Super guinea pigs? - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**Dr Doughnut** · #1 09-25-08, 08:43 pm

*!DISCLAIMER: The news article, which is linked to a creditable news website, and not a breeder or other such website. The news article also mainly talks about eating guinea pig, so if such topics disturb or make you uncomfortable, please use common sense and don't read it! Also, it contains a picture of a cooked guinea pig to be eaten, so don't click the link if you don't want to see it!!*

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3946771.stm

So... the giant breed of guinea pigs? Good for pets? Do they cause large problems?

Now, here is my view on this: They would be awesome for pets. Simply because they are larger. However, they shouldn't be pets, if they even succeed and survive as a new species (Technically, they are only a new species if the super guinea pigs cannot breed with normal guinea pigs). The fact of the matter is, they are bigger. Its like the satin breed, which is plagued with arthritis, I think. Plus, they are bigger, and they are bred to be eaten, so they might have health issues important to pet owners, but otherwise it is a totally different for the diners, who truly won't give a care about the welfare of the animal. Also, new cage standards will be needed, and think about how horrible a giant guinea pig would do inside a petshop normal guinea pig cage?

On an unrelated note, I'd love to cuddle one of these sweeties!

**Janelle** · #2 09-25-08, 10:04 pm

Oh my goodness! Look at the sweet face on that guy! I think they picked the wrong picture to use if they're wanting to encourage people to eat them!

**Ly&Pigs** · #3 09-25-08, 11:21 pm

It's very common to eat guinea pigs if you live in some parts of the world. They are a major foodsource in places like Peru where they originally come from. The super cuy is just a genetically altered or enhanced version of a regular guinea pig to get more meat source from it.

There were some members on gl that had these larger pigs.

**Taboo** · #4 09-26-08, 01:13 am

Some people will eat anything. I think it's wrong to eat any animals though (and we probably weren't even MEANT to, we're probably herbivores, according to the facts).

**AnimalHouse36** · #5 09-26-08, 06:17 am

Well, some countries are starving and need something to eat, They have to eat meat to live. Most of us who live in prospering countries don't have to worry about where they get their next meal. And we are omnivors meaning we CAN eat meat that doesn't mean people nessassarily eat meat.

**pigsforlife** · #6 09-26-08, 07:21 am

They are not that big. According to the article they are twice the "normal" weight at 1kg. The average weight is around 1kg, often more, around here.

**Paula** · #7 09-26-08, 12:11 pm

So how big are they, supposedly?

**frashy** · #8 09-26-08, 03:50 pm

According to the facts, we are omnivors. We naturally process both meats and vegetables. However, there are many benefits of being a vegetarian. Being an omnivore is what helped us through natural selection to be as accomplished as we are. Thousands of years ago, we hunted and found plants for food. Which we still do today, but we are so advanced with it that we now have constructed farms. Instead of going out in the wild and hunting, we grow, breed, and raise our food. We also grow our own food, rather than get what we can from the wild. We control our food source, rather than luck of wild. Which again, is what makes us advanced as we are, compared to all other animals on earth.

**Janelle** · #9 09-26-08, 04:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by frashy

We control our food source, rather than luck of wild. Which again, is what makes us advanced as we are, compared to all other animals on earth.

My guinea pigs must be very advanced, then--even more so than humans. Because they sure control their food source, who is a human!!

**Taboo** · #10 09-26-08, 04:51 pm

This article talks about how we may be herbivores http://www.petaboy.com/2008/09/human...ue-herbivores/

**frashy** · #11 09-26-08, 05:18 pm

, that's just an atricle. Thing is our body structure doesn't favor EITHER because we are neither a carnivore, or herbivore. You can completely argue how our body is. They aren't fairly comparing it. They are comparing a carnivor to human, and only how we are different from them, but then they switch it to how we are alike herbivores. We arn't carnivors or herbivores, we are onmnivors. We wouldn't containt things the way a stick carnivor would. Of course we don't have a paw and claws. We have fingernails, which from high school experince, can do clawing wonders. And we don't have claws because we are advanced, beyond that point. Our hands are another thing of natural selection that helped us get as far we did. Their views are a matter of a baist opnion, and not really factual. There are many ways we relate to carnivores, but that is left out. Not to mention many of us have "vampire teeth". Our teeth clearly resemble a mixture of carnivore and herbivore features. If we didnt eat meat we wouldn't have a drive to crave it, nor in the past would we of hunted it. If we lived on just plants, we would of never made it as far as we did. Surival would of been half as possible. Also, saliva glands are not ment just for grains and other foods. Many carnivores, such as dogs, have amazing saliva glands.

It's completely argueable. I am not saying a more vegetarian diet isn't unhealthy. We people just like to look at the facts and see just because we arn't exactly carnivores in the wild, that we must be herbivores. We are omnivores.

Janelle-Very good point! We placed them..above us! =-o

**Taboo** · #12 09-26-08, 06:40 pm

Quote:

Many carnivores, such as dogs, have amazing saliva glands.

But dogs aren't carnivores, they're omnivores.

**frashy** · #13 09-26-08, 07:17 pm

No, thing is, dogs AREN'T omnivores. They are from wolves. Wolves are strickly carnivores. That's why many people have strick raw food diets. Dog food with corn, and other things, are considered bad because they are just used as fillers.

**AnimalHouse36** · #14 09-26-08, 08:08 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by frashy

No, thing is, dogs AREN'T omnivores. They are from wolves. Wolves are strickly carnivores. That's why many people have strick raw food diets. Dog food with corn, and other things, are considered bad because they are just used as fillers.

Tha why people switch to organic for their dogs. Less fillers=less food=less poo!

**dra&pigs** · #15 09-27-08, 11:22 am

Its sad when people eat the poor pigs. Its also sad that some people don't have enough resources to eat food of their choice. Like Janelle said, they definitly picked the wrong picture to convince people to eat those, I'm about ready to go march over to Peru and cuddle one of those cuties!