guinea pigs in shelters and rescues all over the world, so please consider adoption and not breeding if you want more guinea pigs.

In scientific research

"Guinea pig" is often used as a metaphor for a subject of scientific experimentation. This notion persists even though guinea pigs are no longer commonly used as modern experimental animals. In the past they had been used to isolate different bacterial strains, but in modern labs they have been replaced by mice and rats, which reproduce more quickly.

Their main value to medical research is that they are one of the few animals which, like humans, cannot synthesize Vitamin C but must obtain it from diet. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ascorbic acid. ...

On 24 August 2005 Darley Oaks Farm in the UK announced that it was ceasing breeding guinea pigs for scientific research and animal testing, after a campaign by the Free the Newchurch Guinea Pigs animal rights group, which carried out both legal and nonviolent protests, and illegal and terror attacks, including death threats, arson and the theft of a relative's body from a cemetary. August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Darley Oaks Farm was a family-run farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire, England. ... Filmed by PETA, Covance primate-testing lab, Vienna, Virginia, 2004-5. ... The Great Ape Project is campaigning for a Declaration on Great Apes. ...

Guinea pigs as food

Guinea pigs, or cuy, cuye, curí, were originally domesticated for their meat, but today are primarily raised as pets. Their status as domistic pets has led to some feeling that using cavies as a source of food is ethically wrong. See also taboo food and drink. Ethics is the branch of axiology – one of the four major branches of philosophy, alongside metaphysics, epistemology, and logic – which attempts to understand the nature of morality; to define that which is right from that which is wrong. ... Taboo meat is meat from a species considered unfit to eat due to either religious, cultural, or health reasons. ...

As food, the guinea pig is described as a combination of rabbit and the dark meat on chicken. It is high in protein (21%) and low in fat (8%). Due to the fact it requires much less room than traditional livestock and reproduce extremely quickly when compared to traditional stock animals, it can be raised as a source of food in an urban environment—something which most western livestock cannot do. Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus The bane of Australian farmers - the wild rabbit An old rabbit trap Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae, found in many parts of the world. ... Binomial name Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) A chicken (Gallus gallus) is a type of domesticated bird which is often raised as a type of poultry. ...

To this day, cavies continue to be a major part of the diet in Peru and Bolivia, particularly in the Andes Mountains highlands, where they are an important source of protein and a mainstay of Andean folk medicine. Peruvians consume an estimated 65 million Guinea pigs each year, and the animal is so entrenched in the culture that one famous painting of the Last Supper in the main cathedral in Cusco, Peru shows Christ and the twelve disciples dining on guinea pig. See also architecture with non-sequential dynamic execution scheduling (ANDES). ... This article relates the event related in the New Testament of the Bible, see The Last Supper (disambiguation) for other uses, including a list of famous works of art with this name. ... The Church of La Compañía on the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco Cuzco is a city in southeastern Peru in the Huatanay Valley (Sacred Valley), of the Andes mountain range. ...

In Ecuador, mainly in the Sierra region of the country, guinea pigs are also consumed to a lesser extent, but are not depended upon as a staple source of protein. This word can easily be mistaken for a girls Christian name, and has been heard that way on various occasions. ...

Guinea Pigs in the Popular Imagination

Guinea pigs have received much less attention from writers, artists, or the popular media than other similar animals. Recently there have been more appearances of guinea pigs in books, film, television and other media.

Literature

• Olga da Polga, a guinea pig with a wild imagination and adventurous spirit, is the main character in a number of books written by Michael Bond.

• Fluffy The Classroom Guinea Pig stars in a series of early reader books written by Kate McMullan and illustrated by Mavis Smith.

• The picture book "John Willy and Freddy McGee" by Holly Meade tells of the adventures of two bored guinea pigs who escape from their cage and explore their house.

• The short story Pigs is Pigs by Ellis Parker Butler is a tale of beauracratic incompetence as two guinea pigs held at a train station breed unchecked. (This story was the inspiration for Robert Heinlein's flatcats, which possibly inspired the infamous tribbles of Star Trek. )

Imagination is, in general, the power or process of producing mental images and ideas. ... Michael Bond is a british childrens author. ... Disambiguation Pigs is Pigs Pigs is Pigs is a noted story written by Ellis Parker Butler. ... Ellis Parker Butler (December 5, 1869 - September 13, 1937) was an American author. ... Robert A. Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was one of the most influential authors in the science fiction genre. ... In Robert Heinleins science fiction novel The Rolling Stones, flatcats are a species of emotional symbiotes native to Mars, with very adaptive metabolisms. ... Tribbles Tribbles are small, soft, gentle fictional animals in the Star Trek universe whose cute appearance and soothing purring endears them to every sentient race which encounters them—with one notable exception: Klingons. ... Star Trek collectively refers to six science fiction television series spanning 726 episodes, ten motion pictures, and hundreds of novels, video games, and other works of fiction, all set within the same fictional universe created by Gene Roddenberry in the early- to mid-1960s. ...

Film and Television

• Rodney (voiced by Chris Rock) was a prominent character in the Dr. Dolittle movie starring Eddie Murphy.

• Ray along with his rabbit buddy Carl were spokesmammals for Blockbuster Video in an ad campaign during 2002.

(In both instances the animals were computer generated.) Chris Rock Chris Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian and actor born in Georgetown, South Carolina. ... Doctor Dolittle is the central character of a series of childrens books by Hugh Lofting. ... Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Eddie Murphy (born April 3, 1961, Brooklyn, New York) is an American comedian and actor. ... Blockbuster franchise in Porto, Portugal Tippett ad for Blockbuster Blockbuster Video, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, is the name of the largest chain of video tape, video game and DVD rental shops in North America, with shops in countries like Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and Taiwan. ... Generally speaking, advertising is the paid promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas by an identified sponsor. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. ...

• G.P. the Guinea Pig is a major character in the children's show Tales of the Riverbank.

• In the movie Sky High the sidekick in training Magenta can transform into a black guinea pig with purple stripes. This ability helps her and her friends save the school.

• In 2000 a male guinea pig named Sooty made news around the world because of his daring romantic adventures. [1]

Tales of the Riverbank is a Canadian childrens television show starring Hammy Hamster and other animals. ... Sky High is a Disney Pictures film that opened in the United States on July 29, 2005. ...

Other Media

• Guinea pigs have recently had their own calendars similar to the kitten, puppy, and other cute animal calendars.

A calendar is a system for naming periods of time, typically days. ...

Language

In English, the term guinea pig is often used to refer to an object of experimentation (see #In Scientific Research). This usage extends beyond scientific bounds and can be used if an item, object, or person is used to test out an idea, plan, or device. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

See also

• Capybara
• Patagonian cavy

Binomial name Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, 1766) The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest of living rodents (the long extinct rodent Phoberomys pattersoni was significantly bigger. ... Species The maras (Dolichotis) are a genus of the cavy family. ...

External links

• Guinea Pigs World
• Piggie Planet
• Peter Gurney
• IDRC guide to raising guinea pigs for meat or money
• BBC article on Peruvian super-cavies
• Report on Guinea Pigs by Livestock Research for Rural Development in Colombia
• Metafro research into the Guinea Pig as a meat producer
• Guinea Lynx provides medical information
• Information about Guinea pig socialization
• CavyPop has Guinea Pig information (also has forum )
• The Guinea Pig Compendium
• Cavy Cages
• Cavy Spirit
• "Molecular Biology and Evolution," Vol 11, 593-604, article arguing in support of rodent classification
• American Cavy Breeders' Association
• Cavy Compendium