Where do Guinea Pigs get their name and why?
No one knows for sure just how the guinea pig came to be called a “pig”. They really are not pigs but are larger rodents. However they do tend to make noises that are very similar to that of a pig. They alos have some similar physical features with a pig. Their heads are large, with a rounded hind end, and with no tail. The guinea pig is also able to survive in cramped conditions such as a “pig pen” therefore they were easier to transport to England. Even in other languages they are referred to as pigs. The Dutch often called them “Guineas Biggetie” (Guinean piglet). In Germany they use the term “Meerschweinchen” (little sea pigs). The Germans gave the guinea pigs the name from when they would stop in the New World to stock up on provisions and would purchase large amounts of guinea pigs for their main source of meat. What kind of environment do Guinea Pigs live in? Guinea pigs are very social animals living in large groups consisting of sows (females) and boars (males), the offspring
