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Where do guinea pigs come from?
Question
#75405. Asked by ginnnyweasley. (Feb 03 07 4:16 PM)
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Sofie
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The common guinea pig was first domesticated about 2000 BC for food by mountain tribes in the Andean region of South America, (present-day Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia). They continue to be a food source in the region, subsisting off a family's vegetable scraps as a pet. They also play the role of evil-spirit collector (scapegoat) in traditional healing rituals. Guinea pigs are called quwi in Quechua and cuy or cuyo (pl. cuyes, cuyos) in Spanish of Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia and this form is included in the official Spanish Academy dictionary.
Dutch and English traders brought guinea pigs to Europe, where they quickly became popular as exotic pets.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_pig
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miffy42
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They are neither from Guinea nor are they pigs.
The common guinea pig was first domesticated about 2000 BC for food by mountain tribes in the Andean region of South America, (present-day Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_pig
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