Guinea Pigs

The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig is actually a species of rodent that belongs to the genus Cavia in the family Caviidae. As you probably already know, despite their name, guinea pigs are not native to Guinea (a coastal country in West Africa). Of course, they are not closely related to pigs! Researchers say that the origins of their names are still unknown.

Guinea pigs were initially domesticated as a source of meat, and unfortunately, they are still consumed as food in some countries around the world. To be more specific, in some cultures in the Andes Mountains, people raise guinea pigs for their meat. They are also still used in research, although researchers try to replace them with other species of rodents, such as mice and rats. Nevertheless, most of the time, people keep them as pets because they make good companions and require low maintenance costs.

Their diet consists of grass, but they also supplement their diet by eating their own feces. This process is also known as coprophagia or coprophagy.

You might also like: 7 Amazing Cat Breeds for First-Time Owners.