|
Just as the human population is incredibly diverse in size and appearance around the world, so is the guinea pig population. In fact, some wild guinea pigs in Peru and other South American countries are even smaller today than they were six hundred years ago. Some guinea pigs have grown to weigh almost four pounds, although these are usually those bred in captivity by scientists. It doesn’t hurt that guinea pigs are able to adapt easily to many different environments. As a result of this adaptability and guinea pig breeding practices among humans, over twenty-five different types of guinea pigs exist today. As you read in this book, you will learn about the four primary breeds of guinea pigs in the world.
If you were to visit a family living in South America in the Andes Mountains, you might find that they had twenty or more guinea pigs running around in their house. At the table, the family often feeds the guinea pigs scraps to fatten them up. Unlike the guinea pig pets that we have in the West, these guinea pigs are kept for food and used to barter for goods. Some South American children trade their guinea pigs for toys or candy just as if they were money.
Unearthed statues of cavies that are thousands of years old indicate how ingrained the guinea pig is in Andean culture. Even today cavies are used in Andean religious ceremonies and rituals.
Did you ever wonder where the phrase, “…guinea pig for the experiment,” Originated? Cavies with all-black coats are the most rare and these guinea pigs are sometimes used in medical studies.
Understanding the history of the guinea pig brings more value to the time you spend with your pet. Knowing the rich background of the guinea pig or “cavy” can serve as a model for children to be curious about the background of the people, animals and things that populate their everyday lives.
Chapter 2
The Many Different
Types of Guinea Pigs
From hair length and texture to color and size, guinea pigs come in all sorts of mixtures. If you were to count the different types of guinea pigs that there are today, you could easily reach twenty-five, though no one knows the exact number for sure. Guinea pig breeders are always working to create new and different types of guinea pigs by selecting out one male with specific traits to mate with a female who has specific traits. For example, recently guinea pig breeders have been working to introduce a new breed that has no hair at all.
Guinea Pigs Previous Page (2)
|
|
|
|