the buzz log

Not since the Kung Fu Hamster has a rodent shown such prowess. Among the strangely varied pickings in the Buzz Multiplex this weekend, elite guinea pig spies of Disney's 3D "G-Force" lead a surly orphan and romantically challenged woman.

Heroic mice have had plenty of screen time, but this particular critter hasn't had a chance at big-screen glory. In fact, guinea pigs don't get much respect. For one thing, they're neither porcine nor Guinean. (One possible answer to this etymological mystery explained here.) They're considered cheap pets for the home or classroom (subjecting them to much elementary school harassment) and subjects of scientific experimentation. 

Even worse, sometimes people can't tell them apart from hamsters. SF Gate felt so aggrieved by this confusion that it came up with 11 distinctions between the Cava Porcellus and the Cricetinae critter.

Among them: Guinea pigs don't make cannibalism a practice. Admittedly, both hamsters and guinea pigs do engage in coprophagy (and if you have a weak stomach, don't click the link to find out what that means). 

Despite the movie's popularity, there's yet another indignity: Searches on Yahoo! for "guinea pigs" and "guinea pigs for sale" are up (as predicted by leery guinea pig rescue groups), but still not yet enough to beat out the hamster. And that's not even including online lookups for the "hamster dance."