A cavy is any of 14 species of South American rodents in the family Caviidae. Cavies include guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. Cavies are terrestrial and colonial animals that are active during the day or during early morning and evening. They eat grasses, leaves, forbs, and fruit. Cavies do not hibernate, even in cold environments. Cavies range from Venezuela to southern Patagonia. They live in grasslands, forest margins, swamps, rocky areas, and the Andes Mountains at elevations of up to 4,000 meters (13,000 feet). Maras live in open landscapes of semiarid grasslands and temperate steppes from Bolivia through Argentina and southern Paraguay.

To which animal group do cavies belong?

Cavies belong to the family Caviidae, which is part of the suborder Hystricognatha within the order Rodentia. The cavy family includes guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. Cavies are South American. They represent a small segment of an evolutionary history that began in South America during the Middle Miocene Epoch (16.4 million to 11.2 million years ago).

What do cavies look like?

Cavies, belonging to the family Caviidae, are South American rodents that include guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. Most cavies have robust bodies, short limbs, large heads and eyes, and short ears. They have four digits on the forefeet and three on the hind feet. Their feet have hairless soles, and their claws are sharp. Most cavies weigh 200 to 1,500 grams (0.4 to 3.3 pounds) and have bodies 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16 inches) long. Their dense, coarse fur ranges from gray to brown on the upperparts and whitish to gray on the underparts. Maras, however, resemble hares, with large ears and eyes and long, slender legs.

Where do cavies live in the wild?

Cavies, also known as guinea pigs, are native to South America, ranging from Venezuela to southern Patagonia, but they are not found in western Chile or most of the Amazon River basin. Guinea pigs live in open grasslands, forest margins, swamps, and rocky areas. Other types of cavies include: * Rock cavies dwell among boulders in dry areas of eastern Brazil. * Yellow-toothed and mountain cavies live in grassy, rocky, and brushy habitats in the Andes Mountains from Peru to Argentina, at elevations of up to 4,000 metres (13,000 feet). * Maras inhabit the open landscapes of semiarid grasslands, thorn scrub, and temperate steppes from Bolivia through Argentina and southern Paraguay.

Cavies are terrestrial and colonial rodents that are either active during the day (diurnal) or during early morning and evening (crepuscular). They generally eat any available vegetation, such as grasses, forbs, leaves, and fruit. They do not hibernate, even in cold environments.

How are guinea pigs related to other types of cavies?

Guinea pigs ( Cavia porcellus ) are domesticated rodents in the cavy family (Caviidae). The cavy family consists of 14 species of South American rodents, including guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. Cavies are part of the suborder Hystricognatha within the order Rodentia. Within the cavy family, guinea pigs are further classified into the subfamily Caviinae, which includes 12 species in 4 genera: * Cavia (guinea pigs): 5 species * Microcavia (mountain cavies): 3 species * Galea (yellow-toothed cavies): 3 species * Kerodon (rock cavy): 1 species There are five nondomesticated members of the genus Cavia that are also called guinea pigs.

cavy

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

Quick Facts

Related Topics:: guinea pig; mara; true cavy; Patagonian mara; Chacoan mara

See all related content

cavy

rodent

Also known as: Caviidae

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

What is a cavy?
A cavy is any of 14 species of South American rodents in the family Caviidae. Cavies include guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies.

Cavies are terrestrial and colonial animals that are active during the day or during early morning and evening. They eat grasses, leaves, forbs, and fruit. Cavies do not hibernate, even in cold environments.

Cavies range from Venezuela to southern Patagonia. They live in grasslands, forest margins, swamps, rocky areas, and the Andes Mountains at elevations of up to 4,000 meters (13,000 feet). Maras live in open landscapes of semiarid grasslands and temperate steppes from Bolivia through Argentina and southern Paraguay.
1 Britannica Source
1. cavy
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
To which animal group do cavies belong?
Cavies belong to the family Caviidae, which is part of the suborder Hystricognatha within the order Rodentia. The cavy family includes guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. Cavies are South American. They represent a small segment of an evolutionary history that began in South America during the Middle Miocene Epoch (16.4 million to 11.2 million years ago).
2 Britannica Sources
1. cavy
2. rodent: Evolution and classification
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What do cavies look like?
Cavies, belonging to the family Caviidae, are South American rodents that include guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. Most cavies have robust bodies, short limbs, large heads and eyes, and short ears. They have four digits on the forefeet and three on the hind feet. Their feet have hairless soles, and their claws are sharp.

Most cavies weigh 200 to 1,500 grams (0.4 to 3.3 pounds) and have bodies 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16 inches) long. Their dense, coarse fur ranges from gray to brown on the upperparts and whitish to gray on the underparts. Maras, however, resemble hares, with large ears and eyes and long, slender legs.
2 Britannica Sources
1. cavy
2. guinea pig
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Where do cavies live in the wild?
Cavies, also known as guinea pigs, are native to South America, ranging from Venezuela to southern Patagonia, but they are not found in western Chile or most of the Amazon River basin. Guinea pigs live in open grasslands, forest margins, swamps, and rocky areas.

Other types of cavies include:
* Rock cavies dwell among boulders in dry areas of eastern Brazil.
* Yellow-toothed and mountain cavies live in grassy, rocky, and brushy habitats in the Andes Mountains from Peru to Argentina, at elevations of up to 4,000 metres (13,000 feet).
* Maras inhabit the open landscapes of semiarid grasslands, thorn scrub, and temperate steppes from Bolivia through Argentina and southern Paraguay.
2 Britannica Sources
1. cavy: Natural history
2. guinea pig
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What do cavies eat?
Cavies are terrestrial and colonial rodents that are either active during the day (diurnal) or during early morning and evening (crepuscular). They generally eat any available vegetation, such as grasses, forbs, leaves, and fruit. They do not hibernate, even in cold environments.
1 Britannica Source
1. cavy: Natural history
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How are guinea pigs related to other types of cavies?
Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are domesticated rodents in the cavy family (Caviidae). The cavy family consists of 14 species of South American rodents, including guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. Cavies are part of the suborder Hystricognatha within the order Rodentia.

Within the cavy family, guinea pigs are further classified into the subfamily Caviinae, which includes 12 species in 4 genera:
* Cavia (guinea pigs): 5 species
* Microcavia (mountain cavies): 3 species
* Galea (yellow-toothed cavies): 3 species
* Kerodon (rock cavy): 1 species

There are five nondomesticated members of the genus Cavia that are also called guinea pigs.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

cavy, (family Caviidae), any of 14 species of South American rodents comprising guinea pigs, maras, yellow-toothed cavies, mountain cavies, and rock cavies. All except the maras have robust bodies, short limbs, large heads and eyes, and short ears. There are four digits on the forefeet but three on the hind feet, and the soles of the feet are hairless. The claws are sharp and the tiny tail is inconspicuous except in the rock cavy, which has blunt claws and a short tail projection. Most cavies are moderately large, weighing 200 to 1,500 grams (0.4 to 3.3 pounds) with a body 15 to 40 cm (6 to 16 inches) long. Their dense, coarse fur ranges from gray to brown on the upperparts and whitish to gray on the underparts.

Maras resemble hares in having large ears and eyes, a blunt muzzle, and long, slender legs. They are larger than the other cavies, weighing 9 to 16 kg (20 to 35 pounds) with a body 45 to 75 cm long and a tiny tail of up to 5 cm. Their front claws are sharp, but those on the hind feet are hooflike; the dense fur is gray with whitish underparts and has a crisp texture.

Natural history

Although the rock cavy climbs trees to forage, cavies are terrestrial and colonial. They are active during the day (diurnal) or during early morning and evening (crepuscular). They den at night in burrows that they have excavated or that other mammals have abandoned; some species also find shelter in rock crevices, under brush piles, or in dense vegetation. Their diet is generally any available vegetation, such as grasses, forbs, leaves, and fruit. Even in cold environments, cavies do not hibernate. Breeding seasons vary among species, with gestation periods ranging from 50 to 93 days. Most cavies bear litters of 1 to 4 young, but wild guinea pigs have up to 5 young, and the domestic guinea pig may bear from 1 to 13 young per litter.

Britannica Quiz

Deadliest Animals Quiz

Cavies range from Venezuela to southern Patagonia but are not found in western Chile or most of the Amazon River basin. Guinea pigs occupy open grasslands, forest margins, swamps, and rocky areas. The rock cavy dwells among boulders in dry areas of eastern Brazil, whereas yellow-toothed and mountain cavies live in grassy, rocky, and brushy habitats in the Andes Mountains from Peru to Argentina at elevations of up to 4,000 metres (13,000 feet). Maras inhabit the open landscapes of semiarid grasslands, thorn scrub, and temperate steppes from Bolivia through Argentina and southern Paraguay.

Paleontology and classification

Cavies represent a small segment of an evolutionary history that began in South America during the Middle Miocene Epoch (16.4 million to 11.2 million years ago). Five genera exist today, but fossils of 16 genera have been identified. Caviidae is part of the suborder Hystricognatha within the order Rodentia.

Family Caviidae (cavies)
2 subfamilies comprising 14 species in 5 genera.
- Subfamily Caviinae
  12 species in 4 genera.
  - Genus Cavia (guinea pigs)
    5 species.
  - Genus Microcavia (mountain cavies)
    3 species.
  - Genus Galea (yellow-toothed cavies)
    3 species.
  - Genus Kerodon (rock cavy)
    1 species.
- Subfamily Dolichotinae (maras)
  - Genus Dolichotis
    2 species.

cavy

Natural history

Thank you for signing up!

Paleontology and classification