Guinea Pigs were kept by the Incas and were found in houses when the Spanish conquistadors conquered South America. There is some uncertainty as to when Guinea Pigs arrived in Europe - it is thought that they may have been brought back to Spain as early as the 16th Century. However, by the 18th Century the Guinea Pig had arrived in a number of European countries where they were used in laboratories before being kept as pets.

In the 19th Century the guinea pig was being exhibited at shows in the UK.

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