This cute animal is a favorite not only of many kids, but also adults. He does not bite, quickly gets used to his hands, he does not require any special care. However, even having such a cute little animal in the house, not everyone wonders why the guinea pig is a pig? After all, it is clear that it has no direct relation to dairy grunting animals. On the other hand, why is the guinea pig a guinea pig? After all, neither she nor her wild relatives can swim. Let's find out these issues, for this we will have to plunge into history.
general information
Before starting the question of why the guinea pig is called that way, and not otherwise, let's find out where the birthplace of these animals is and why they were tamed. Indians in South America were engaged in guinea pig breeding , and this was still in the 7th century BC. e. In the homeland of rodents, then called gui, or aporea. Their reproduction in nature takes place all year round, pregnancy lasts a little more than 2 months, and within a few hours after giving birth the animal is ready to breed again! It is for this reason that the Indians bred rodents, using them as farm animals. Guinea pigs served as their main source of meat for them, and they were also sacrificed and used for other similar rituals. By the way, still in some countries these rodents are eaten, and the Peruvians once brought up a very large guinea pig breed for this purpose, it weighed about 2.5 kg. They were first brought to Europe in the 16th century, only rodents were very expensive, not everyone could afford to play with a funny animal.
Why is a guinea pig a pig. First version
Yes, there are several versions regarding this issue. One of them says that when the Spaniards first landed in South America and saw these rodents, they seemed very much like milk pigs. Therefore, they began to eat them without hesitation. Indeed, if you look closely at the guinea pig, you can see some similarities with grunting animals. For example, such as short legs, a rather large head on a short neck and a plump body.
Second version
According to other sources, the next version regarding why the guinea pig is a pig appeared due to the behavior of the animal. The fact is that when a rodent is anxious, wants to eat, is very dissatisfied with something, or, on the contrary, is in a good mood, is glad to see his master, he makes peculiar sounds that look like grunts or yelps. Which of these two versions is reliable, nobody knows for sure. We can only say one thing - the guinea pig owes its name to the Spaniards. Why is the name of the animal, we have found out, but not completely. It remains to understand why the guinea pig is precisely.
Overseas animal
On this occasion, there is an assumption that in Europe these rodents spread from west to east, and the name that exists today with us indicates that animals were brought on ships from across the sea, that is, from the very beginning there were overseas pigs. These cute little animals, which are unpretentious for maintenance and nutrition and easily trained, were the favorite companions of sailors. But in fact, guinea pigs hate water, so do not try to teach your pet how to swim, he will simply drown.
Another interesting riddle
Guinea pig - that's what the guinea pig is called in English. And regarding translation, there are two versions. According to one assumption, the animal is called in translation "Guinean" because in English. Guinea - Guinea. Perhaps this version was formed due to the incorrect fact that African Guinea is the birthplace of guinea pigs. According to the second version, when the animals were brought to Europe, they were very expensive, respectively, hence the name (probably) came the name guinea pig - “pig for guinea”. Such a price was high for the vast majority of the population. It is difficult to give preference to one of these versions. However, in any case, the animals are still paying for the speculations of the pioneers.
Cute pets
We tried to figure out why the guinea pig is a pig, and where did this name come from. One thing is certain for sure - if you get such a pet, then a lot of positive emotions are guaranteed to you. Living in guinea pigs at home is desirable in a high cage with a deep pallet, and as litter you can use sawdust, hay or specific fillers, which are sold in special stores. Rodents feed on grass, hay, and crops with pleasure. A very important condition for their normal life is a sufficient amount of clean water for drinking, preferably with the addition of vitamin C. But in general, animals are sociable, inquisitive, intelligent. Within a few days, they will respond to the nickname and will be able to calmly fall asleep in your arms. They will become a true and full member of your family.