Guinea Pigs History

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In 2000 BC the first common Guinea Pig was domesticated for food
by the Inca, in the Andean region of South America, in what is now
Peru and Bolivia. In these countries the Guinea Pigs continue to be
a food source. In Peru Guinea Pigs are called cuy and are considered
as a culinary delicacy. Guinea Pigs also play the role of
evil-spirit collector in these country traditional healing
rituals.

Guinea Pigs were brought to Europe by Dutch and English traders.

As soon as they were introduced Guinea Pigs became popular as exotic
pets. No one knows exactly why they came to be thought of as "pigs".
Maybe it's because the sounds they make are similar to the sounds of
the pigs, also they are built something like a pig with a large head
relative to the body, a stout neck, and a rounded rump with no tail
of any consequence.

by: Albert Saliba