Business & Finance

When was the last time you visited with a friend only to have their children frog march you out to the back yard to view their latest acquisition which you knew little about, their pet guinea pig?

And delightful they are, for guinea pigs make great pets, but they were not always a domestic animal, so just where do they originate from, and where did they get that name from, because, lets face it, its a rather odd name.

A cavy is the proper name for the guinea pig, and they are a member of the rodent family.

They have sprung into popularity within the past few decades and this might well make you think that they are a new pet, but think again. Archaeologists have uncovered fossilised remains dating back millions of years, making them a very old pet indeed!

Those same fossils indicate that the guinea pig used to be much larger than it is today, anything up to 9 feet long.

Now where do they come from? Well they originated in South America, and were first domesticated by the Incas. They were both a religious Icon, and sadly a source of food, and this is still the case even today in parts of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

In many parts of Peru they are thought very highly of because of their apparent ability to heal the sick and bring comfort and solace to the dying as they move into the next life.

These lovely creatures came to Europe and America courtesy of the sailors who brought them to sell for, guess what, a guinea, and that is where part of their name came from.

The pig part of their name came about because of the funny squealing noise they make and their resemblance to actual pigs.

One of their claims to fame is that they have been popular in the field of research and who I wonder has never heard the expression ‘being a guinea pig’?

They have proved to be a great help to medical science, but sadly at the cost of many guinea pigs lives. They have helped save many human lives, at the cost of their own. Does the end justify the means? Dear reader, you must decide that for yourself.

Even today they are still used for research but in a more humane way which we are told does not cause any distress to the animal.

In the South American country of Peru guinea pigs are held in such esteem that they often are given as gifts to people, and they are involved in ceremonial occasions.

Guinea Pigs have come a long way over the years, and a recent poll showed that in the domestic animal popularity league they come fourth, just behind dogs, cats and rabbits.

Well now, the next time your friend’s children show you their latest pet I think you will look at it with different eyes.