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Why is a guinea pig called that? Why was the guinea pig called a guinea pig and where did it come from? Guinea pig scientific name

Like many other animals, guinea pig V different countries called differently. So, in England this rodent is called Indian little pig, restless cavy, guinea pig and domestic cavy. And in the dialect of the indigenous people of South America, a guinea pig is called “cavy”.

As for the origin English name guinea pig, then it is most likely explained by the way in which Europeans learned about the existence of this rodent. The British probably had more trade relations with the coast of Guinea than with South America, and therefore were accustomed to look at Guinea as part of India. Although there is another opinion: it is assumed that in Europe, as in its homeland, the guinea pig was originally used as food and sold in markets.

This explains the origin of the English name for the pig - guinea pig, i.e. “pig for a guinea” (the guinea was the main English gold coin until 1816, it received its name from the country of Guinea, where the gold necessary for its minting was mined). Some researchers attribute the origin of the name guinea pig to the fact that the word Guinea was used instead of the similar Guiana, since wild guinea pigs were exported from Guiana to Europe.

Residents of the Andes still breed guinea pigs on special farms and eat their meat.

The Spaniards living in America call this rodent a little rabbit, while other colonists continue to call it a little pig, that is, they use the name that was brought to Europe along with the animal. By the way, the guinea pig is called a small rabbit because before Europeans arrived in America, this rodent served as food for the indigenous Indians and all Spanish writers of that time referred to it as a rabbit.

There are more than 67 million domestic guinea pigs living on livestock farms in Peru. They produce more than 17,000 tons of nutritious meat per year. The Indians of the high Andes have been suppliers of guinea pig meat for centuries. It is highly valued in many countries and has a number of dietary and gastronomic qualities.

In France, the guinea pig is called cochon d'Inde - "Indian pig", and in Spain - Cochinillo das India - "Indian pig". The Italians and Portuguese also call this rodent the Indian pig - porcella da India and Porguinho da India - as do the Dutch, in whose language the animal is called Indiaamsoh varken. In Belgium, a guinea pig is called cochon des montagnes - “mountain pig”, and in Germany - Meerschweinchen, i.e. “guinea pig”.

Considering all of the above, we can make the assumption that the guinea pig spread in Europe from west to east, and the name that exists in Russia and Germany - “guinea pig” - most likely indicates that the pigs were brought from overseas (apparently , at first they were called overseas, and then sea).

If you decide to buy yourself domestic rodent, you should go to a pet store or a bird market, whatever is there. Among huge variety rats, mice, hamsters are wondering who is better to choose.

For lovers of active animals, a hamster and a chinchilla are the best choice. And if you need a more balanced rodent, opt for guinea pigs. These calm, neat animals that do not bite people will live with you for several years and will give you many unforgettable and joyful memories.

Description and features of a guinea pig

Guinea pigs, that’s why they are sea, as they came to us from abroad. It would be correct to call them overseas, even overseas, because they were brought from the distant American continent. Residents of Europe call them by their own names - Indian and Guinean, as well as mouse pigs.

Mammals belong to the species home marine pigs, a squad of rodents. In the south of America, the homeland of marine rodents, wherever they live, in swampy areas, foothills, plains and forests.

These rodents wildlife They live in a group of twenty individuals, and the family is always headed by a leader. Everyone respects and fears him, and in return he actively defends his pack and territory.

Because the main one becomes the one who is larger and stronger than the other pigs. All day long these defenseless animals hide in shelters, and at night they get out of them and go looking for something to eat. In natural natural environment, the number of overseas pigs is quite large, because the animals breed all year round.

These animals have lived on our planet for many thousands of years. During excavations, archaeologists more than once found ancient drawings depicting them, and mummified remains. The people who lived at that time bred and kept them in order to eat them later, because the meat guinea pigs dietary, it was equated to poultry or rabbit meat.

In the eighteenth century, the rodent reached Russia, but as a decorative, funny a pet. These animals have a plump, neat and compact body, thirty centimeters long.

There is no tail at all, the paws are tiny in size, with well-defined thin fingers, the hind limbs are slightly larger than the front ones. Pigs have a large face with a blunt nose, their ears are small, their shape is erect or slightly drooping, depending on the breed of the animal. Adult males weigh a little more than one kilogram, females are smaller - 800 grams.

Breeders have bred dozens of different breeds of domestic marine rodents. Outwardly, they are all the same, and only by the color, length and stiffness of their fur coat can one distinguish them from each other. Look photo most common breeds marine pigs.

Pigs with smooth and short hair have a spotted coat, or two or three colors. Rodents of these breeds are called Self, Satin, Himalayan, Agouti, Roan. They come in only three colors - red, black and brown with a pleasant to the touch, soft pile. Wire-haired pigs with short, tousled hair are called Rexes.

There are very unusual pets, unlike everyone else, their breed also carries interesting name- Socket, they have nothing to do with electricity. Although after an electric shock, the wool would probably look exactly like this.

The pile lies as if someone had pressed it, randomly turned it to the sides, and fixed it. American and English Cresteds wear a rosette of wool in the middle of their forehead. Ridgebacks have a rosette on their rump and a mound of fur sticking out in the middle of their back. Well, in first place are the Abyssinians, their rosettes are located randomly throughout their body.

The longest-haired of all types of guinea pigs are Cornet and Sheltie. Their pile, growing from the muzzle to the end of the body, is beautifully divided on both sides by a parting on the back. Peruvians, on the contrary, wear their fur coat backwards to front, hanging over their eyes. Alpaco, Textel and Merino have not just a long, but also a beautifully curled coat.

Very rare and not very common breeds marine pigs, such as Kui, are distinguished by the fact that they are licked compared to their counterparts. Galloway is the new kind sea pigs, they were recently noticed and officially recognized.

They are of an interesting color, the whole body is black, and only its middle is surrounded by a wide white belt, this feature distinguishes them from all other relatives. Skinny pigs - these animals wear fur only on their small paws and the tip of their nose.

The rest of the body is hairless and even transparent. Baldwin offspring are born with fur, but they fall out as they grow up. And the already formed, fully developed overseas animal is absolutely bald.

Guinea pig at home

These little ones are the cutest creatures and if you compare them with all the animals that belong to the rodent family, they are the least biting. In good and favorable at home, guinea pigs very affectionate, trusting and quiet.

They are not noisy at all, and will not run around in a drum for hours, like hamsters. Marine pigs you can shoot without any problems video for home viewing, you don’t have to run around the room with the camera or crawl under the sofa.

Having climbed onto the surface where you place her, she will look at the indoor attractions with surprise and curiosity. Then, in a businesslike, leisurely manner, he will go looking for something. Make sure that while searching for something, your pet does not find an electrical wire.

She will happily climb into her owner's arms and begin to purr. But you have to be careful, otherwise if the animal falls from a height, it can be seriously injured.

IN home content marine pigs Know that they feel lonely and need company, so it’s better to take a couple with you. And one more thing, pigs are timid and can even die of fear from loud noises and sudden movements.

Despite the fact that the animals lead night look life, they will not disturb your sleep and peace in any way. IN dark time Every day they have only one concern - to eat well.

Be observant and attentive to your pet, because if the pig gets into stressful situation, or she becomes depressed - she begins to overeat, which is fraught with obesity.

Guinea pig price

Buying a guinea pig in the nursery, you must understand that its cost will be inflated. Pigs are prolific animals, so you can buy them without any problems from your neighbor on the landing, from your granny at the market, or from your classmate at school.

By purchasing sea pig V nursery, you will become fully acquainted with the history of her family. Because siblings will have weak and sickly offspring.

The cost of pigs depends on age and breed. Simple short-haired pigs are not expensive, around three hundred rubles. Sockets will already cost more, from five hundred and above. Well, the most expensive breeds of these rodents are pigs with long hair and Baldwins. Their price range is from one and a half to two thousand rubles.

Pet care

In the care and maintenance of a guinea pig you won't have any difficulties. All she needs is a light, wide cage. It is important here that it is a cage, not a glass jar or a spacious terrarium, because in such containers the animal overheats and dies.

Be sure to buy and place a wooden house in the cage; your pet should have its own shelter. Drinking bowl with clean water, a feeder, it’s good if the food plate is ceramic and not plastic, and a device for hay.

At the bottom cells for guinea pig There must be a filler, you can use sawdust, although it will create a lot of garbage. Or you can buy wood pellets at the pet store; they are not expensive and are perfect for your pet, because they can still be chewed.

Courting behind guinea pig, to unpleasant odors do not bring discomfort to your home, change the filler at least once a week. Guinea pigs are neat people, so they go to the toilet in the same place.

The plate with food needs to be cleaned every day so that the smell from yesterday's apple does not spoil your air. Keep an eye on your pets' claws and trim them with special scissors.

The cage with your pet must be installed in right place so that there is no draft or hot sun, because these conditions are destructive for guinea pigs. It is also advisable that the cage with the animal does not stand on the floor; choose a place for it so that the pig can see both its owner and what is happening around it.

You should feed your guinea pig mostly hay, supplementing it with dried vegetables and fruits in small quantities, or purchase balanced food at a pet store.

Don't give them citrus fruits, otherwise you won't be able to understand later. Why maritime piggy got sick. From time to time, put a piece of hard bread or a twig from a tree in the animal’s cage to grind down its teeth.

If, when purchasing a female guinea pig, you do not want offspring from her in the future, in this case it is better to immediately sterilize the animal; without sexual intercourse, she will develop ovarian disease.

When a couple of guinea pigs live in your house, you can soon expect a lot of offspring. When the female is pregnant, it is better to place the male in another cage or make a partition. In two months, babies will be born, usually up to six of them are born.

The mother will take care of the babies and feed them with her milk for a whole month, then they need to be placed separately. In favorable conditions, with proper maintenance and care guinea pigs live up to eight years.

Guinea pigs are fluffy, kind, harmless creatures with pleasant smooth fur and an intelligent look. Having arrived in Europe from South America, they quickly spread throughout the world. At one time, guinea pig meat was even eaten. Today these are pets, the care of which is minimal, but the emotional return is very high. Children love pigs for their warmth and good-natured disposition. And if you set a goal to breed these animals, you can get up to one hundred cubs a year.

History of Guinea Pigs

Many people wonder why guinea pigs are called that way. They have nothing to do with the sea or pigs. However, there is a version that they were called sea animals because the animals spread from west to east, and were brought to Russia on ships. This name came into the Russian language from Germany, but in other countries rodents are called “Indian”. And they were called pigs by the Spaniards, who first came to Peru and saw animals on the market that, in their opinion, looked like suckling pigs. These animals came to Europe in the 16th century; according to one version they were very expensive, but according to another, on the contrary, they were cheap and were even used as food. The facts are reliable that many owners in those days put poor pigs in jars of water and aquariums, assuming that these animals would swim.

The homeland of guinea pigs is South America. According to scientists, the history of these animals goes back more than thirty-five million years. The Incas sacrificed animals to the Sun God, and some tribes used the meat of pigs for food. Modern pigs in conditions natural environment habitats live in swampy lowlands and rocky places. They are more active at night, going for food. Exist different breeds guinea pigs, each of which has its own type of coat. The most common are American or short-haired animals, Shelties with long hair, Koropets with a rosette on the head, and Tessels with wavy hair. Each breed comes in many color variations. Red, yellow, chestnut, apricot, brown and black - the choice of coat color is huge.

Rules for keeping and caring for guinea pigs

All guinea pigs, regardless of breed, are non-aggressive, which is why children love them so much. Animals do not bite, love affection and attention, are friendly and smart. You can feed them grass and cheap plant food. However, like any other animal, guinea pigs also have their drawbacks, such as the presence of a specific odor and the need for careful care if the pet has long hair. But they can easily tolerate separation if the owners suddenly go on vacation and temporarily give the pet into the wrong hands. Guinea pigs must be kept in specially equipped cages. In the first few days, the animal will most likely hide in a corner and hide under the straw, which is understandable in an unfamiliar environment. Guinea pigs are very shy and quickly panic, so you should wait until the animal gets used to its new home. Very little time will pass and he will begin to recognize his owners, especially those who will feed him.

Do not forget that guinea pigs cannot tolerate bathing. You can only dip them in water in exceptional cases, using mild baby shampoo. These animals need to regularly trim their nails, otherwise they begin to grow incorrectly, forming bends and sagging, and sometimes even corkscrew curls. Those who are thinking about breeding guinea pigs should keep in mind that these animals are very fertile. Already a month after birth, females become sexually mature, and the gestation period for pets is about seventy days. During the year, one female guinea pig can give birth to up to one hundred cubs. Two females get along best in one cage. They behave calmly, without showing any aggression. But two males will definitely fight, causing severe injuries to each other. Of course, a guinea pig requires attentive attention and careful care, but in return it gives warmth and love to those who take care of it.

Anastasia Rylova

The answer to the question why the guinea pig is called that is a subject of interest even to those who are far from breeding these animals. There are several versions of the origin of this name. We present a mini-investigation about guinea pigs: where did they get this phrase from, which does not fit with taxonomic definitions - family, genus and species criteria.

The first part of the investigation: why "mumps"

There are 3 versions of why these cute animals are called pigs:

Sounds: what they make really sounds like grunting.

Body proportions: They have no waist, small head and very short neck.

Behavior: Pets are constantly gnawing on something. On ships they were kept in the same pens where ordinary pigs were driven.

Second part. Guinea pig - why "guinea pig"

The name "guinea pig" is borrowed from Polish language- świnka morska. And the Poles, in turn, borrowed it from the Germans - Meerschweinchen. The literal translation is “guinea pig”. There is a possibility that this is a German word derived from merswin, which means “dolphin”. The squeal of rodents really resembles the squeak of a dolphin.

Foreign names

The name of the animal is literally translated from English as Guinea pig. This is another mystery because they have nothing to do with Guinea, which is in Africa. Zoologists have built 3 hypotheses:

“Guinean” means “outlandish”, brought from afar;
it is possible that the animals were sold for 1 guinea coin;
V South America there was a French colony with a similar name - Guiana. The Lubys simply mixed up the letters and began calling the pigs Guinea pigs;
the animals were not imported directly, but through the ports of Guinea, which was also a colonial territory of France.

Probably, almost every person in childhood was interested in the question: why is a guinea pig called that? It seems to have nothing to do with artiodactyls. And why then sea? Hardly salty water— its element, and the little animal doesn’t seem suited to swim. There is an explanation and it is quite prosaic.

To understand why the guinea pig was called a guinea pig, you need to look at history. Latin name this funny animal is Cavia porcellus, pig family. Other names: cavy and Guinea pig. By the way, here is another incident that is worth dealing with; the animals also have nothing to do with Guinea.

These rodents have been known to man since ancient times and were domesticated by the tribes of South America. The Incas and other representatives of the continent ate animals for food. They worshiped them, depicting them on objects of art, and also used them as ritual sacrifices. From archaeological excavations in Ecuador and Peru, statues of these animals have survived to this day.

Guinea pigs are so called because their ancestors were used as food.

Furry animals became known to residents of the European continent in the 16th century after the conquest of Colombia, Bolivia and Peru by the Spanish conquistadors. Later, trading ships from England, Holland and Spain began to bring unusual animals to their homeland, where they spread among the aristocracy as pets.

Where does the name guinea pig come from?

The term cavia in its scientific name comes from cabiai. This is what the representatives of the Galibi tribes, who lived in Guiana (South America), called the animal. The literal translation from Latin porcellus means “little pig.” In different countries it is customary to call the animal differently. The more common name, abbreviated from cavia, is cavy or kewi. In their homeland they are called kui (gui) and aparea, in Great Britain - Indian pigs, and in Western Europe– Peruvian.

The wild guinea pig is called "little pig" in Guiana

Why still “sea”?

The animal received this name only in Russia, Poland (Swinka morska) and Germany (Meerschweinchen). made them frequent companions of sailors. And animals arrived in Europe at that time only by sea. Probably for this reason, associations of small rodents with water appeared. As for Russia, this name was probably borrowed from the Polish name. This option cannot be ruled out: overseas, i.e. strange animals arrived from afar, and subsequently shrank, throwing away the prefix.

There is also such a version: in order to circumvent the ban on eating meat during fasting days, Catholic priests classified capybaras (capybaras), and at the same time these rodents as fish. It is quite possible that this is why they were called guinea pigs.

Why pig?

The mention of pig in the name can be heard among the Portuguese (small Indian pig), the Dutch (Guinea pig), the French and the Chinese.

The reason for the connection with the famous artiodactyl should probably be sought in external resemblance. A thick barrel-shaped body on low legs, a short neck and a large head relative to the body resemble a pig. The sounds that a rodent makes can also be associated with a pig. In a calm state, they vaguely resemble grunting, and in case of danger, their whistle is similar to a pig's squeal. The animals are also similar in their contents: both of them constantly chew something while sitting in small pens.

The animal is called a pig because of its resemblance to a pig.

Another reason lies in the culinary preferences of the aborigines in the homeland of the animals. Domesticated animals were raised for slaughter, just like pigs. Appearance and taste reminiscent suckling pig, which the first Spanish colonialists recognized and gave them the opportunity to name the animals that way.

In their homeland, rodents are still eaten today. Peruvians and Ecuadorians eat them in large quantities, rubbing with spices and salt, and then frying in oil or over coals. And, by the way, the carcass cooked on a spit actually looks very similar to a small suckling pig.

The Spaniards called the guinea pig the Indian rabbit

By the way, these animals are associated in different countries not only with pigs, but also with other animals. In Germany, there is another name, merswin (dolphin), probably for the similar sounds it makes. The Spanish name translates as small Indian rabbit, and the Japanese call them morumotto (from English “marmot”).

Where did the word “Guinean” come from in the name?

Here, too, a strange confusion has crept in, because Guinea is located in West Africa, and not in South America, where guinea pigs originated.

There are also several explanations for this discrepancy:

pronunciation error: Guiana (South America) and Guinea ( West Africa) sound very similar. In addition, both territories are former French colonies;
ships importing animals from Guiana to Europe traveled through Africa and, accordingly, Guinea;
both “overseas” in Russian and “guinea” in English mean, in meaning, everything brought from unknown distant countries;
guinea is the currency for which exotic animals were sold.

Ancestors of guinea pigs and their domestication

Suspected and distributed almost everywhere in South America. They can be found both in savannas and on the edges of forests, on rocky areas of mountains and even in swampy areas. Often uniting in groups of up to ten individuals, the animals dig holes for themselves or occupy the homes of other animals. They feed exclusively plant foods, most active at night and at dusk, breed year-round. The color is gray-brown with a light belly.

The Inca peoples began domesticating peaceful rodents around the 13th century. When did animals appear in European countries, at first they were in demand in scientific laboratories for conducting experiments. Good-looking appearance, good nature and sociability gradually won the attention of connoisseurs. And now these funny little animals have settled securely in homes around the world as beloved pets.

Guinea pigs are diverse

To date, breeders have bred over 20 breeds, which are distinguished by a variety of colors, coat structure, length and even partial or complete absence.

They are usually divided into groups:

long-haired (Angora, Merino, Texel, Sheltie, Peruvian and others);
shorthaired (Crested, Selfie);
Wire-haired (Rex, American Teddy, Abyssinian);
hairless (skinny, baldwin).

In contrast to the natural wild color, you can now find pets of black, red, white color and all their various shades. From monochromatic colors, breeders bred spotted and even tri-colored animals. Long-haired animals with rosette hair look very funny, having a funny disheveled appearance. , weight varies from 600 to 1500 g. Small pets live from 5 to 8 years.

The ancestors of the guinea pig began to be domesticated

Here are some about the history of guinea pigs and why they are called that. However, an animal with such a cute, original appearance should have an unusual name.