The guinea pig is a tiny rodent and not a pig, nor does it come from Guinea. The guinea pig get got its name because it was first imported by Portuguese merchants known as guinea men.
It also grunts and squeals just like a real pig. Guinea pigs have been kept as pets for hundreds of years. Centuries ago, the Inca Indians of Peru discovered these animalsliving in the Andes Mountains.
They tamed them and raised them for food. Years later, European traders took some of these rodents to Europe and North America, where they became common pets.
Guinea pigs are social companion animals that require daily interaction. They communicate by making various sounds that have different meanings and “popcorn,” or jump in the air, when happy.
On the other hand The Oxford English Dictionary mentions three theories about the origin of this inappropriate name:
(1) The animal was perhaps “thought to resemble the young of the Guinea Hog (Potamochoerus),” which is a river pig found in Guinea.
(2) Back when the phrase “guinea pig” was first recorded, the word “Guinea” was often used to denote some unspecified or unknown faraway land.
(3) The “guinea” here may represent confusion with Guiana, a region of northeastern South America. This explanation “seems unlikely,” the OED says.
With proper training, they can recognize their own name as well as their owners. Every time you talk to the guinea pig, call it by its name. Also, use its name when you’re feeding or caressing the animal.
Content for this question contributed by Shannon Hendrix, resident of Mattoon, Illinois, USA
