Guinea pig outside of the Andes?

Guinea pigs were domesticated by Andean groups as a food source, possibly as early as 5000BCE. They're an efficient food source, since they don't require much space or food. Despite this, before colonization, they were never really widespread. What would it take to get guinea pigs to spread to cultures outside of the Andes? How far could they spread, theoretically? What impacts would guinea pigs have on the rest of South America, or even North America?
 
Certainly more animal protein would help Mesoamerican civilizations. Otoh, they already had turkeys and moscovy ducks, and Guinea pigs can't be used as draft animals or as a wool source. So.. in short, I'd say some use but not a whole lot?
 
Certainly more animal protein would help Mesoamerican civilizations. Otoh, they already had turkeys and moscovy ducks, and Guinea pigs can't be used as draft animals or as a wool source. So.. in short, I'd say some use but not a whole lot?
Also dogs. On the other hand, guinea pig is a pretty low maintenance animal in terms of land is, which would work well in heavily urbanized polities such as Tenochtitlan. I'm picturing guinea pig cages atop the floating gardens.
 
One problem With the cuy is that they don't look specially delicious once cooked
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cuy.JPG

Now this could be mine Westernized myself speaking, but I pass from The Cuy as long as I have some option, like fish.
 

BlondieBC

Banned
One problem With the cuy is that they don't look specially delicious once cooked
650_1200.jpg

cuy.JPG

Now this could be mine Westernized myself speaking, but I pass from The Cuy as long as I have some option, like fish.

That looks great to me. I had half a piglet at the oldest eatery in Madrid. Supposed to be oldest in the world. I would love to have that dish with my Bendictine this afternoon.

Really, I am very hungry now.

Edit: If you ever go to Madrid, go to this restuarant. Best thing in the city.
 
Reminds a little of how roast suckling pig was served at feasts.
I'm still annoyed I've not tasted cuy yet but the last attempt to open a restaurant that served it here in the U.K. was blocked by petition.
 
One problem With the cuy is that they don't look specially delicious once cooked
650_1200.jpg

cuy.JPG

Now this could be mine Westernized myself speaking, but I pass from The Cuy as long as I have some option, like fish.

It's easy to see why they're called guinea pigs when they're prepared like that.
 
Dogs are primarily carnivores, so are a net loss in terms of animal protein production.
But, yes, guinea pigs would be easy raise, and might be a lot more accessible to poorer folk than turkey or ducks. Not the real poor, who can't spare the calories to feed any kind of livestock, of course.
They may be net losses, but dog meat was a food in mesoamerica. I'm not that well well versed in precolumbian cuisine but I'd suspect they were something of a rich mans food.
 
Dogs are primarily carnivores, so are a net loss in terms of animal protein production.
But, yes, guinea pigs would be easy raise, and might be a lot more accessible to poorer folk than turkey or ducks. Not the real poor, who can't spare the calories to feed any kind of livestock, of course.

I mean there were poi dogs in Hawaii that were not given meat.
 
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