10/23/12
English 1 honors
Mr. Martin. Hamster and guinea pigs
ESSAY: Hamsters and guinea pigs are two completely different animals. The most obvious difference is that hamsters are very small; they can fit in the palm of your hand. Guinea pigs are much larger, generally weighs around 3 pounds or so when fully grown. Hamsters are native to Europe and Asia while the guinea pig is native to South America. That's one difference which shows they are not related. Although the two eat approximately the same foods, the guinea pig is much larger and is commonly used as a food animal in the Andes Mountains. The hamster is strictly a pet or laboratory animal. Although they are both rodents and are popular as pets, hamster and guinea pigs have many differences …show more content…
They are native to South America in the wild, weigh roughly 700-1200 grams, and usually live for around five years. Guinea pigs are tailless, herbivorous, and live in social colonies in the wild. They are active during the day. The guinea pig is very likely to get into space when space habitats are finally developed. They breed easily, have several litters per year, and mature quickly. A guinea pig gets about 5 times the size of a hamster, and eats more like a rabbit. They are both good pets though. They do look a lot alike, but are completely unrelated. Guinea pigs are a whole different species. Possibly not even rodents, scientists are debating that. Guinea pigs are the larger of the two, they don't have a tail but they have a bump where there tail should have been. Guinea pigs are usually the hardest to train but once trained they will be very attached to you. Guinea pigs like to be kept in pair's or groups. A perfect example of a social animal that enjoys each other’s company and like living outside. A guinea pig is bigger, and has a life span of about 5 to 10