[Gpdd] MISC Where did the Guinea Pig get his name?

[Penny Charlesworth]

I've also read Maren's story about our piggies originally costing a guinea, which was £1.05 ( approx 2 dollars or 1.54 euros ) a huge amount of money in the days when they first arrived here.

One of Peter Gurney's books has the theory that the sailors bringing them to Europe from South America came here via Guinea in West Africa and the name stuck.

Another book suggests that the name came from the mispronunciation of Guyana, in South America, where they were acquired by European traders. Don't read the next bit aloud to your piggies.........A historian suggested that the name "pig" might be because they taste like pork.

When mine are shouting to be first to be fed in the morning, they certainly sound like a herd of real pigs.

Perhaps we should just call them cavies.

Penny and the Piggyfriends ( or Cavyfriends which sounds a bit odd ).