Guinea-Pigs- I was having a Google search (like you do).....

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

DD showed me some photos (she goes on those Instagram sites where people show case their hogs) and there are some gorgeous guinea-pigs that are buff/sand with points and black eyes.
So I searched, they are "Californian". So far so good.

Then I found articles about "Cuy".
Apparantly they are being rehomed/handed in over in the USA, they aren't regular guineas though.
They are decended from 'wild'/food breeds. (I have seen photos of piggies in South America but they look small and scrawny)
Cuy weigh 5-6lb.
Red/White
Extra toes, some have 6 toes and huge feet.
And they bite.
They don't like being picked up or cuddled, they are basically non tameable like your regular lardy arsed pig.

Please tell me there aren't breeders of these creatures in the UK? (I had a search but couldn't find any)
It'll be like having a Malamute but wanting a Wolf Hybrid.

I've had a large pig (our Rex weighed in at 1.4kg when he was neutered) but he was as gentle as a butterfly.
These pigs look like they'll bring all kind of health issues with their extra bulk (and prone to bladder issues) and temper issues.

[FernieB]

I just googled cuy to see what they were like, but my search just produced recipes! So I'm no closer to seeing them but I do know how to cook them and have several recipes

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Apart from the extra toes and huge feet, they just look like regular but ginormous guineas.
If you can catch em though, you can ask how they like to be prepared?

"Spatchcock , grill or casserole then , matey"

"Ermmmmmmm, raw and over in that field. L8rz "

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I still love the look of the Californians, like a Siamese cat fur on a guinea-pig body.

[FernieB]

Found them! Apparently they can 'easily jump 3 to 4 feet'. As my boys can barely manage to move themselves two inches to get to the food bowl, I find that hard to believe. Having seen the size of them, can you imagine the poop? You'd be cleaning out twice a day.

[megletthesecond]

They're fucking mahoosive! Cute but too much piggy.

They'd bankrupt you in fruit and veg for a start. Not sure I'd like to get on the wrong side of their teeth either.

[Sleepingbunnies]

I belong to a FB group and someone has them... she believes that they are just like regular piggies but they simply cannot be!!

I would hope they aren't being bred here :(

[lljkk]

Jayzus. Cuyo next to normal sized sow & youngster. Apparently they are in So-California only for the moment.

[lljkk]

Gosh that's really shocking. From what I'm reading up, Petco in southern California started breeding these inbred XL cavies sometime in about 2009/10 & continued to be bought for yrs afterwards, & not just in SoCal. So their genes have entered the breeding stock widely & can now be found at many pet stores (esp Petco) in the US. And in rescues because they make such lousy pets. The health prospects for the Cuys are worse than regular cavies. They don't seem to add anything good to the domestic gene pool.

Will probably make it to UK eventually. :(

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Tonight my DDs tricolour sow peed on my me three times, my fault, I didn't take the hint and once she'd done it, I thought "Oh she might as well stay, I;m too lazy to move" thinking she was empty, but nope , little swine, part camel.

I would worry about the poo, the teeth, the veg bill and the bladder capacity of cuy.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I would be concerned about these creatures being let loose too (especially in SoCal if they think the climate is kinder to support them) Imagine someone getting fed up of being bitten just once too often, let them free and they end up as vermin

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I found a Gumtree seller of Cuy.
So yes, available in the UK.

Not suitable for children (in the advert) so along with the £40/£50 price tag , they are appeal to a distinguished collector.

Not my cuppa tea, but might appeal to others?