This cute animal is a favorite not only of many children, but also of adults. He doesn't bite, quickly gets used to your hands, and doesn't require any special care. However, even having such a cute little animal in the house, not everyone thinks why guinea pig- pig? After all, it is clear that it has no direct relation to dairy grunting animals. On the other hand, why is a guinea pig a guinea pig? After all, neither she nor her wild relatives can swim. Let's find out these questions, for this we will have to plunge into history.
general information
Before we get down to the question of why a guinea pig is called this way and not another, let’s find out where the homeland of these animals is and why they were domesticated. the Indians took up South America, and this happened back in the 7th century BC. e. In their homeland, rodents were then called gooi, or aporea. Their reproduction in nature occurs all year round, pregnancy lasts a little more than 2 months, and just a few hours after giving birth the little animal is ready to reproduce again! It was for this reason that the Indians bred rodents, using them as household pigs, serving as their main source of meat, and they were also sacrificed and used for other similar rituals. By the way, in some countries these rodents are still eaten, and the Peruvians once bred a breed of very large guinea pig for this purpose; it weighed about 2.5 kg. They were first brought to Europe in the 16th century, but rodents were very expensive, and not everyone could afford to play with a funny animal.
Why is a guinea pig a pig? First version
Yes, there are several versions regarding this issue. One of them says that when the Spaniards first landed in South America and saw these rodents, they seemed very similar to them, so they began to eat them without hesitation. After all, if you take a closer look at the guinea pig, you can see some similarities with the grunting animal. For example, such as short legs, a rather short neck and a plump body.
Second version
According to other sources, the next version as to why a guinea pig is a pig appeared due to the behavior of the animal. The fact is that when a rodent is anxious, wants to eat, is very dissatisfied with something, or, on the contrary, is in a great mood and is glad to see its owner, it makes peculiar sounds that look like grunting or squealing. No one knows for sure which of these two versions is reliable. We can only say one thing - the guinea pig owes its name to the Spaniards. We have found out why the animal is called this way, but not completely. It remains to figure out why the pig is a guinea pig.
Overseas animal
In this regard, there is an assumption that in Europe these rodents spread from west to east, and the name that we have today indicates that the animals were brought on ships from overseas, that is, there were overseas pigs from the very beginning. These cute animals, which are unpretentious in maintenance and nutrition and are easy to train, were favorite companions of sailors. But in fact, guinea pigs hate water, so don’t try to teach your pet to swim, he will simply drown.
Another interesting riddle
Guinea pig is exactly what a guinea pig is called in English. And regarding the translation, there are two versions. According to one assumption, the animal is called “Guinean” in translation because in English. Guinea - Guinea. Perhaps this version was formed due to the incorrect fact that African Guinea is the birthplace of guinea pigs. According to the second version, when the animals were brought to Europe, they were very expensive, which is where (possibly) the name guinea pig came from - “pig for a guinea.” This price was high for the vast majority of the population. It is difficult to give preference to one of these versions. However, in any case, the animals are still paying for the speculations of the pioneers.
Cute pets
We tried to figure out why a guinea pig is a pig, and where the name came from. One thing is certain - if you buy one pet, then a lot of positive emotions are guaranteed to you. It is advisable for guinea pigs to live at home in a high cage with a deep tray, and sawdust, hay or specific fillers that are sold in special stores can be used as bedding. Rodents enjoy eating grain crops. Very important condition for their normal functioning - a sufficient amount clean water for drinking, preferably with the addition of vitamin C. But in general, animals are sociable, inquisitive, and smart. Within a few days they will begin to respond to their nickname and will be able to calmly fall asleep in your arms. They will become a real and full-fledged member of your family.
The animal’s homeland is America, and it turned into an “overseas pig”, and then completely into a guinea pig. Many people are surprised why cute, furry, rather miniature animals are called pigs, and even sea pigs.
By appearance they look a little like piglets, but water procedures They can't stand it.
There is an explanation for this “philological riddle,” but to solve it you will have to take a trip into history.
The homeland of guinea pigs is South America. They are common in the Andes and live in groups in self-dug burrows, just like wild rabbits. The natural color of these rodents is modest and does not differ in variety; it has a gray-black tint.
Indians have long consumed guinea pig meat: it has a delicate and pleasant taste and is considered dietary.
Wild pig. In Peru, these animals are still raised in farms and is served in restaurants as a delicacy.
Of course, when breeding, special attention is paid not to obtaining new colors, like ornamental breeds, but an increase in the size of individuals. Some “meat” pigs reach a weight of 4 kg.
During the discovery and conquest of America, the Spaniards paid attention to funny plump animals with a body and head shape reminiscent of suckling pigs. We tried it and liked it. This is how guinea pigs came to Europe, and then to Asia and Africa. Gradually they began to play exclusively the role of pets.
Linguistic versions of the origin of the name
In Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, the guinea pig is called "Indian". Why? It’s simple, because at first America was considered and called India. The English version is “Guinea” (possibly bought for a guinea; perhaps the British confused America with Guinea, which is closer and more understandable to them).
In Russia, things were even simpler. Why is the guinea pig called so - guinea pig? Was a foreign “unknown animal” brought from overseas? So she's overseas. Gradually, the prefix “for” lost its meaning, and the pig turned into a guinea pig. Obviously, the Germans had the same line of thinking; in Germany, the principle of phrase structure is identical to Russian.
Pigs on a ship - lucky?
With the development of navigation, pigs, living up to their name, began to travel on ships. They were used as food. This was convenient in many ways.
Animals were brought to Europe on ships. These unpretentious compact animals did not take up much space, did not require special care, were flexible, but had excellent meat.
In addition, they got along well with the permanent inhabitants of the holds - rats (relatives, after all), and in times of danger they made sharp and piercing sounds, warning the crew about a possible shipwreck.
In a word, comfortable and profitable “passengers” from all sides.
Tricks of cunning priests
In the time of Columbus, Catholic priests were distinguished by gluttony - they loved to eat delicious food and tried in every possible way to circumvent the strict requirements of fasting. With the discovery of America, they had new opportunities to circumvent the rules.
The “holy fathers” reasoned like this. Guinea pigs are brought on ships by sea. And with them - their distant relatives - the world's largest aquatic rodents - capybaras. This means that they can be classified as fish and, accordingly, eaten during fasting.
You got out of it, you can’t say anything!
Why pigs anyway? There are several reasons:
- They make sounds similar to grunting.
- They are similar in body structure - rounded head and body, short limbs.
- Delicious juicy meat, however, in guinea pigs it is more like rabbit meat.
The answer to the question why the guinea pig is called that is a subject of interest even to those who are far from breeding these animals. There are several versions of the origin of this name. We present a mini-investigation about guinea pigs: where did they get this phrase from, which does not fit with taxonomic definitions - family, genus and species criteria.
The first part of the investigation: why "mumps"
There are 3 versions of why these cute animals are called pigs:
Sounds: what they make really sounds like grunting.
Body proportions: They have no waist, small head and very short neck.
Behavior: Pets are constantly gnawing on something. On ships they were kept in the same pens where ordinary pigs were driven.
Second part. Guinea pig - why "guinea pig"
The name “guinea pig” is borrowed from the Polish language - świnka morska. And the Poles, in turn, borrowed it from the Germans - Meerschweinchen. The literal translation is “guinea pig”. There is a possibility that this is a German word derived from merswin, which means “dolphin”. The squeal of rodents really resembles the squeak of a dolphin.
Foreign names
The name of the animal is literally translated from English as Guinea pig. This is another mystery because they have nothing to do with Guinea, which is in Africa. Zoologists have built 3 hypotheses:
- “Guinean” means “outlandish”, brought from afar;
- it is possible that the animals were sold for 1 guinea coin;
- was in South America French colony with a similar name - Guiana. The Lubys simply mixed up the letters and began calling the pigs Guinea pigs;
- the animals were not imported directly, but through the ports of Guinea, which was also a colonial territory of France.
Guinea pig is what this animal is called in Russia and in two or three other countries. But why a pig, and why a guinea pig? Where did this cute rodent get such a strange name?
Why a pig, it will become clear to you as soon as the pet gets used to the new place, begins to recognize you and understands where the “goodies” come from. An immediate demanding sound, like a grunt or squeal, will provide the answer.
According to another version, the pig owes its name to the Spanish conquerors, who thought they looked like suckling pigs.
Another idea why the guinea pig is called a pig is because the lower parts of the limbs of these rodents are shaped like hooves. In addition, some say that this animal is similar to pigs due to the structure of the head and rather elongated body. In addition, they were bred for meat, just like ordinary pigs in Europe.
And it is not called seafaring because it loves to swim in the sea. Obviously, this word has lost the prefix “for”. The pig was overseas, that is, brought from overseas.
The wild ancestors of our domesticated pigs still live in Peru. Cavy - this is what guinea pigs are called in other countries. Another name for these animals is Cuinea Pig - “pig for a guinea.” Either such pigs cost one guinea, or they were equated in price to one guinea and were used to pay for goods.
While in our country guinea pigs are known as popular pets, in their homeland in Central and South America these small rodents have been bred for thousands of years large quantities They are not meant to be kept as pets. In Peru, guinea pigs have always been bred and are still bred today as food. A special large specimen was even bred here, called Cuy - kui, which means “big”. Such “fodder” pigs can weigh up to four kilograms. Their meat is said to be similar to tender pork. But pigs are not only suppliers of meat for Peruvians; their skin is used to produce clothing and shoes. In addition, no trip to the local healer is complete without this black rodent. For example, it is believed that if a pig is simply applied to a sore stomach, the animal will take the pain upon itself. The local doctor usually takes payment for his services in food. Of course, there are ordinary doctors in the country, but the indigenous people, with their more than modest incomes, cannot afford them. It is interesting that, despite such strange treatment, the local population does not know what oncology and heart attacks are, and they are not familiar with asthma. By local residents this animal is highly valued and is even considered the best gift newlyweds at the wedding.
Guinea pigs are one of the favorite pets of both adults and children. But why are these cute animals called guinea pigs, because they don’t look like pigs at all and don’t have any special treatment to the water? Everything can be easily explained if you understand the history of these cute rodents.
Guinea pigs are small mammals, whose homeland is South America. Even today, guinea pigs can be found in the wild in this area. They live both in the mountains and in the forest, fields and even swamps. After its discovery, this furry animal quickly won the hearts of people, and they began to be kept as pets all over the world. Guinea pigs were favorite companions of sailors, being unpretentious in food and maintenance, and easily trained. It was an “overseas” animal, but after many years, the name “overseas” grew into “sea”. So these rodents began to be called “guinea pigs,” although they themselves have a very bad attitude towards water!
But why pigs? The reason for this name was the habits of this rodent. When he is full and satisfied, he grunts quietly. But as soon as it is frightened, the rodent emits a wild, piercing squeal, which is very reminiscent of the squeal of small piglets. That is why the guinea pig became a “piggy”. If you take a very close look at the body structure of a guinea pig, you can easily discern the external similarity between the rodent and the mammal of the same name. Like a pig, a guinea pig has short legs, a rather massive head on short neck and a fat body.
There is a huge variety of various types guinea pigs, most of which are artificially bred. In nature, guinea pigs have short hair, while for home care species with very long fur were bred. They are all very friendly and funny.
Interesting facts about guinea pigs:
1. For the first time, the Incas began keeping guinea pigs as pets. They also grew them for food and sacrificed them to the gods.
2. The first mentions of guinea pigs date back to the period when Peru and Bolivia were conquered. Then the conquerors described these funny animals as “the local little rabbit.”
3. In the past, the Andean peoples consumed guinea pigs as food, just as we eat rabbits.
4. In Europe, guinea pigs were initially used only as experimental animals in laboratories, and only over time they began to be kept as pets.
5. When guinea pigs became widely known in Europe as pets, they cost fortunes and were considered a very rare and luxury item.
6. Guinea pigs live in groups of 10-15 individuals, digging their own minks. They reproduce regardless of the time of year, and the cubs calmly move independently a couple of hours after birth. It is noteworthy that guinea pigs are born already with open eyes, which is not typical for the rodent order.
7. Pregnancy in a female guinea pig lasts only 60-70 days.
8. The average lifespan of a guinea pig is 7-8 years.
9. Pigs learn easily, which can be explained by the fact that these rodents have excellent memory!
10. In South America, it has long been believed that guinea pigs attract bad luck.
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