A domesticated rodent first bred for meat in the Andes as early as 5000 BC, and now a popular pet. It isn’t found in the wild at all.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?Yes
Awake when?Day & night
Guinea pigs are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?Commonly
Kept as pets worldwide, though first domesticated in the Andes for meat.
Do people eat it?Yes
Guinea pigs, called cuy, are still raised for meat in the Andes of South America.
At a glance
Found inSouth America
HabitatFarmland, Towns
ColoursBrown, White, Black, Ginger
SizeSmall
Length20–25 cm
Weight700–1,200 g
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives ingroups
Lives for5–7 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Domestic worldwide. It comes from the Andean region of South America and has no wild population.
- What it eats
- A plant-eater. Unlike rabbits, guinea pigs can’t make their own vitamin C, so they need it in their food.
Did you know
Not a pig, and nothing to do with Guinea.
Often confused with
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