Peru Guinea Pig Alive
Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies and it is more distantly related to the agouti the chinchilla and the coypu.
Peru guinea pig alive. They are able to jump into the air while running and quickly turn so as to leap once more in excitement. Most pets arrive at shelters because the owner had to move could no longer afford the pet had a death in the family or simply gave up the responsibly of being a care taker for a guinea pig. Guinea pigs are also high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol.
They are not pigs either and dont live in the wild being purely bred for food by the people of the andes. The peruvian guinea pig has hair that grows for much longer than the silkie. Most people see them as fluffy adorable pets but in peru guinea pigs or cuy as they are known locally are a delicacy.
Cuy or peruvian guinea pig is a popular staple of the peruvian diet. Peruvians dont keep cuy as theyre called in peru as pets. People have compared its taste to chicken rabbit or duck.
It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals but usually lives in groups of 1020. Peruvian guinea pigs are a very social breed so they fair best when housed with others. The peruvian is among the oldest breeds on the planet.
Cultivated by the incas in the andes for centuries the guinea pig was cheaper to raise and required less room to farm than pigs and cattle. In the past few years their popularity has really taken off and a boom. The capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water.
Guinea pig adoption is a wonderful way to provide a guinea pig a second chance and caring environment. Theyre not pigs and they dont come from guinea. Guinea pig meat was an important part of the pre colonial diet in peru way before the europeans introduced chicken pigs and cows to south america and it has continued as a tradition.
Lifecycle of peruvian guinea pig peruvian guinea pig facts. While it might seem unconventional to tuck into furry critters better known as domesticated pets in the west this indigenous mammal has been a staple. Instead they are a traditional and important source of protein in the andes where they are known as cuy pronounced coo ee named after the sound the animal makes.
After 34 years of patient tinkering researchers at perus most prestigious agrarian university have bred a new culinary export they hope will scamper onto dinner plates throughout the world. Find out why its a must try when you visit lima and discover where to try it. As you might have guessed guinea pigs are not beloved pets in peru.
Cuy pronounced kwee which isguinea pig.