Cuy (guinea pig)

Cuys originate from South America. Like the ordinary guinea pig, this form is descended from the domestication in pre-Columbian times of the wild guinea pig, Cavia aperea. The guinea pig is traditionally raised in the Andes for its meat, particularly in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. The cuy was subsequently selected in South American breeding facilities from the largest guinea pigs. Like rabbits, they were fattened in enclosures for consumption. Toward the beginning of the 21st century, some of these giant guinea pigs began to be adopted and raised as pets in North America and Europe.

Originally, the cuy is a farm animal that was selected for its meat, not for its beauty or longevity. Massive in appearance and with a solid frame, it has a larger head and larger nose than the ordinary guinea pig. Individuals can display coats of various appearance with variations in colors and fur: short hair, long hair or rosettes. These cuys intended for human consumption are preferably selected in light colors, such as white and cream, as these are colors that better meet consumer demand for whom meat with dark skin is less attractive. Descended from a small number of animals from South America, European breeding specimens have continued to evolve, thus increasing the number of shades and coat types. In South America, mainly among long-haired cuys, individuals with polydactyly are frequently encountered, that is, with extra fingers. This is not a handicap as these fingers are usually well formed. According to an Amerindian superstition, these animals were considered particularly prolific. In today's large breeding farms, more and more attention is paid to these anomalies. In Europe and North America, attempts are being made to eliminate what is considered hereditary defects. Unlike normal guinea pigs, which reach a weight of about 1 kg in one year, in rare cases up to 1.5 kg, a cuy must yield 1 kg of meat at four months of age. The final weight of a cuy is 2 to 3 kg. The body length of an adult averages 27 to 35 cm. The cobayos (from Tupi cobayo, guinea pig), as they are called in Peru, can even reach a length of 50 cm and a weight of 4 kg. It is necessary to wait for females to weigh at least 1 kg before using them for breeding. Like all guinea pigs, the gestation period is 68 to 73 days, which is very long for a mammal of this size, but overall they are less prolific. The number of young per litter varies from 1 to 8 offspring, with individual birth weight ranging from 130 to 250 g, depending on litter size, compared to 80 to 150 g in the guinea pig. The cuy does not live on average more than 2 to 3 years, less than a normal guinea pig, because its metabolism is highly stressed given its selection for rapid growth.