Why Are Guinea Pigs Called Guinea Pigs?
Guinea Pig in its Natural Habitat
Guinea Pig Meaning
At some point, any guinea pig owner will sit and wonder about the name 'guinea pig' and think about where it came from, and exactly what the term guinea pig means. Anyone that doesn't know too much about their history will probably assume they're simply named from their native home, and understandably so.
However, this wouldn't be correct for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs have no connection to the countries Guinea or New Guinea, so their names definitely don't come from there.
The recognised definitions of the name Guinea Pig are usually variations of ‘a small animal covered in fur with rounded ears, short legs, and no tail.' While this is a great little description of a guinea pig, it doesn't answer the question of what their name actually means or where guinea pigs originated from.
Why Are Guinea Pigs Called Guinea Pigs?
The origin of their name can actually be traced all the way back to the 16th century when they were first introduced to the UK. The word ‘guinea' was quickly adopted as their name as you would be able to buy a guinea pig with a single guinea (an English coin at the time).
A guinea coin is worth about £1.05 in the modern day - if only guinea pigs were still that cheap, they would be the most popular pet around!
However, where does ‘pig' come from? A guinea pig is clearly not a pig. This part is a little more unknown. Most European countries had already coined their own names for the guinea pig, all that included some version of ‘pig', so it makes sense that the UK followed suit.
Many people assume we call them guinea pigs because they look and sound like mini pigs, even though they have no genetic relation to pigs at all. While this seems like the most logical answer, we will most likely never know for definite the true reason or discover the reasons in other languages either.
Guinea Pig Loving the Outdoors
Where Do Guinea Pigs Live?
It's a common misconception that guinea pigs are certainly from the countries of Guinea or New Guinea. But in fact, they are found far away on the other side of the world in South America. These wild South American rodents are mainly found in the Andes mountains, where the terrain and climate is extremely tough, making them hardy and adaptable.
The native people of these regions started the domestication process long before European explorers turned up, and they had already developed their own breeds of domesticated guinea pigs that are hugely different from the fully wild cavies.
Due to their gentle nature and low care needs, guinea pigs were used in a multitude of ways. They were pets, a food source and even used in medicine in some communities.
Over time, guinea pigs migrated around South America and can often be seen in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Northern Chile and Uruguay.
Cavies from South America
Cavies is another term commonly used when referring to guinea pigs. This comes from the South American vernacular to describe animals of the rodent family Caviidae. The term cavy can technically be used for any animal a part of this family, but generally you will only see it used for domestic guinea pigs.
There are about 14 species of cavies within South America, including Rock Cavies, Montane Guinea Pigs, Brazilian Guinea Pig and the Greater Guinea Pig. All of these species of guinea pigs all have their own unique appearances and traits, but they also have plenty of similarities with one another and with pet guinea pigs.
Agouti - A wild family member of the domestic guinea pig in a brown colour for camoflage and loger legs to escape predators.
Comparing Domestic Guinea Pigs to Wild Cavies
Some of the main similarities you will see when comparing the domestic guinea pig to their wild counterparts is their hierarchy and familial situation. Guinea pig herds are male dominated, and they tend to live in groups of three to ten. However, it's not uncommon to see herds far exceeding this number. While the need for a male in domestic herds isn't necessary, as us as their human owners are filling that role in some ways, but there is no doubt that a female group will thrive with a male present.
On a physical level, wild cavies are much more adapted to surviving. Their fur typically only comes in a few darker colours to make them less noticeable to predators. Their legs tend to be a little longer to allow them to move quicker and be more agile over the rough terrain. The domestic piggies still retain a significant amount of their physical traits from their ancestors, but through the human's natural desire for aesthetics, we have bred them in ways that have changed their fur's colour and style to be more out-there and colourful. This definitely wouldn't be ideal if they were ever popped back in the wild again.
Guinea Pigs in the Wild
In terms of personality and behaviours, wild cavies and guinea pigs still remain closely related. Cavies in the wild can be found hiding away in their burrows. However, they do tend to prefer moving into vacated burrows, and will rarely be seen building their own. You may have noticed your pet piggy similarly burrowing into their hay or bedding. They are also incredibly social animals with each other. Rodents are prey animals and live in large groups to protect themselves from predators.
For mealtimes, guinea pigs in the wild still enjoy their greens just as much as our pet piggies do. The still need to pull their vitamin C from their food, as they can't produce any themselves naturally, just as our pet guinea pigs can't. They're also full herbivores, so will primarily be snacking on grass, hay and any greens or root vegetables they can find in the area. You will mainly see wild piggies hanging around grassy areas during the day for this reason.
