Yes—guinea pigs are rodents. Their common name is a little confusing, but the domestic guinea pig is a mammal in the order Rodentia. It is not a pig and it is not closely classified with rabbits; it belongs to the cavy family, Caviidae.
Where guinea pigs fit in the animal family tree
The scientific name for the domestic guinea pig is Cavia porcellus. Smithsonian’s National Zoo lists its classification as:
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Rodentia
- Family: Caviidae
- Genus and species: Cavia porcellus
“Rodent” is the broad scientific group. “Cavy” is the more specific family group that includes guinea pigs and their close relatives.
Are guinea pigs related to rabbits?
No. Guinea pigs and rabbits are both mammals, but they are placed in different biological orders. Rabbits belong to Lagomorpha, while guinea pigs belong to Rodentia. That difference is why a guinea pig is correctly described as a rodent even though its rounded body and short ears may not match someone’s mental picture of one.
Are guinea pigs related to rats and mice?
They share the same broad order, Rodentia, but guinea pigs are in the family Caviidae. Rats and mice are placed in a different family, Muridae. In everyday language people may use “rodent” to mean rat or mouse, but scientifically the group is much wider than that.
Do domestic guinea pigs live in the wild?
The domestic species, Cavia porcellus, does not have a wild population. Smithsonian’s National Zoo says it was most likely derived from the Andean montane guinea pig, Cavia tschudii, a South American relative. Wild cavies and guinea-pig relatives are native to South America, while domestic guinea pigs are now kept around the world.
Why the classification matters
Knowing that guinea pigs are rodents is useful for understanding their natural history, but it does not make every rodent the same. A guinea pig’s closest family group is the cavies, which also includes animals such as capybaras and maras. Its species name and family placement are more helpful than a broad label when learning about this familiar small pet.
The simple takeaway
Guinea pigs are rodents—specifically domestic cavies in the family Caviidae. They are not rabbits, and the “pig” in their common name is not a biological description.
Sources
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Guinea pig — classification and domestication background.
- Animal Diversity Web: Cavia — cavy family placement and South American wild relatives.
- Animal Diversity Web: Cavia porcellus — domestic guinea-pig classification.
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