# Giant Guinea Pigs



## kwoods (Apr 9, 2010)

Hi just need to pick your brains! I've recently heard about giant pet guinea pigs that you can get. They are 2/3 times bigger than normal guinea pigs (so not capybara before anyone says) they look exactly the same as our common domestic piggy just much larger.
The only info I can find is they originate from the Cuy Guinea Pig in South America where they are obviously bred for their size ready to be eaten  but now they are also making their way into the pet trade.
I have heard a few people say they have seen the odd one in pet shops here in the uk. I'd really like to get one though have heard they only live half the time of normal piggies and are very timid.
Does anyone know any more about them or where I can get one from. All info and advice much appreciated!
Thankyou


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

There used to be a resident pinny gig at Smith's Garden Center named Snowy who was HUGE (he was there when I worked there years ago). Then a breeder tried breeding him to get his size and he never procreated.


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## Omerov1986 (Feb 11, 2009)

kwoods said:


> Hi just need to pick your brains! I've recently heard about giant pet guinea pigs that you can get. They are 2/3 times bigger than normal guinea pigs (so not capybara before anyone says) they look exactly the same as our common domestic piggy just much larger.
> The only info I can find is they originate from the Cuy Guinea Pig in South America where they are obviously bred for their size ready to be eaten  but now they are also making their way into the pet trade.
> I have heard a few people say they have seen the odd one in pet shops here in the uk. I'd really like to get one though have heard they only live half the time of normal piggies and are very timid.
> Does anyone know any more about them or where I can get one from. All info and advice much appreciated!
> Thankyou


pretty much all you have said there is what ive heard!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Sounds like a capybara to me


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## Pimperella (Sep 26, 2006)

Nope, this was reported in Fur and Feather a couple of years ago.
It is a Giant Guinea Pig. Not a Capy.

They were bred originally for a food sorce. Being a bigger Guinea. Lottery funding was used.

But it has gained some popularity as a pet. 

So, yes, Giant Guinea pigs are about, I'll try and find the acticle, it was alongside the details about how the skinnypigs had been banned from all Cavy shows and even just having one with you at a show would see you thrown out.


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## pippainnit (Feb 20, 2009)

Pimperella said:


> They were bred originally for a food sorce. Being a bigger Guinea. Lottery funding was used.


I remember this too. There was uproar about it on the news from people complaining about where the lottery funding was going, etc. There was a fair bit of coverage on it so hopefully will be able to find some stuff online.


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## Pimperella (Sep 26, 2006)

pippainnit said:


> I remember this too. There was uproar about it on the news from people complaining about where the lottery funding was going, etc. There was a fair bit of coverage on it so hopefully will be able to find some stuff online.


 
Glad I'm not the only one who Reads Fur and Feather from Cover to cover lol Rather than just the top articles and results lol


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

:gasp: They got lottery funding to breed a bigger guinea pig for eating!! :gasp:

Yet the lottery will not give any of their money for animal welfare???

Stinks!!!


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

a petshop in the midlands had these in for a while a year or so ago, one of their customers bred them.
they were about double the size of a normal piggy, but they didnt make very good pets.

they were extreemly nervous and skittish and they were a bit nasty to each other.
i`ve had pigs all my life and i had difficulty catching one to have a look.


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Snowy (at the garden center I was on about) was the mellowest pinny gig I had ever met up to then (Peri is so much cooler, though, of course). He was over a foot long from nose to butt and weighed as much as an average cat.


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## Omerov1986 (Feb 11, 2009)

pigglywiggly said:


> a petshop in the midlands had these in for a while a year or so ago, one of their customers bred them.
> they were about double the size of a normal piggy, but they didnt make very good pets.
> 
> they were extreemly nervous and skittish and they were a bit nasty to each other.
> i`ve had pigs all my life and i had difficulty catching one to have a look.


wat shop?


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## Callia (Aug 8, 2009)

Cuy are fairly easy to get hold of in Europe and I have been offered them before in Holland and Germany. They are however not for the faint hearted, they can have dreadful temperaments and do tend to be VERY timid and are much more likely to bite then normal guineas. 
Probably doesnt help that people tend to eat them :lol2:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

they are pointy faced and damn fugly too.
funnily enough the shop that had them in was importing easter bunnies from holland, wonder if they got them from there too.

get some propper guinea pigs, at least you`ll still have your fingers!


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## x Sarah x (Nov 16, 2007)

Are coys the same animal as agouti's ?

agouti (rodent) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia

Never knew they were in captivity, i've had someone contact me recently asking if i bred them, i basically just laughed :blush:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

cuy`s are just a bigger breed of piggy.


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## kwoods (Apr 9, 2010)

Ok here is the photo that has set me off wanting to know more about them, its taken from a thread on another forum I'm on (hope thats ok)










so is this the same as what you are all talking about? He doesnt seem to have a pointy face and seems ok to be handled. :whistling2:

Maybe he's the only friendly one in the world :lol2:


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

That is how big Snowy was at Smith's!!!! And so mellow and easy going!


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## kwoods (Apr 9, 2010)

Is Snowy still at Smiths? I really want to see one for real!


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

why`s he got him in a throat hold? :lol2:

nice colours though, i do like a ginner-pig


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

kwoods said:


> Is Snowy still at Smiths? I really want to see one for real!


 
Nope  He passed away a couple years ago. He was a lovely gig, too!


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## Callia (Aug 8, 2009)

Its a bit hard to tell from that photo what his type is like to be honest, he is in a head lock :lol2: All the ones I have seen have not been very nice I have to admit but I suppose there are probably some better ones out there. 
I believe they can become fairly tame with their owner but they do not cope with change at all and have been known to just drop dead if taken to a show through stress. They can be pretty nasty too when spooked !! I don't think I would want to mess with an angry one :lol2:


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## KutButLykee (Dec 27, 2009)

I thought oh jeese... a Capybara? :lol2:
Yes but i have never heard of these before sorry to be no help:whistling2:


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