guinea pigs

Guinea pigs (also called cavies or pargs) are rodents belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia, originally indigenous to the Andes.

Despite their common name, the animals are not pigs, nor do they come from Guinea.

History

The common guinea pig was first domesticated in about 2000 BC for food by the mountain tribes, in the Andean region of South America, in what is now Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. They continue to be a food source in the region, subsisting off a family's vegetable scraps as a pet. They also play the role of evil-spirit collector in traditional healing rituals. Guinea pigs are called quwi in Quechua and cuy or cuyo (pl. cuyes, cuyos) in Spanish of Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia with universal acceptance in the Spanish speaking world[1].

Dutch and English traders brought guinea pigs to Europe, where they quickly became popular as exotic pets.

Name

How the animals came to be thought of as "pigs" is not clear. One thought is that some of the sounds they make reminded people of pigs, for they emit a variety of sounds, some very similar to a pig's squeal. They are also built somewhat like a pig, with a large head relative to the body, a stout neck, and a rounded rump with no tail of any consequence; they also spend a large amount of time eating. They can survive fairly well for long periods of time in small quarters, like a 'pig pen', and were thus easily transported on ships to Europe.

The animal's name carries connotations of it being a pig in many languages; 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 (morskaya svinka (Морская свинка) and świnka morska respectively) is similar in meaning. The Welsh term is mochyn cwta ('little pig'), the French Cochon d'Inde (Indian pig); the Dutch used to call it guinees biggetje (Guinean piglet), in Lithuania, they are called "juros kioules" meaning sea pig, and in Scandinavia they are called marsvin (a combination of the Latin word mare for ocean, and Norwegian/Swedish/Danish svin which means pig). In Greek they are called indika xoiridia (ινδικά χοιρίδια, Small Indian Pigs), and in Portuguese porquinho da Índia (Little Indian Pig). In Italian the term is either Porcellino d'India (Little Indian Pig) or Cavia Peruviana (Peruvian Cavy). This is not universal; for example, the common Spanish word is conejillo de Indias (Indian bunny rabbit / Indies bunny).

The scientific name of a common species is Cavia porcellus, with porcellus being Latin for "little pig". Cavia is dervived from Portugese çavia (now savia) from the Tupi word sawiya, meaning rat.^{citation needed]}

The origin of "guinea" in "guinea pig" is even harder to explain. According to the etymology of the entry for "guinea pig" in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, the term guinea pig is "Perhaps [an] alteration (influenced by Guinea, used as a name for any faraway unknown country), of Guiana".^[1] 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.^{citation needed]}

Traits and environment

Guinea pigs are large for rodents, weighing between 0.5 and 1.5 kg (1–3 pounds), and measuring 25–40 cm (10–15 inches) long . They live an average of four to eight years^{citation needed]}. According to the 1997 Guinness Book of Records the longest living Guinea pig survived 15 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). Unlike similar rodents, Guinea pigs mate for life in the same pair bond. Domesticated Guinea pigs thrive in groups of two or more; groups of sows, or groups of (a) sow(s) and a neutered boar are common combinations. Groups of boars may also get along, provided their cage has enough space, they are not introduced to a female, and proper introduction techniques are employed. Some guinea pig owners report that female guinea pigs are more docile than their male counterparts, although each guinea pig is different.

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. Domestic 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.

Domestic guinea pigs generally live in cages. Cages with wire mesh floors are not recommended by guinea pig owners as these can cause injury and may be associated with a foot infection commonly known as "bumblefoot" (ulcerative pododermatitis). Cages are often lined with wood shavings or a similar material. Bedding made from red cedar and pine, both softwoods, were commonly used in past decades but are now believed to contain harmful phenols (aromatic hydrocarbons) and oils (particularly red cedar).^{citation needed]} Many retail stores and manufacturers still advertise softwood beddings as safe for guinea pigs, but there is growing pressure to stop the practice. Safer beddings include those made from hardwoods (such as aspen), hemp, paper, or grain. A new idea for bedding is the practice of lining the cage with newspaper or another absorbent material and covering it with fleece. This is cheaper than standard beddings, and easier to clean. Shredded office paper is another inexpensive alternative. "Cubes and Coroplast" (or C&C) style cages are now a common choice.^[2]

Unlike many rodents such as mice, rats, or squirrels, guinea pigs are not very athletic, although they require ample space to run, jump, play, hide and rest. Jumping gaps, climbing, and fearlessness in the face of heights were not skills guinea pigs needed in their natural environment, although they can hop over small obstacles with agility. When excited, Guinea pigs tend to do little jumps in the air (known as "popcorning").

Guinea pigs are vocal animals. Some sounds are:

• Wheek - A loud noise that sounds about the same as its written form. An expression of general excitement, it can mean "feed me", "pay attention", or possibly "I'm hurt". It is sometimes used to find other guinea pigs if they are in a run. If a guinea pig is lost, it may "wheek" for assistance.
• Rumbling - This sound is related to Guinea pig dominance or in response to an unfamiliar sound. It can also come as a response to comfort or content. Whilst courting, a male usually purrs deeply, while swaying from side to side, nearly lifting the rear feet.
• Chattering - This sound is made by rapidly gnashing the teeth together—it is a warning to others to keep away. Guinea pigs tend to raise their heads when making this sound so as to look more dangerous.
• Tribbling, Bubbling, or Purring - This rather pleasant sound is made when the guinea pig is enjoying itself, when being petted or held. They may also make this sound when grooming, crawling around to investigate a new place, or when given an unexpected food treat, like lettuce or carrots.

Breeding

The gestation lasts from 63-72 days, which is quite long for such a small animal. 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. Litters vary from two or three young to as many as eight 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. Lactating mothers' milk consists of approximately 3.9% fat, 8.1% protein, and 3.0% lactose. ^{citation needed]} Many nursing supplements intended for other small animals may not match guinea pig milk's composition.

Because of the long gestation period and the large size of the pups, pregnant females may become large and eggplant-shaped, although the change in size and shape varies among individual animals. Breeding males produce a strong musk that smells much like beeswax.

Females can be fertile as early as three weeks and can carry litters before they themselves are adults. This can seriously affect the growth of the young mother, as her unborn pups compete with her for nutrition. Females (sows) that have never been bred and are older than eight months will develop irreversible fusing of their pelvic joint. Males (boars) have been known to be fertile as early as 3-4 weeks of age but more typically around 5-6. Females can become pregnant in less than 12 hours after giving birth, and it is not healthy for a female to be in virtually a constant state of pregnancy. Cohabitating females may assist in mothering duties.^{citation needed]}Toxemia of pregnancy is common and kills many pregnant females. Signs of toxemia include anorexia, lack of energy, excessive salivation, and a ketone breath odor, and in advanced cases seizures and death. Pregnancy toxemia appears to be most common in hot climates.^[3] Other serious complications of pregnancy can include a prolapsed uterus and hypocalcemia.

Diet

Like humans but unlike most other mammals, guinea pigs cannot synthesize their own vitamin C and must obtain this vital nutrient from food. Also like humans, if guinea pigs cannot get enough vitamin C they will suffer from scurvy and ultimately die. Guinea pigs require about 25-50mg of vitamin C daily, which can be obtained through fresh, raw fruits and vegetables or through supplements fed to domestic animals. Guinea pigs often learn to enjoy these tablets, eating them from their owners' hands.

Grass is the guinea pig's natural diet. 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, practicing coprophagy, the eating of their 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.

Guinea pigs benefit from feeding on grass hay such as timothy hay in addition to food pellets. Hay provides roughage and long-strand fiber needed in their diet which pellets alone do not provide. Alfalfa hay, a legume hay richer in calcium and protein, is available either fresh or in the form of pellets (the most common pellet-based feed available). Experts recommend that alfalfa and other foods rich in calcium, (such as spinach), be fed to adults only in moderation.^{citation needed]} Diets with imbalanced Ca:P ratios may result in health problems and may possibly contribute to the formation of certain types of bladder stones and bladder sludge. A number of brands of commercially prepared pellets exist that are based on dehydrated timothy hay, which are ideally suited for guinea pigs over six months that are not pregnant or lactating.

A number of plants are poisonous to guinea pigs, including bracken, buttercup, bryony, charlock, deadly nightshade, hemlock, lily of the valley, privet, scarlet pimpernel, ragwort, various parts of the potato plant, toadflax and tomato leaves. Additionally, any plant which grows from a bulb e.g., tulip and onion is normally considered poisonous.^{citation needed]} Guinea pigs are also known to consume large amounts of cloth (bed sheets, clothing, shoe laces) or even plastic, such as insulation around electrical cords. Surprisingly, they can usually withstand consuming such materials; although they are not recommended by owners for obvious reasons.

Health

Common ailments in domestic guinea pigs include respiratory infections, diarrhea, scurvy (vitamin C deficiency, symptoms include hind leg paralysis), 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 infections by lice, mites or fungus.

Mange mites (Trixacarus caviae) are a common cause of fur loss, whose symptoms also may include excessive scratching, unusually aggressive behavior when touched (due to pain), and in some instances, seizures. If not treated, mange mites can be fatal. Mange mites are not visible to the naked eye. Vets may perform a "skin scraping" to determine the presence of mites (or a fungal infection), although this procedure is often painful and may result in a false negative result. Mange mites are commonly treated with several doses of ivermectin, available through a veterinarian.

Guinea pigs may also suffer from "running lice" (Gliricola porcelli) a small white insect which can be seen running through fur. Ivermectin or Advantage (imidacloprid), are often used to treat these and other types of lice.

Other causes of fur loss can be due to hormonal upsets caused by underlying medical conditions such as ovarian cysts. Other signs of ovarian cysts include enlarged nipples and sexually aggressive behavior. Ovarian cysts are frequently diagnosed via ultrasound and treated by spaying the sow. If left untreated, cysts may fatally rupture.

Guinea pigs are "prey animals" whose survival instinct is to mask pain and signs of illness, and many times signs of illness may not be apparent until a problem is severe or in its advanced stages. Common early symptoms of problems are:

• Lethargy (reduced activity)
• Blood present in cage or on animal
• Sitting in a hunched position with fur puffed out
• Discharge from eyes (see note below), nose or ears
• Raspy-sounding vocalizations
• Wheezing or difficulty breathing
• Limping
• Diarrhea
• Lack of feces output (older, unneutered boars may suffer from impaction)^[3]
• Head tilt or loss of balance (may indicate an ear infection)
• Wheeking while urinating (may indicate bladder infection or bladder stones/sludge)
• Sensitivity to touch
• Fur loss
• Excessive scratching
• Weight loss
• Rapid weight gain/shifting of bodily weight (may indicate ovarian cysts, etc.)

Guinea pigs normally secrete a milky-white fluid near their eyes. Upon secretion of this fluid, the cavy will usually raise his front paws and groom himself.

Domestic guinea pigs

Main article: Domestic varieties of guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are widely considered to be good pets. They are generally easy to care for, although they do require frequent cage cleaning and companionship. If handled early in their life by caring owners, they become very amenable to being picked up and carried about, even by younger children. 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.

Domesticated guinea pigs come in many breeds which have been developed since their arrival in Europe and North America. These varieties vary widely in hair and color composition. The most common breeds found in pet stores are the English Short Hair, also called American, (known in Europe as the Self breed) which has a smooth, glossy, short coat, and the Abyssinian which has a rough coat made of cowlicks, crests, and swirls called rosettes. The number of rosettes on an Abyssinian varies, but eight or more are required in a purebred (Show quality) animal. A white crested (known in Europe as American Crested) also has a rosette, but only one that is always white and at the top of their head (crown). The Peruvian has very long hair, hanging all the way to the ground. Sometimes it is hard to tell their front from their back. Another long-haired guinea pig is a Silkie (known in Europe as a Sheltie). Very much like a Peruvian, but with no hair in front of their face. A rare new breed known as the Texel has long hair like the Peruvian, but this hair is curly and does not come over their face. And almost all of these breeds comes in a satin too. Example: Peruvian Satin, American Satin. This is when the hair shafts are hollow, and are extremely shiny. Each of these breeds come in a number of colors and patterns.

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 United States. In Canada, the OCC (Ontario Cavy Club) is the most prominent club, and many others exist. Each club publishes its own Standard of Perfection and determines what breeds are eligible for showing.

Guinea pigs in scientific research

In English, the term "Guinea pig" is often used as a metaphor for a subject of scientific experimentation. This notion persists even though guinea pigs are now much less commonly used as experimental animals.^{citation needed]} 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 and which are more completely characterized genetically.^{citation needed]}

A peculiarity of guinea pigs as research animals is that they are highly sensitive to penicillin, which can cause potentially fatal cases of diarrhea and/or toxemia.^[4] The cause of this is not certain,^[5] and is all the more peculiar since, according to some researchers, the reaction is seasonal ^{citation needed]}, and others do not report any toxicity at all.^[6] One theory is that the antibiotic actually kills off intestinal microflora that the guinea pig needs for digestion, rather than poisoning the animal itself, leaving it vulnerable to an opportunistic infection by Clostridium difficile and similar pathogens.^[7] This fact, mentioned in a well-known speech by Howard Florey, is often used as an argument against the efficacy of animal testing.^[8]

Guinea pig strains used in scientific research are primarily outbred strains. Many laboratory guinea pig strains are based on the Dunkin-Hartley English strain and are albino, although pigmented strains are also available. Inbred strains are less common and are usually used for very specific research, such as immune system molecular biology. Of the inbred strains that have been created, the two that are still used with any frequency are "Strain 2" and "Strain 13".^{citation needed]}

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.^{citation needed]} Guinea pigs also have an unusual insulin mutation which makes it a suitable species for the generation of anti-insulin antibodies.^{citation needed]}

On 20 January 2006 Darley Oaks Farm in the United Kingdom ceased operating and therefore ceased breeding guinea pigs for scientific research and animal testing, after a 7 year campaign by the Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs animal rights campaign.

Guinea pigs as food

Guinea pigs (called cuy, cuye, curí) were originally domesticated for their meat in the Andes.

As food, the guinea pig is described as a combination of rabbit and the dark meat on chicken, though in colour, taste, and the fineness of bones the gourmet will be reminded of quail. It is high in protein (21%) and low in fat (8%)^{citation needed]}. Due to the fact that they require much less room than traditional livestock and reproduce extremely quickly when compared to traditional stock animals, they can be raised as a source of food in an urban environment—unlike most livestock animals.

To this day, cuye continues 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.

Guinea pigs are also consumed in Ecuador, mainly in the Sierra region of the country, but are not depended upon as a staple source of protein.

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.
• In The Magician's Nephew (the sixth published book and first chronologically of The Chronicles of Narnia series), a guinea pig is the first creature to travel to the Wood between the Worlds by means of Uncle Andrew's magic rings – thus a guinea pig is instrumental in beginning all the adventures in Narnia. When Digory and Polly encounter the guinea pig in the Wood, they decide to leave it alone, as it seems "perfectly happy" to live there. Its fate is unknown.
• 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 bureacratic incompetence as two guinea pigs held at a train station breed unchecked while humans argue as to whether they are "pigs" for the purpose of determining freight charges (this story probably was the inspiration for Robert A. Heinlein's flatcats, and is reminiscent of the infamous tribbles of Star Trek).
• The Fairy Caravan is a novel by Beatrix Potter which follows the adventures of Tuppenny, a young guinea pig who runs away from home to join a travelling circus.
• Do Wrong Ron, written by Steven Herrick and illustrated by Caroline Magerl, is a story about a boy named Ron who can't do anything right. He has a Guinea pig named Charlie, and the story is puncuated with sections written from Charlie's point of view
• The Guinea Pigs by Czech author Ludvik Vaculik is an allegory for Soviet domination and totalitarianism.
• Harriet Ziefert and Arnold Lobel's Where's the Guinea Pig? is a chronicle of a little guinea pig who gets out of his pen, and explores the garden. It is a clay guinea pig who is illustrated, and he likes the garden.

Film and television

• Rodney (voiced by Chris Rock) was a prominent character in the Dr. Dolittle movie starring Eddie Murphy and Kyla Pratt.
• Ray along with his rabbit buddy Carl voiced by Jim Belushi and James Woods were spokesmammals for Blockbuster Video in an ad campaign during 2002. In the above examples the animals were computer generated.
• G.P. the Guinea Pig is a major character in the children's show Tales of the Riverbank.
• In Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, the mentor of the Power Rangers, Sensei Watanabe has been turned into a wise talking Guinea Pig and advises the rangers in that form.
• Egg credit cards in the UK recently featured shopping guinea pigs in their advertising.^[9]
• The character Magenta (Kelly Vitz) can transform herself into a guinea pig in the movie Sky High (2005 film).
• Linny, a guinea pig, is the leader of The Wonder Pets, a television show on Nick Jr.^[10]
• Mister Guinea Pig, a blue guinea pig, appears on Pinky Dinky Doo on Noggin.^[11]
• Sampson from the Cartoon Network animated series Camp Lazlo is a Guinea Pig with a sensitive nose.
• In a commercial for Snapple there was a parody of the running of the bulls with guinea pigs in place of the bulls.^[12]
• A guinea pig is seen in a commercial promoting G4TV's Midnight Spank block in which the guinea pig threatens a sleeping man that it will the eat his remaining kidney (it had already eaten the first kidney while sleeping).^[13]

See also

• Capybara
• Patagonian cavy
• Peter Gurney

References

External links

• Guinea Pigs Club
• Guinea Pig Cages, Your Guinea Pig's Home
• GuineaLynx Care and Medical Guide
• ACBA - American Cavy Breeders' Association
• BBC article on Peruvian super-cavies
• Report on Guinea Pigs by Livestock Research for Rural Development in Colombia
• Guinea Pig Association - Reference Information