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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2015 19:44:53 GMT 7
Are guinea pigs ever REALLY used as … guinea pigs? You hear about lab rats and mice, but I can't recall ever seeing pictures of guinea pigs running mazes, being made to smoke cigarettes through a rubber tube, and so on while guys in white coats take notes. All I know is nobody's coming near MY guinea pig with any experimental substances.
Why are guinea pigs called guinea pigs anyway? They don't come from Guinea, which of course is in Africa; the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus, also known as the cavy) originated in South America. Some think Guinea was confused with the Guiana region, which is in South America, but this notion is generally discounted. One plausible theory is that guinea pigs were shipped back to Europe in Guineamen — that is, slave-trading vessels, which, having off-loaded their human cargo in the New World, needed paying freight for the long ride home.
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me
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Post by me on Jul 1, 2015 20:01:24 GMT 7
Are guinea pigs ever REALLY used as … guinea pigs? You hear about lab rats and mice, but I can't recall ever seeing pictures of guinea pigs running mazes, being made to smoke cigarettes through a rubber tube, and so on while guys in white coats take notes. All I know is nobody's coming near MY guinea pig with any experimental substances. Why are guinea pigs called guinea pigs anyway? They don't come from Guinea, which of course is in Africa; the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus, also known as the cavy) originated in South America. Some think Guinea was confused with the Guiana region, which is in South America, but this notion is generally discounted. One plausible theory is that guinea pigs were shipped back to Europe in Guineamen — that is, slave-trading vessels, which, having off-loaded their human cargo in the New World, needed paying freight for the long ride home. Everyone knows they weigh a bit more than a pound.....say a guinea. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2015 22:36:37 GMT 7
Long time ago there was a Scotsman who would be seen carrying an unknown furry animal around. He was notoriously known as Pigman, after his affection for bacon and sausage butties.
There became a decline in pigs at one time due to a swine disease, and his desire for pork could not be satisfied due to a shortage in availability.
Pigman decided to go on a pilgrimage with his beloved furry friend in the search for pigs to buy.
Ye geh any pig fa sale fella? was the 1st thing out of his mouth upon meeting farmers throughout the land.
The farmers misinterpreted him and thought he was wondering around trying to sell his unknown furry companion.
Alas the gehanypig was named, obviously like most language it changes slightly over the years.
In the end he became so desperate he fed it various chemicals to try and make it grow into a pig but it sadly died.
True story.
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AyG
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Post by AyG on Jul 2, 2015 8:52:44 GMT 7
Yes, guinea pigs are used as guinea pigs. However, with budget cuts these days there is intense pressure to use the cheapest mammals possible in experimentation, which means that most experimentation is done using mice. Mice can be housed very densely, they breed prolifically, are relatively easy to handle*, and can be fed cheaply. There has to be good scientific justification to use more expensive species.
* My undergraduate final year project involved wild Peruvian mice. These little buggers are extremely active and hard to grab by the back of the neck. If you grab them by the tail they'll climb up their own tail and bite you. I suspect very little research is currently done using them, even if they are cheap.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 12:08:14 GMT 7
So lab rats.
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OlPhatHo
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Post by OlPhatHo on Jul 2, 2015 16:36:19 GMT 7
Trix...there apparently was a US Television show named Lab Rats.
However no rodentia were involved in the programme. Google it.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 16:42:48 GMT 7
I don't think the ear would suit a guinea pig.
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OlPhatHo
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Post by OlPhatHo on Jul 2, 2015 17:32:41 GMT 7
^^^ Me neither SJ. Besides you would have to shave a guinea pig. Ever seen a shaved guinea pig? No? Attachment DeletedNow you have...kinda resembles a baby hippo.... |
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