We ended last week with a domesticated animal and it just so happens that we are starting this week with another common house pet. Or are we? Did you know that their is actually a wild Guinea Pig? In fact the domesticated house pets are thought to be a subspecies of these wild rodents. As a result, you probably aren’t going to find too many of these Guinea Pigs running around all day in a little wheel. So grab your field gear since we are heading to the mountains of South America to explore the crazy world of the Guinea Pig. Yes, it would be easier just to walk to the pet store but it will be a lot more exciting if we are able to find a wild Guinea Pig.
Oddly enough the Guinea Pig is not even close to being related to the any of the pig family members. Even more unusual is the fact that they are not from New Guinea. Nope, these little piggies are found in the Andes Mountains, which is of course in South America. This little herbivore is a main food source for the locals living in this area and probably why these little critters were domesticated in the first place. I just don’t know if I could bring myself to eating a pet Guinea Pig.
If you want to make your pet Guinea Pig really happy then you need to make sure they have some company. Believe it or not, they are very sociable animals. In the wild they form groups which consist of several females, one male and their young. This group will move together feeding on grasses and other vegetation as they go. They will typically be on the move during the dusk and dawn hours of the day as this makes it more difficult for predators to spot the scurrying rodents. I have never had a pet Guinea Pig but I am guessing they too are also more active during these times of the day.
Guinea Pig Fast Fact – The sight of a Guinea Pig is not quite as good as a human but they have a much larger range of view. Incredibly their range is about 340 degrees – that is impressive! To compliment this unique sight they also have a well-developed sense of hearing, smell and touch. I guess you can say that Guinea Pigs are sensitive animals.
Well that does it for today’s Domesticated/Wild Fact. I hope you enjoyed it and I will see you back here tomorrow.
