ButtonsPalace
Well-known member
So I had a friend tell me that they were edible and I'm pretty grossed out but is there an actual known market for these? If there is then I might just start breeding them XD
Breeding Guinea Pigs for meat?
- Thread starter ButtonsPalace
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Although common in south America, I doubt it would be as common in the U.S. I doubt to many people would buy them for that reason, though I am sure some people do and just don't say anything. I would be willing to bet in new York, you could catch enough stray cats to feed yourself, though I doubt to many people would brag about doing so. Meat is meat, and its all a matter of personal preference what animals are ok to eat. I have to wonder if there are laws on the books of what animals are legal to eat and which ones are off limits. I would never choose to eat a horse, dog or cat, because I have known so many wonderful ones, but to each his own.
ButtonsPalace
Well-known member
Well apparently they are a very popular spanish meal *I may have misread I more skimmed than anything* But there is a bunch of spanish stores around so I don't know. Maybe the babies sell for pets even? who knows. Definitely something to look at though
ohiogoatgirl
Well-known member
yes. The only reason guinea pigs are pets is because some explorer way back when brought back a small group for the queen. of course the ones brought back came from south America where they were kept as meat animals. guinea pigs are still kept in peru and many countries for meat.
I used to have a colony that I bred guinea pigs. ate one. not very fond of it, but in an emergency/survival situation it would certainly be better than starving. Tastes like rabbit kind of only more bland. The texture was weird and a bit like how some canned tuna can be gritty, ya know? Like that. then again I didn't bbq it like most south American recipes call for. so that could change the texture.
There is not a market for it in the USA unless you are in an area and have people you know already that are Peruvian etc that eat it and would buy it. or if you are going to eat it. either way you would probably do the dispatching and cleaning yourself.
The pet market for them is highly dependent on your area. I know someone who breeds and sells to a local pet store in their area but it goes from boom to bust and you never know when you might get tons of babies and no sales, then you have lots of sales awaiting but no babies, etc.
I used to have a colony that I bred guinea pigs. ate one. not very fond of it, but in an emergency/survival situation it would certainly be better than starving. Tastes like rabbit kind of only more bland. The texture was weird and a bit like how some canned tuna can be gritty, ya know? Like that. then again I didn't bbq it like most south American recipes call for. so that could change the texture.
There is not a market for it in the USA unless you are in an area and have people you know already that are Peruvian etc that eat it and would buy it. or if you are going to eat it. either way you would probably do the dispatching and cleaning yourself.
The pet market for them is highly dependent on your area. I know someone who breeds and sells to a local pet store in their area but it goes from boom to bust and you never know when you might get tons of babies and no sales, then you have lots of sales awaiting but no babies, etc.
Meat guinea pigs are called "Cuy". They tend to be alot bigger than most pet pigs. I hope Akane pops in here. She has at least one Cuy.
ButtonsPalace
Well-known member
I don't think I could eat one but maybe I could talk to some pet stores in the city near me and see if they'd buy any... Probably not but who knows
The market for cuy is growing considerably. Early restaurants failed to introduce cuy to the US. Much of the rest of the world is far ahead in adding cuy to the menu but it is starting to spread and now it's spreading outside of niche restaurants. The american guinea pig is a little small and inefficient. With some heavy culling you can get up around a 3lb animal fairly quickly but they lack the growth speed and are still much smaller than cuy. They make good pet food at that size but you have to enjoy guinea pigs for being guinea pigs to really concentrate on raising them for human food purposes.
A tiny group of cuy from Peru were imported to the west coast some years back. Peru cuy can reach 6-8lbs but are the same species as guinea pigs. They have been shipped to nearly every state since. It takes some hard looking if you aren't on the west coast and don't want to pay shipping but breeders are popping up. Sows still command a price range of $100-250 with trios up around $500 and they have many downsides. I've only gotten my hands on a boar but I'm hoping to meet up with a breeder this winter in Indiana. Cuy are rather wild and short lived. They have a lifespan of about 3years, will climb/jump out of many open top pens, and are very skittish to handle. Purebred cuy make poor pets (plus that high price tag for a short lifespan) but some guinea pig x cuy crosses are starting to be made to get the guinea pig personality, color, or coat type with the cuy size for pet purposes. Of course this is both good and bad. We can get benefits on both sides but not everyone discloses what they have crossed and it dilutes the cuy blood when there are few cuy still. There have also been surprise guinea pigs with extra toes or partial extra toes because it's a common cuy trait. The more toes on a cuy the higher priced it usually is. It's a cultural thing. Cuy do reach butchering size in 8weeks much like rabbits and are enough meat for one per person or at a little older can be roasted again similar to rabbits.
Guinea pig or cuy meat is highly variable. No one seems able to account for all the differences. Even in south america some people have reported having horrible tasting cuy and then having wonderful cuy somewhere else. Blogs in the US have reviews all across the board and more of those people who found it very different in 2 different locations or preparations. Cuy get compared to rabbits, pork, and duck. Some call them greasy and some just say they are a flavorful dark meat taste. They are moderately difficult to butcher. The stocky body and lack of neck makes several of the fast killing methods for rabbits harder or impossible for some and the thicker hide with more fat makes them harder to skin than a rabbit. In their native culture they are usually scalded than skinned (same way you scald and scrape a regular pig or pluck a chicken) but many who raise them for themselves in the US prefer skinning to all the scraping and plucking. It isn't too bad with practice and when you find a method you like.
Unfortunately most of the internet has been too taken over by the large pet guinea pig following to keep a forum alive for meat cavy or even cavy breeding. You can find several useful facebook groups though. There is "backyard meat cavies" for all meat cavy raising and the "Peru giant cavies" group specifically for the large imports. Some with meat cavy also post to groups covering overall small livestock raising and housing which is rather experimental since cavy have not really evolved to most US climates. Some are starting to have luck keeping them outside in below freezing, possibly even below 0F, weather. There is a cavy genetics and cavy breeders groups that are more for the show breeders but they can help with breeding problems.
A tiny group of cuy from Peru were imported to the west coast some years back. Peru cuy can reach 6-8lbs but are the same species as guinea pigs. They have been shipped to nearly every state since. It takes some hard looking if you aren't on the west coast and don't want to pay shipping but breeders are popping up. Sows still command a price range of $100-250 with trios up around $500 and they have many downsides. I've only gotten my hands on a boar but I'm hoping to meet up with a breeder this winter in Indiana. Cuy are rather wild and short lived. They have a lifespan of about 3years, will climb/jump out of many open top pens, and are very skittish to handle. Purebred cuy make poor pets (plus that high price tag for a short lifespan) but some guinea pig x cuy crosses are starting to be made to get the guinea pig personality, color, or coat type with the cuy size for pet purposes. Of course this is both good and bad. We can get benefits on both sides but not everyone discloses what they have crossed and it dilutes the cuy blood when there are few cuy still. There have also been surprise guinea pigs with extra toes or partial extra toes because it's a common cuy trait. The more toes on a cuy the higher priced it usually is. It's a cultural thing. Cuy do reach butchering size in 8weeks much like rabbits and are enough meat for one per person or at a little older can be roasted again similar to rabbits.
Guinea pig or cuy meat is highly variable. No one seems able to account for all the differences. Even in south america some people have reported having horrible tasting cuy and then having wonderful cuy somewhere else. Blogs in the US have reviews all across the board and more of those people who found it very different in 2 different locations or preparations. Cuy get compared to rabbits, pork, and duck. Some call them greasy and some just say they are a flavorful dark meat taste. They are moderately difficult to butcher. The stocky body and lack of neck makes several of the fast killing methods for rabbits harder or impossible for some and the thicker hide with more fat makes them harder to skin than a rabbit. In their native culture they are usually scalded than skinned (same way you scald and scrape a regular pig or pluck a chicken) but many who raise them for themselves in the US prefer skinning to all the scraping and plucking. It isn't too bad with practice and when you find a method you like.
Unfortunately most of the internet has been too taken over by the large pet guinea pig following to keep a forum alive for meat cavy or even cavy breeding. You can find several useful facebook groups though. There is "backyard meat cavies" for all meat cavy raising and the "Peru giant cavies" group specifically for the large imports. Some with meat cavy also post to groups covering overall small livestock raising and housing which is rather experimental since cavy have not really evolved to most US climates. Some are starting to have luck keeping them outside in below freezing, possibly even below 0F, weather. There is a cavy genetics and cavy breeders groups that are more for the show breeders but they can help with breeding problems.
We raised some guinea pigs on forage last summer. We did eat a few, fed some to carnivorous pets, and sold the best AS pets. My sows were having 2-5 pups per litter on forage, and all that were born thrived.
We did lose one newborn to suffocation, I think. There was membrane over it's nose and mouth. I guess, one pup out of 5 litters isn't so bad. Had I been home, I probably could have saved it, which brings me to the reason why I stopped raising them, and just keep the boar and two sows as pets now. I work too much to forage feed piggies, and they really aren't cost effective to raise for meat on guinea pig pellets.
The meat was deemed edible, but not as good as rabbit, or porcupine. The cat and dogs loved it.
We did lose one newborn to suffocation, I think. There was membrane over it's nose and mouth. I guess, one pup out of 5 litters isn't so bad. Had I been home, I probably could have saved it, which brings me to the reason why I stopped raising them, and just keep the boar and two sows as pets now. I work too much to forage feed piggies, and they really aren't cost effective to raise for meat on guinea pig pellets.
The meat was deemed edible, but not as good as rabbit, or porcupine. The cat and dogs loved it.
GBov
Well-known member
How funny, we LOVED the meat when we raised them! Ours got rabbit pellets, vit c tablets in the water and what ever could be picked on the way to the pen. As it was a big pen I mixed them with coturnix quail. I absolutly know the gpigs ate quail food when they felt like it and the quail ate rabbit pellets rather more often than expected but it all worked out alright.
As I got my breeders from a snake food breeder I found I had a few genetic issues like slobbers but if I hadn't been in the middle of a seperation and then divorce I would still have them and do plan to get them again.
The size of them isnt bad really, MUCH more meat on than a quail for instance and, once the colony gets going, its a furry snowball with pups born all the time.
I used Loppers to dispatch, the jaws fit nicely right behind the head. My plan was to mount them for ease but as it was, I just held the gpig by the head in one hand and the loppers with one bit under my arm and the other in my hand (the jaws right behind the head) and it worked alright. Two people would have been better perhaps but the piggies didnt suffer.
Scalding was a dream, sooooooo easy. I could get a dinners worth done in less than half an hour.
The cuteness factor though, that was a tuffy but as the young boars start to fight right around when they are big enough to eat, it worked out alright.
Most people seem to have one boar to three sows but as my space was big I just put everyone in and left them to it. With lots of things to hide in and behind, they did squabble and there were bitten ears but all seemed to be fine, not like rabbits for instance. All the offending pig had to do was run and they were fine. They young boars just wouldnt leave the senior boars alone for long so they got their ears and flanks snapped at.
If you can find cheap ex pets or young stock at a good price give raising them a try for yourself and then, if you like them, go on from there. We found them fun and funny, that way they whistle when they see you coming with food is soooooo funny! :lol:
As I got my breeders from a snake food breeder I found I had a few genetic issues like slobbers but if I hadn't been in the middle of a seperation and then divorce I would still have them and do plan to get them again.
The size of them isnt bad really, MUCH more meat on than a quail for instance and, once the colony gets going, its a furry snowball with pups born all the time.
I used Loppers to dispatch, the jaws fit nicely right behind the head. My plan was to mount them for ease but as it was, I just held the gpig by the head in one hand and the loppers with one bit under my arm and the other in my hand (the jaws right behind the head) and it worked alright. Two people would have been better perhaps but the piggies didnt suffer.
Scalding was a dream, sooooooo easy. I could get a dinners worth done in less than half an hour.
The cuteness factor though, that was a tuffy but as the young boars start to fight right around when they are big enough to eat, it worked out alright.
Most people seem to have one boar to three sows but as my space was big I just put everyone in and left them to it. With lots of things to hide in and behind, they did squabble and there were bitten ears but all seemed to be fine, not like rabbits for instance. All the offending pig had to do was run and they were fine. They young boars just wouldnt leave the senior boars alone for long so they got their ears and flanks snapped at.
If you can find cheap ex pets or young stock at a good price give raising them a try for yourself and then, if you like them, go on from there. We found them fun and funny, that way they whistle when they see you coming with food is soooooo funny! :lol:
I've had rabbit/guinea pig, rabbit/quail, and rabbit/guinea pig/quail combinations in pens so far. (I currently have 5 junior quail living with a buck in the big 7x4 foot pen, and 3 living with Sushi on the rabbitry floor.) Yeah, they all share a little food.
No trouble with any of those combos, but I definitely exercise some judgement as to which animals are safest and would take best to co-habitation. Mucky and Thistle pig are inseparable. I wish I'd have paired her with a piggy years ago and skipped all the drama of having falling-outs with other does when they reached puberty.
The only real no-nos seem to be rabbit/rabbit combos, or multiple males of any species.
ButtonsPalace
Well-known member
Well maybe I'll do something small with the little piggies. If we like them I'll do more. That kind've thing
ButtonsPalace":rvjs53cn said:
The biggest issues with paring rabbits and guinea pigs seems to be that the wire commonly used for rabbits can be very damaging to guinea pig feet, and that guinea pigs require a lot more vit C than rabbit pellets contain. A buck who might try to mount one or a hormonal/territorial doe would be poor choices for piggy companionship.
So far, only one of my bucks has viewed a guinea pig as a potential mate, but the females I've paired piggies with have all been non breeding senior does with fully developed personalities. I probably wouldn't try to get one to share space with a pregnant female or junior doe who may get feisty once her hormones hit.
ButtonsPalace
Well-known member
They would have separate housing. I wouldn't keep them together...
GBov
Well-known member
ButtonsPalace":1khlkf8d said:
One thing to remember is they are NOISY! :shock: Its a nice noise but keep it in mind when you set up your housing. They are also amazing manure makers, faaaaar more than one would expect with such itty bitty beasties. :lol:
ButtonsPalace
Well-known member
GBov":1fhgdvvs said:
I've had some before when I was younger *Can't tell you how many I had* But I remember the last two Gordon (Named after Jeff Gordon cause my mom was in love with him) and then Breana (Named after my bff of the time) and those two turned into 5... 3 little babies came and were named Teddy, Fluffy, Mousey. Teddy after my fave stuffed horse. Fluffy well was just fluffy. and Mousey looked kinda like a mouse. The mom got dropped on Valentines day and a few months later the dad did then we gave away the babies cause I wanted a dog. I kinda wish I would've kept them even though they were kinda noisey I loved them. Although this time I wouldn't breed them till I had a outdoor setup for them in a small shed or something.
I run mine one boar to five sows.
two sows pup together, then another two sows together, and then one three weeks later. They all care for each others pups and sometimes it's hard to tell who they belong to. I like running a herd cause then you get a 'boss pig' and that keeps any squabbling to a minimum. Anything less than three and SOMEONE will get bullied.
I breed for bigger size but that's sometimes variable as I change out the boars regularly.. usually every 8 months or so and usually from the pet store I sell most of my pups too. They often have boars given to them and they are HARD to place so I get them for free (always taking the biggest smooth coat), and then the raptor rescue gets them when it's time for them to move on.
I skinned a guinea pig once.. will NOT do that again.
Now that I know about scalding them.. I'll do that should I ever want to eat one again.
Meat is just a dark meat taste.
two sows pup together, then another two sows together, and then one three weeks later. They all care for each others pups and sometimes it's hard to tell who they belong to. I like running a herd cause then you get a 'boss pig' and that keeps any squabbling to a minimum. Anything less than three and SOMEONE will get bullied.
I breed for bigger size but that's sometimes variable as I change out the boars regularly.. usually every 8 months or so and usually from the pet store I sell most of my pups too. They often have boars given to them and they are HARD to place so I get them for free (always taking the biggest smooth coat), and then the raptor rescue gets them when it's time for them to move on.
I skinned a guinea pig once.. will NOT do that again.
Now that I know about scalding them.. I'll do that should I ever want to eat one again.
Meat is just a dark meat taste.
I haven't had problems with trios except crazy boar. He had some hyperactive guinea pig anxiety disorder. I usually do larger groups though because smaller groups actually take up more space and need more boars. I'm keeping 3 boars after this weekend (not even going to try to count the sows) and I've decided to make space for some show quality himi cavy. The outdoor pen is in progress. I was gonna get pics and add it to my garden thread since it includes the fruit trellis and herbs.
