Guinea pig is the common name for the cavy. Cavy is short for the species name cavia aperea porcellus. Under the family name of Caviidae, guinea pigs are described as South American rodents with no visible tale, a single pair of mammae (mammary glands), four toes on each forefoot, and three toes on each hind foot.

It is funny that this delightful little animal, which neither comes form Guinea nor is a pig, is called a guinea pig. The most accepted explanantion for the name is that the animals do grunt and squeal something like a pig and were sold by British sailors for a guinea, an old English coin.(Curran1)

Order	Rodents (Rodentia)
Suborder	Cavy Rodents (Caviomorpha)
Family	Cavies (Caviidae)
Subfamily	True Cavies (Caviinae)
Genus	Cavia
Species	Cavia aperea
Length	8.66 to 13.78 in. (22-35 cm)
Weight	Up to 63.5 oz (1800g)
Gestation	About 68 days
Young	1-7 per birth
Birth Weight	1.4 to 3.5 oz (40-100g)
Characteristics	Various colors & patterns; hair texture & length
Diet	Grasses, hay, leaves, fruit, roots
Life-style	Pack Animal
Life Expectancy	5 to 10 years
Distribution	Central and South America
Domestication	Between 9000 and 3000 B.C.

Cavy Care Info