{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "guinea-pig",
  "name": "Guinea Pig",
  "scientificName": "Cavia porcellus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "Guinea pigs are domesticated rodents from the Andes, kept worldwide as gentle pets that need company, unlimited hay, and vitamin C in their diet. They live 5–7 years, communicate with wheeks and purrs, and unlike many rodents cannot manufacture their own vitamin C.",
  "conservationStatus": "Domesticated",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Rodentia",
    "family": "Caviidae",
    "genus": "Cavia"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1,
    "lengthM": 0.25,
    "topSpeedKmh": 8,
    "lifespanYears": 7
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Cavia porcellus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — hay, fresh vegetables, and guinea-pig pellets with vitamin C"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Domestic worldwide; wild cavies in South America"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "5–7 years (occasionally 8+ with excellent care)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "700–1,200 g (1.5–2.6 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 8 km/h (5 mph); quick bursts when startled"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Domesticated (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Domesticated from wild cavies of the Andes; kept as pets and livestock worldwide, with feral populations in some temperate regions.",
    "continents": [
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Cavia porcellus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Cavia%20porcellus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Cavia porcellus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cavia_porcellus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Guinea Pig.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_pig"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/guinea-pig/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/guinea-pig/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}