Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I think the local pet shop ones would probably be small and probably not a prime example of a healthy guinea pig, but they aren't the hardiest of animals so chances are they'd die rather than harbouring something bag long term. Nutrition up to the point of sale and potential Vit C deficiency would be I'm thinking the issue with a pet shop one, or possible immaturity, but the latter wouldn't really impact it's ability to be cooked and eaten.

My guess is that their main concerns would be 'topical' (can't think of the right word) rather than internal, like mites, fungal skin irritations or something. I'd be thinking things like that would be more likely to be an ongoing issue than anything internal because they aren't robust at all from what I know of them.

Of course I'm just speculating, but I'd be thinking anything major you'd be able to pick up by checking them over in the store.

i guess a really good cooking woud kill most internal virus' anyway yea?
i would avoid eating the skin first time, just try the meat as a test.

Does it work on pigeons?

http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/12561-IN-THE-NEWS!-Guinea-pigs-being-bred-and-eaten-as-food-in-QLD

Skinning them like a rabbit would make sense other wise you would have to shave it or burn the fur like you do with a pig.
You never hear of people shaving or burning the fur of rabbits to eat the skin though.
It would be a lean meat.
I raised them as a kid so I would eat one but with a little trepidation

After gutting and skinning and cooking through, I can't imagine there'd be much of a problem.


I think typically in South America they eat them with the skin on, when I've seen them roasted or fried the skin looks all crispy and yum, although I did just do an image search on preparing them and there was a few pics of them skinned too.

I just watched a video then and they dunked the guinea pig in boiling water briefly then pulled the hair off and it seemed to come off quite easily. Doesn't look any more difficult than plucking a chicken really.

I'd treat them like rabbit and skin them.
I bought the first rabbit I ate and roasted it skin on since it came that way from the butcher. It was god awful.
When I cook hunted rabbits I treat them like chicken pieces. Crumbed/seasoned and cooked you wouldn't pick them from chook.

Ooh yeah, tasty KFR! lol I've never hunted rabbit myself, but that's mainly because I can buy them for $3 a pop all skinned and cleaned nicely from a local farmer. I figure he can earn his beer money, lol. My dad however has killed and cleaned so many in his time he said he can't stand them anymore, lol. I still think he wouldn't be able to pick it if I handed him a crumbed fried leg, but he reckons he can smell the difference, lol.

Righto folks, here's a breeder set up I'm gonna start building tomorrow. I've looked at a few systems they have in Paru online and noticed that in farming for food they have a perforated floor in their cages for the waste to fall through. So I've decided to do the same.

I'm no expert on Guinea pigs breeding and have no experience at all but wouldn't the waste fall onto those animals below? Wouldn't it be better to have a waste tray below each level if you are doing multi storey?


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I agree with Azira on this one, I reckon the pet store ones would have no dramas. Let me know how ya go with cooking it up!

Yep your right, I was thinking due to minimal stocking in the above cages it should be fine but now that you mention it I should probably add them to the build

Haha :laughing: I certainly wouldn't be telling the pet store staff that!!

Wouldn't it be easier just to have the equivalent of a chicken tractor so you can move the group around and let them fertilize the lawn or something along those lines. Seems easier than trying to clean out the pen all the time - FYI - I've never raised guinea pigs.

Here's some information on care and feeding - http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/discussion-on-sustaining-agriculture/the-guinea-pig-as-meat-producer