Your piggy needs regular exercise to stay fit and healthy, if you can, let her run around a room in your house that you have made secure - cover electric cables (they love to nibble these), remove any plastic carrier bags from the floor (they love to nibble these too, and if ingested these could cause a very dangerous blockage). If they have a pen that is sited on the floor and has a door fitted as my pen does, you can just open the door and let them come and go as they please - this is what I do and I find that they never pee on my carpet, they always go back to their pen. They do deposit quite a few poops around though, but I don't mind these. If you need to put your piggy on the floor and they do not have access back to their pen / cage then you can try placing little cardboard boxes in your room, maybe under a table, with a little of their hay / soiled bedding / a few poops, to encourage them to do their poops and pee's in there, they will most likely learn to do this eventually and become reasonably litter trained.

Your piggy will love to run around and they love to explore, and she will popcorn (happy jump) and dart from under table to table to under the settee, making the happy little 'bouncy-grunting' noise they make. I always sit on the floor with some chopped celery and wait for my piggy's to come over and take it out of my hand, a great way of making friends with your piggies.

Piggies are not always the easiest things to catch to put back - I leave their pen door open and just put a fresh handful of hay in there, then I rustle it so the pigs can hear and within a minute or so they have all scampered back in to feast on the hay ! (and I quickly go over and shut their door !) However, if you cannot do this and have problems picking your piggies up then you can try either cornering them under something like a coffee table where they cannot escape as you bend down to pick them up, or place a cardboard box / front loading pet carrier on the floor in the corner with some newspaper / hay and you should find they'll go in there ok, so you can pick them up from there and put them back.

Source: Diddly

The Wheekies also really enjoy 'playing' with cardboard toilet roll tubes, they pick them up and wave them around and also nibble them - try stuffing them with hay or hiding treats in them and watch your piggy sniff their treat out.

Some piggy owners have found their piggy's enjoy the type of toys made for birds that are wooden and have bells on the bottom - hung over the piggy's cage, just in their reach so they can 'nose' them and make the bell ring - I haven't actually tried this myself yet but I did give the Wheekies a cat ball which had a bell in it and they completely ignored it so I gave it to the hamster who ignored it too ! See if your piggy likes them, they're all different !

When the Wheekies are out I make the tunnels under a spare double duvet for them to run under and hide in, they often fall asleep under there where it's nice and warm - you could make them a little maze to run through from maybe bricks if they are in the garden, add little boxes as rooms and hide treats around for them to find. They will also enjoy running between all your bits of furniture.

Source: Diddly

If your piggy is kept on her own in an empty pen with nothing to amuse herself with, no trips out for scampers around and not a lot of human contact, she will probably be a sad piggy, therefore it is up to us human slaves to make sure our piggies are entertained, stimulated and happy !

Ways in which we can entertain and make our piggy's happy are:

Provide your piggy with a means of stimulation whilst you are not around (& when you are)

Let your piggy out for regular exercise

Give your piggy a friend !

Have a lot of contact with your piggy

Srouce: Diddly

One of the best ways to keep your guinea pig amused is to provide her with something to do (as well as eating, [pooping] and sleeping of course...) - a good idea is to provide her with tunnels and things to run through (so she can daydream and pretend she is running through little trodden down pathways in the grasslands of South America...) - Cardboard 'Chubes' (above) from petshops are ideal for them to hide in and nibble.

Piggies love to go in and out of things so you can either buy your pig one of the 'pigloos' available in petshops or get a variety of cardboard boxes / shoe boxes which you can cut openings in (make sure you don't leave any sharp edges), your piggy can go in and out and if you link them together she can run between them, stopping in each box, where you could hide bits of food as a surprise or a handful of hay for her to nibble / snuggle in. Your piggy will also get great enjoyment from chewing the boxes, try and use plain brown ones if you can (just to be on the safe side).

The Wheekies also love playing in brown paper grocery bags, they go in one end, sometimes all of them together, squashed in, and eventually nibble their way out the other end.

Source: Diddly

1. Try putting apples, lettuce, carrots, etc. on a bit of string and hang it from your guinea pigs cage.
2. The more simple the toy, the better.
3. Take a paper towel tube and cut it open (this is so your guinea pig won't get stuck in it). Place it in your guinea pig's cage so they can chew on it. Hide some food in it while you feed them, it's great fun.
4. Take one or two paper bags for your guinea pigs to munch on and hide in, they are a big hit, for an even better experience, try cutting a little hole or peek hole in the back or on the sides.
5. Put your guinea pig's cage somewhere where people go by often. Remember, in the wild, cavies live in family groups, so guinea pigs can easily get lonely.
6. Build a small, sturdy shelf for your guinea pig, above the level of the plastic bottom of its cage, if it has that style of cage. It will be able to watch people go by.
7. Take a blanket or towel and bring your guinea pig outside the cage to let it run around.
8. Bring your guinea pig outside! If it's about 60-70ºF [no higher than 80ºF], and your lawn has not been treated with any chemicals, you can take your guinea pig out onto the grass. Guinea pigs love to be outside. Just watch them carefully, and if they show signs of overheating, bring them inside quickly. Watch out for hawks! [NOTE: Guinea Pigs also have a risk of hypothermia, always be careful and use common sense!]
9. If you own a hairless guinea pig, most of them are ticklish, tents made out of "clean" old shirts (be careful to remove all buttons) can be great fun, they love jumping in and out of the tent! If you are going to leave your guinea pig unattended with a tent, just make sure it's suspended securely, and not too much of the shirt is touching the ground, you don't want your little friend to get all tangled up.

Source: Wiki-How

Charm just isn't quite brave enough to come and get fed.

Notice the nice piggie house - but watch for this window design with large pigs they can get stuck.

When you first get your guinea pigs it is best to leave them alone as much as possible for the first couple of days. It is very tempting to keep picking them up and showing them to people but this is very stressful for them when they are in a new environment so please resist this until they have settled in. 

Make sure that each guinea pig has a nice house to hide in. Otherwise when they are startled the more dominant piggie will kick the other one out of the box and this can cause fights particularly amongst males. If possible don't disturb your pet when he is in his box as this will make them feel more secure. It is sometimes necessary to catch them by tipping over the box but do this as little as possible in the early days. 

Feed your guinea pigs at the same time every day. They will soon learn to assoicate the sounds of feeding with something nice happening. Ours squeak when they hear rustling and/or the frige opening. Also have times a couple of times a day when you give them treats. 

At first you may have to just put a treat outside the door of the nest box and move away but over time you should be able to get a guinea pig to take it from your hand. This is the most difficult part of the process and it is worth persevering. I spent a lot of time at this stage with Charm. I had to have a rule that if he didn't come and get it in a reasonable period of time I take it away again. This is because he had learnt that I would eventually give up and leave it and wouldn't take it. 

Once you have a guinea pig feeding from your hand it is often quite a quick process to get them to come further and further out of the box and eventually come to the edge of the cage to be fed. Before long your guinea pig will be standing ready for a treat. It is absolutely essential that you don't use a treat to catch the guinea pig at this point as it will stop them trusting you. Once they get to trust you really well you will be able to pick them up. As mentioned above both Truffle and Smudge will come over and be picked up now. 

Source: TGP

Warning:

- Guinea Pigs are extremely fragile! Be careful whenever there is a risk of falling or having your guinea pig dropped; they can fracture or break a few bones! Always closely supervise your pigs when they are over 1 ft. off the ground, like on your couch or your bed.

- Never let your hands off your pig because they could fall even if the nails are clung to your shirt.

- Never pick a pig up by the shoulders. That's how their legs get broken.

- If you are holding your pig for a long time, try get an old cloth to put under him/her, as you may not want pee on your clothes.

Source: Wiki-How

Tips
1. If your pig runs into his or her hut, try coaxing them out with a carrot.
2. If you are not sure about picking up your guinea pig, or if you want it to be a more pleasant experience for the both of you, try wrapping it up in a towel; some guinea pigs can get scared from being up in the air.
3. Guinea pigs have small digestive systems and bladders, and go the bathroom frequently. When holding them on your lap, be sure to place a folded towel under the guinea pig to keep yourself clean and the animal more comfortable.
4. Always supervise children picking up guinea pigs.

Source: Wiki-How

Steps:

1. Wear gloves to protect your skin from the guinea pig's claws.

2. Reach into their cage and slide your hand right under their belly. Raise a bit. Splay the legs either side of your hand.

3. Put your other hand behind their rump and push the two hands forward, creating a right diagonal motion.

4. Once in the air, place the guinea pig to your chest, which will give it a sense of security.

5. Be prepared to drop to your knees if your pet squirms. That makes it a lot less distance to fall if something happens.

6. Be gentle, patient and kind. In lifting and carrying a guinea pig, you are going against their nature and it may take some time to familiarize your guinea pig with the process.

Source: Wiki-How

Tips & Warnings

Some talented guinea pig owners manage to use newspaper to roll up the used bedding. If you can make this work for you, the cage cleaning will be much less time-consuming.

If using fleece, you'll need to spot-clean (pick up droppings0 daily, but the weekly cage cleaning will be much less time-consuming.

If you use disposable bedding and allergies are an issue, take the cage outside to clean or wear a surgical mask to keep the dust out.

Use bleach to remove stubborn stains on the floor of the cage.

When buying disposable bedding, please stick to absorbent paper products, such as Carefresh or Yesterday's News, aspen wood shavings or kiln-dried pine. Sawdust and other wood shavings, such as regular pine, cedar or corncob, can cause respiratory infections in guinea pigs that could kill them.

Source: E-How

Remove Old Bedding

Step1

Remove guinea pigs, igloos, food dishes, toys and anything else from the cage. Unhook water bottles and set aside. Clear out hay rack.

Step2

If you use disposable bedding in the cage, use the dustpan to scoop out old bedding and transfer it to the trash bag. When the cage is empty, use the hose attachment on the vacuum cleaner to get any stray bits of shavings still in the cage.

Step3

If you use fleece bedding in the cage, gather the fleece and toss it in the washing machine.

Source: E-How

Clean the Floor of the Cage

Step1

Combine vinegar and water in the spray bottle.

Step2

Spray the floor of the cage liberally with the water/vinegar solution. Guinea pig urine is a base (and can have an ammonia-like odor), and the acid in the vinegar acts as a neutralizer for the odor.

Step3

Wipe the cage down with a damp sponge. Dry completely with a paper towel.

Source: E-How

Line the cage with one to two layers of newspaper. If using disposable bedding, add two to three inches of shavings. Use the dustpan to spread it evenly throughout the cage and to pack it down so that the guinea pigs have a level floor to walk on. Step2 If using fleece bedding, stack two to three layers of towels, mattress pads or puppy pads over the newspaper. These layers will catch the guinea pigs' urine after it soaks through the fleece. Lay the fleece on top and secure it with binder clips or bricks. Step3 Replace igloos, toys and food dishes. Reattach the water bottles and fill the hay rack with fresh hay. Place guinea pigs back in the cage and watch them explore their freshly cleaned surroundings

Srouce: E-How

Guinea pigs may have been one of the most important food sources in ancient Peru since well before Inca times. Unfortunately, the small size of their bones and the modern tendency to toss them in open garbage heaps--where they are immediately and entirely consumed by dogs--may be an appropriate analogy to explain why guinea pigs seem to be dramatically underrepresented in archaeological bone assemblages. This makes it comparatively harder for archaeologists to pinpoint cavy domestication accurately both in space and time. In any event, Peruvian archaeologists contend that domestication of the guinea pig may have begun as early as 5000 BCE in the Altiplano region of southern Peru and Bolivia. It is in this region that wild cavy (Cavia tschudii) populations can still be found to this day. Investigations at Chavin de Huantar in the north-central highlands of Peru clearly documents cavy exploitation at least by 900 BCE. Quite early on, the guinea pig may have been exploited on the coastal plain as well, and historic statues depicting cavies are known from the Moche region of Peru's northern coast. In solid archaeological contexts, the Moche Valley first sees significant guinea pig exploitation by 200 BCE. Archaeological evidence of cavy exploitation and breeding on the coastal plain of Ecuador dates from at least 500 BCE.
After the Spanish entrada into the New World, the guinea pig soon found its way to the European continent, where it immediately became popular as a household pet. Queen Elizabeth I herself owned a pet cavy, which may have contributed to its popularity. The name "guinea pig" is of uncertain origin. "Guinea" might be a corruption of Guiana in South America, or it may refer to Guinea in West Africa, where the cavy could have passed through on its way to Europe with the slave trade. Or it possibly refers to the gold coin known as a guinea, which is often said to have been the price one paid for the friendly rodent that squeaks like a pig.

Source: Domestication

The domestic guinea pig was first described in 1758 by Linnaeus as Mus porcellus. In 1766, Pallas independently classified the species as Cavia cobaya (the genus name coined in Latin from the Tupi sawiya via the Portuguese av’a/sav’a="rat"). Under the international rules for zoological nomenclature, the proper scientific name therefore became Cavia porcellus, since cavies clearly do not belong in the mouse genus (Mus). Five species of Cavia are currently listed by the Smithsonian, though this is not without dispute. All are closely related. C. tschudii is most commonly considered to be the wild ancestor of the domestic form, though some researchers bestow this honor on C. aperea. Many biologists do not recognize C. aperea as a species distinct from C. tschudii and call them both by the latter name. Other scientists do not find the wild and domestic strains sufficiently distinct from each other to be considered separate species and refer to both as C. porcellus. Some of these researchers consider a signification portion of the "wild" strain to be a feral population of formerly domesticated guinea pigs.
In South America, wild or feral cavies inhabit rocky areas, savannas, forest edges, and swamps from Columbia and Venezuela southward to Brazil and northern Argentina. They live in groups of up to about 10 individuals and inhabit burrows that are dug by themselves or by other animals. They are most active at night, when they forage for a wide variety of plant materials. In the wild, guinea pigs mate throughout the year. Females typically give birth twice a year to litters of 1-4 pups. Adults reach a top weight of about 700 grams. The pelage of wild forms is generally courser and longer than domestic short-hair breeds, though it is mostly shorter and straighter than the various long-hair and other fancy breeds. The color is much less variable in wild populations than among domestic cavies. It tends to be uniformly grayish or brownish and may be considered most similar in appearance to some of the solid "agouti" varieties.

Source: Cavy Hitstory

Despite the fact that archaeologists have been investigating the prehistory of Andean civilization for well over a century, the early indigenous exploitation of the guinea pig or cavy (known as the cuy in South America) is not as well understood as the domestication of other economically important animal species worldwide. What follows is a very brief introduction to what is currently known about wild cavies, the early history of their domestication, and traditional Andean uses of them that continue to the present day. This information will be updated and expanded periodically, though the reader is referred to the selected bibliography below as a starting point for more in-depth individual research. Please feel free to email me with your comments, questions, and suggestions.
Wild Cavies
Biological taxonomy and nomenclature is fluid and often disputed. The source of final authority for me (as for many other researchers) is the Mammal Species of the World list maintained by the Smithsonian Institution.
According to most biologists, guinea pigs are categorized as follows: class Mammalia; order Rodentia; suborder Hystricognathi; family Caviidae; genus Cavia; species Cavia porcellus. Some researchers choose to elevate the two suborders within Rodentia to the status of order; under this scheme, "true" rodents (squirrels, rats, mice, etc.) are distinguished from so-called "hystricognath" rodents (porcupines, chinchillas, capybaras, mole rats, guinea pigs, etc.). The distinction is primarily a semantic one, since both classification schemes acknowledge two major lineages among the animals known commonly as rodents.
The family Caviidae is first distinguished geologically during the Miocene and today consists of three genera and over 20 species confined to the South American continent. The family is characterized by various traits such as dental formula (i1/1 c0/0 p1/1 m3/3 = 20 teeth) and digits (four on fore foot; three on hind foot). In addition to guinea pigs (Cavia), other members of this family are Patagonian cavies, or maras (Dolichotis) and rock cavies, or mocos (Kerodon). All species of this family have been used as food by humans, though only Cavia is known to have been domesticated.

Source: Cavy History

This page, previously known as 'Where Did They Come From?', gives a breif history of the guinea pig, from their home in South America to our homes today.
Guinea pigs originated from South America where several different species can still be found. The ancestor of the domesticated guinea pig is thought to be the restless cavy, Cavia cutleri. The restless cavy lives in big family groups in the long grass, being protected from preditors by overhanging stems. They don't burrow for themselves but instead use abandoned burrows from other animals.
They can be attacked by meat-eating enemies so they are shy and get scared very quickly. Young cavies are not born in the safety of a burrow but out in the open. They are born fully furred with their eyes open and within two days after being born they are eating the same food as their parents.
Before the Spanish conquest of South America in the 16th century, the Incas kept them for food and even today the Peruvians breed them for their meat. Sailors, who were probably the first people to do so, kept them as pets and brought them to Europe from South America. Many people believe that is how they got their name the 'guinea pig', because the sailors sold them for one guinea and they make squeaking noises like a pig. Today many different breeds of guinea pig exist through the careful breeding and selection carried out over many years. Guinea pigs are nosey, friendly characters but they still retain some of their original habits, for example, very few guinea pigs will dig and they will rumage around looking for food.

Source: Guinea Pigs

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is of utmost importance to guinea pigs, as they are unable to manufacture their own (much like humans). Without enough vitamin C in their diets, guinea pigs can become very ill with scurvy. The amount of vitamin C required varies somewhat depending on the reference source used, but most guinea pigs probably need about 10-30 mg/day. Pregnant, nursing, young and ill guinea pigs need more.
If you feed a good selection of vegetables high in vitamin C along with a good, fresh guinea pig pellet, you can probably meet the vitamin C needs of the average guinea pig. Many guinea pig pellets have vitamin C added but unfortunately vitamin C is quite unstable and will degrade over time. Keeping the pellets in a cool dark place helps preserve the vitamin C. You can also get pellets with a stabilized form of vitamin C. The best way to supplement with additional vitamin C is to use vitamin C tablets. You can buy vitamin C tablets specifically for guinea pigs (e.g. Oxbow's GTN-50C), or buy human chewable 100 mg tablets (note: make sure you are getting just vitamin C rather than a multivitamin formula). A quarter of a 100 mg tablet daily is a recommended dose for most adult guinea pigs. The guinea pig tablets are 50 mg, but since vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, small excesses over that daily requirement are easily excreted. Many guinea pigs will take the tablets like a treat and eat them, or they can be crushed and sprinkled on vegetables or pellets.

Source: About.Com

Like humans, but unlike most other mammals, guinea pigs cannot synthesize their own vitamin C and must obtain this vital nutrient from food. If guinea pigs do not ingest enough vitamin C, they can suffer from potentially fatal scurvy. Guinea pigs require about 10 mg (0.15 gr) of vitamin C daily (20 mg (0.31 gr) if pregnant), which can be obtained through fresh, raw fruits and vegetables (such as apple, cabbage, carrot, celery, and spinach) or through dietary supplements. Healthy diets for guinea pigs require a complex balance of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and hydrogen ions; adequate amounts of vitamins E, A, and D are also necessary. Imbalanced diets have been associated with muscular dystrophy, metastatic calcification, difficulties with pregnancy, vitamin deficiencies, and teeth problems. Some sources also suggest that guinea pigs are especially susceptible to gall and kidney stones, making it important to limit calcium intake in their diet. This may involve limiting or eliminating multi-vitamin supplements and calcium-rich foods (like commercially-produced yogurt drops, spinach or very high proportions of alfalfa). Guinea pigs tend to be fickle eaters when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, having learned early in life what is and is not appropriate to consume, and their habits are difficult to change after maturity. They do not respond well to sudden changes in diet; they may stop eating and starve rather than accepting new food types. A constant supply of hay or other food is generally recommended, as guinea pigs feed continuously and may develop habits such as chewing on their own hair if food is not present. Because guinea pigs' teeth grow constantly, they routinely gnaw, lest their teeth become too large for their mouth, a common problem in rodents. Guinea pigs will also chew on cloth, paper, plastic, and rubber.

Source: Wikipedia

Grass is the guinea pig's natural diet. Their molars are particularly suited for grinding plant matter, and grow continuously throughout the animal's life. Most grass-eating mammals are quite large and have a long digestive tract; while guinea pigs have much longer colons than most rodents, they must also supplement their diet by coprophagy, the eating of their own feces. However, they do not consume all their feces indiscriminately, but produce special soft pellets, called cecotropes, which recycle B vitamins, fiber, and bacteria required for proper digestion. The cecotropes (or caecal pellets) are eaten directly from the anus, unless the guinea pig is pregnant or obese. They share this behaviour with rabbits. In older boars (the condition is rarer in young ones), the muscles which allow the softer pellets to be expelled from the anus for consumption can become weak. This creates a condition known as anal impaction, which prevents the boar from redigesting cecotropes, though harder pellets may pass through the impacted mass. The condition may be temporarily alleviated by carefully expelling the impacted feces.
Guinea pigs benefit from feeding on fresh grass hay, such as timothy hay, in addition to food pellets which are often based from timothy. Alfalfa is also a popular food choice; most guinea pigs will eat large amounts of alfalfa when offered it,[76] though there exists some controversy over the feeding of alfalfa to adult guinea pigs. Some pet owners and veterinary organizations have advised that, as a legume rather than a grass hay, alfalfa consumed in large amounts may lead to obesity, as well as bladder stones due to excess calcium, in any but pregnant and very young guinea pigs. However, published scientific sources mention alfalfa as a source for replenishment of protein, amino acids and fiber.

Source: Wikpedia

What do people really feed their guinea pigs? It's different for everyone and depends on what is in season, whether you are interested in foraging for greens, and what you think is good for your guinea pig, not to mention what your pig is willing to eat. Every pig is different: some have medical conditions requiring special diets. A few pigs don't like cabbage or cilantro. Others hate tomatoes (a staple in my home). Who knows what will turn your pig's head? Whatever you offer your cavies, introduce foods slowly, offer a variety, and be sure to provide unlimited high quality hay and plain pellets.

Source: Guinea Lynx

How To Clean After Guinea Pigs!

1. Take your guinea pig/s out of the cage and put it/them in a safe, enclosed space where they can't escape from. Ask someone around your house to watch them while you clean their cage. This will ensure that none of them will get out or get hurt. If you don't have someone to watch them keep them near you.


2. 
   Take all of their toys, food bowl, water bottle, and hiding place out. Empty the water bottle and food bowlTake them to a sink and rinse off their hiding place if it can get wet. Then run some hot water and submerge the water bottle and food bowl. Leave them there while you clean out the cage.


3. 
   Take your cage to where you plan to clean it and get a large garbage bag. Carefully dump the old substrate into the bag. For really big cages, it is handy to have a cat pooper scooper to scrape out the cage. Do not use the same one as yur cat. Buy your guinea pig its own. While you are cleaning the cage, make sure your guinea pig is safe from loud noises, heavy objects that could fall on them, as well as prying cats and dogs!


4. 
   Spray the inside of the cage down with a 50/50 mixture of distilled white vinegar and water to clean it. This works better and is safer for your guinea pig than any other cleaning agent. If you don't, it just gets nastier each time! For deeper stains and messes, use undiluted vinegar, but make sure to clean off well afterwards! Dry it with a towel or ,if you have the time, you can let it air dry.


5. 
   Fill up the cage with fresh and clean new substrate. Be sure the cage is completely dry or mold and other fungi may grow in or on the cage.


6. 
   Put the cage back together (if you took it apart) and put the toys and things back in different positions, or put new things in, to add a bit of diversity and entertainment! Hide their favorite treats in paper towel rools or hang them up buy a piece of string. Now put your guinea pig/s back and watch them conduct a full-on search to find their favorite toy!

Source: WikiHow - Guinea Pig Cages

How to Handle Guniea Pigs!

Guinea pigs are gentle animals with delicate bones. Since some guinea pigs have a tendency to jump (especially when you are returning them to their cage), it is important to learn how to hold and carry them safely. Falls and jumps can result in broken bones, injury, and sometimes death.

TECHNIQUE:

Support the entire body. Wrap one hand securely around the chest. Restrain one front leg by placing a finger in front of it. Use your other hand to support the hind feet and rump. This hold is particularly helpful with nervous guinea pigs who have a tendency to nip and bite when being transported (carrying can be very scary for a guinea pig).

Tip: Some pet owners return their guinea pigs to the cage rump first to try prevent injuries from jumping.

Favorite Foods for Guinea Pigs!

My Favortie Foods:

Timothy Hay!

Vegetables:
--- Broccoli leaves
--- Cabbage
--- Corn
--- Parsley
--- Letuce

Fruits:
--- Apple,
--- Apricot
--- Banana
--- Blueberries
--- Cantaloupe
--- Grapes or Raisins
--- Orange
--- Strawberries
--- Watermelon

History of Guinea Pigs!

The guinea pig is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not pigs, nor do they come from Guinea. They originated in the Andes, and studies based on biochemistry and hybridization suggest they are domesticated descendants of a closely related species of cavy such as Cavia aperea, C. fulgida or C. tschudii, and therefore do not exist naturally in the wild. The guinea pig plays an important role in the folk culture of many Indigenous South American groups, especially as a food source, but also in folk medicine and in community religious ceremonies.Since the 1960s, efforts have been made to increase consumption of the animal outside South America.

In Western societies, the guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a household pet since its introduction by European traders in the 16th century. Their docile nature, their responsiveness to handling and feeding, and the relative ease of caring for them, continue to make the guinea pig a popular pet. Organizations devoted to competitive breeding of guinea pigs have been formed worldwide, and many specialized breeds of guinea pig, with varying coat colors and compositions, are cultivated by breeders.

Source: Wikipedia

Guinea Pigzz!