We call them pets; they call them dinner. Who knew a guinea pig had so many uses?! Flattened fried cuy is a Peruvian delicacy and always a possibility for microenterprise.
On a different subject, tonight was the first time since before Mom came that I got to see "the family." I've been leaving at 8 am for class and not coming home until after dinner (9-10 pm). Tim says Abuelita has been asking for me, and to be honest, I've been missing her, too. Not sure what we're going to do when we move. Maybe we ought to try to hide her in a suitcase.
When we were in Ecuador the lodge where we stayed had a few cuy in cages, and one of them gave birth to three tiny babies the morning we left! They were very cute, but it was a little sad to realize they'd eventually end up on someone's dinner plate.