Guinea Pig Appreciation Day: Is the Animal Really From Guinea?

Guinea pigs are widely sought after for their cute and friendly personalities, their docile and responsive nature, and their ease of care. They make great pets for children and adults alike, as they enjoy being handled and fed by their owners. They are also very social animals that need the companionship of other guinea pigs or humans.

Celebrated every year on July 16 by guinea pig lovers around the world, Guinea Pig Appreciation Day was founded in 2016 by Piggles Guinea Pig Rescue, a non-profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates guinea pigs in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. The date was chosen because "G" is the 7th letter of the alphabet and "P" is the 16th, corresponding to July 16.

Guinea pigs are adorable and popular pets with a long history of domestication and interaction with humans. But have you ever wondered why they are called guinea pigs when they are neither from Guinea nor related to pigs? The answer is not very clear, but there are some theories and facts that can shed some light on this curious name.

These creatures belong to the rodent family Caviidae, which also includes other South American rodents such as maras and mountain cavies. The scientific name of the domestic guinea pig is Cavia porcellus, which means "little pig" in Latin. However, this name is misleading, as guinea pigs are not closely related to pigs at all.

These small critters are thought to have originated in the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and other countries, where they were domesticated by indigenous people about 3,000 years ago. They were raised primarily as food animals, but were also used for religious ceremonies, folk medicine, and art. Some cultures even revered them as sacred animals.

Introduced to Europe in the 16th century by Spanish explorers, who brought them back from their journeys in South America, these animals soon became popular as exotic pets among the wealthy and royalty, especially in England. Queen Elizabeth I was said to be fascinated by them and kept several as pets.

Guinea pigs were also used for scientific experiments because they were easy to breed and had anatomies similar to humans. They were the primary test subjects for many medical discoveries, including scurvy, tuberculosis, and diabetes. Because of this history, the term "guinea pig" came to mean a human test subject.

The origin of the name "guinea pig" is still hotly debated, as there are several possible explanations. One theory is that the name comes from the word "guinea," which was used in the 16th and 17th centuries to refer to anything foreign or exotic. Another theory is that the name comes from the ports of Guinea or Guiana in Africa or South America, where guinea pigs may have been traded or shipped.

The "pig" part of the name may have been inspired by the appearance, behavior, or sound of guinea pigs, which resemble or remind people of pigs. Some sources also suggest that guinea pigs look like suckling pigs when cooked, which may have influenced their name.

Guinea pigs are also known by other names in different languages and regions. In Peru, they are called "cuy", which is derived from their native Quechua name "quwi". In Germany, they are called "Meerschweinchen", which means "little sea pig" – just as the Russian version of the name, "morskaya svinka". In France, they are called "cochon d'Inde", which means "pig of India". In some parts of Asia, they are called "Dutch pig" or "Dutch rabbit".

Another common name for guinea pigs is "cavy" or "cavies," which comes from their scientific genus, Cavia. This name is often used by breeders and scientists who work with guinea pigs. There are many breeds of guinea pigs with different coat colors and textures, such as Abyssinian, Peruvian, Rex, Teddy, and Texel.