Transcript Cavia porcellus . Hamster

Cavia porcellus . Hamster
Cavia porcellus
• The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also commonly called
the Cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family
Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common
name, these animals are not pigs, nor do they come
from Guinea.
• They originated in the Andes, and studies based on
biochemistry and hybridization suggest they are
domesticated descendants of a closely related species
of cavy such as Cavia aperea, C. fulgida, or C. tschudii,
and therefore do not exist naturally in the wild.The
guinea pig plays an important role in the folk culture of
many Indigenous South American groups, especially as
a food source, but also in folk medicine and in
community religious ceremonies.Since the 1960s, efforts
have been made to increase consumption of the animal
outside South America.
As A Pet
• In Western societies, the guinea pig has enjoyed
widespread popularity as a household pet since its
introduction by European traders in the 16th century.
Their docile nature, their responsiveness to handling and
feeding, and the relative ease of caring for them,
continue to make the guinea pig a popular pet.
Organizations devoted to competitive breeding of guinea
pigs have been formed worldwide, and many specialized
breeds of guinea pig, with varying coat colors and
compositions, are cultivated by breeders.
Scientific research
• Biological experimentation on guinea pigs has
been carried out since the 17th century. The
animals were frequently used as a model
organism in the 19th and 20th centuries,
resulting in the epithet "guinea pig" for a test
subject, but have since been largely replaced by
other rodents such as mice and rats. They are
still used in research, primarily as models for
human medical conditions such as juvenile
diabetes, tuberculosis, scurvy, and pregnancy
complications
Hamster
• Etymology of name
• The name hamster derives from the German
Hamster, which itself comes from earlier Old
High German hamustro. Possibly related to Old
Russian choměstrǔ, which is either a blend of
the root of Russian khomiak "hamster" and a
Baltic word (cf. Lithuanian staras "hamster")or of
Persian origin (cf. Av hamaēstar "oppressor")
• Hamsters are rodents belonging to the
subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains
about 25 species, classified in six or seven
genera.[1]
• Hamsters are crepuscular. In the wild, they
burrow underground in the daylight to avoid
being caught by predators. Their diet contains a
variety of foods, including dried food, berries,
nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables. In the wild they
will eat any wheat, nuts and small bits of fruit
and vegetables that they might find lying around
on the ground, and will occasionally eat small
insects such as small fruit flies, crickets, and
meal worms. They have elongated fur-lined
pouches on both sides of their heads that extend
to their shoulders, which they stuff full of food to
be stored, brought back to the colony or to be
eaten later.
• Although the Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus
auratus) was first described scientifically in 1839,
it was not until 1930 that researchers were able
to successfully breed and domesticate
hamsters.[2] Pet Syrian hamsters are
descended from hamsters first found and
captured in Syria by zoologist Israel Aharoni.
• Hamster behaviour can vary depending on their
environment, genetics, and interaction with
people. Because they are easy to breed in
captivity, hamsters are often used as lab animals
in more economically developed countries.
Hamsters have also become established as
popular small house pets.
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