Guinea pigs are one of the world’s most popular pets—small, friendly, easy to care for, and unbearably cute. We have felt this way for a long time: guinea pigs were first domesticated in 5000 B.C.E. Since then they have inspired historical figures ranging from the scientist William Harvey to the artists Jan Brueghel and Beatrix Potter. In this book, Dorothy Yamamoto offers the first in-depth treatment of this cuddly little creature over the several millennia it has been a part of our lives. Yamamoto examines the role guinea pigs have today—as pets—but also looks back to less loving times when guinea pigs were put to more direct use. She discusses them as a crucial sacrificial offering to Incan gods, as the entrée in the Cusco Cathedral’s painting of The Last Supper, and as a highly favored experimental subject—for which they have become the quintessential metaphor for anyone in the same unfortunate circumstance. Threading her account with examples from the guinea pig’s many appearances in literature and art, Yamamoto reveals the personality and cultural importance of an animal we have always wanted to keep nearby, providing a fun and unique book for any animal lover. Published in Association with the Science Museum, London

Very basic information about guinea pigs and how to care for them.

The More You Know About Your Guinea Pig the better you will understand his specific needs and requirements. In Guniea Piglopaedia you will find invaluable guidance on every aspect of cavy care and health broken into the following easy-to-read sections: 1. Principles of keeping guinea pigs, with information on housing, feeding and breeding. 2. Breeding guinea pigs, with advice on planning a breeding programme, pregnancy, birth, and rearing the young. 3. Health care, detailing anatomy and physiology, with an A-Z listing of guinea pig diseases. 4. Guinea pig breeds, giving profiles of the many different breeds and types, and information about showing guineas. Readers will learn how to care for a guinea pig, how a guinea pig's body works, how recognize guinea pig diseases, how to identify different breeds, and how to breed and exhibit guinea pigs. Guinea Piglopaedia will prove an essential reference for all those who want to provide the very best care for their guinea pigs.

Find out about all of the basics about owning a guinea pig. Learn about what guinea pigs eat, how to keep your guinea pig happy, and general care.

The authoritative information and advice you need, illustrated throughout with full-color photographs--now revised and redesigned to be even more reader-friendly! * An illustrated look at colors and breeds * The story of how guinea pigs were domesticated * Advice on selecting a guinea pig * Pointers on feeding, grooming, and health * Tips on understanding guinea pig behavior * Fun activities to enjoy with your guinea pig

Written for children in the six to eight years age group, the books that comprise the 'Life Cycles' series take a visual approach to the changes that plants and animals experience as they move from new life to growth, and finally to old age.

Children and parents alike will find this book an invaluable resource when it comes to choosing and looking after a guinea pig.