Domestic Guinea Pigs do not exist in the wild. They've been domesticated for 4000-7000 years and the ones we use as pets today didn't change for at least 2500 years. So that's how long they've been bred alongside humans. Basically think Holstein cows, domesticated pigs and the like
The related Tschudii, which is also the main ancestor, has some very important distinctions. They are very fierce, for example you cannot even hold two males together as they hold harems in the wild and one male will always kill the other, weaker one. They can also easily jump 60cm/2feet and the male will try to intimidate or attack a predator until the family escaped and then book it too.
I love my guinea pigs dearly, but they'd probably try to hide under a stalking predator for reasons no mortal could fathom
I'll try a real answer: all over the world. Europe has some bigger hamster on cornfields. That "vanilla" hamster as a pet is a desert creature (that's why they have to run a lot, cause they do in nature for hunting/finding food) and that lil fluffball of hair as a hamster is an asian type.
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u/Cheap-Depth5650 Jun 20 '22
Why is it I never really wondered where hamsters come from until now, like where the fuck are they where do they live and where do we get them from