Required fields are marked *. Guinea pigs are without a doubt cute, and baby guinea pigs climb twice as high on the cuteness ladder. Male guinea pigs as young as 3 weeks old can impregnate a female, and a female guinea pig as young as a month old, can get pregnant. Vitamin C supplements should be given orally at a regiment of 10 mg a day. During this time, it is normal for females to double their weight. Pet stores also often house both sexes together, and some breeders do not separate the sexes early enough so it is possible the sow was already pregnant when you bought her. Reduce exposure to loud noises or bright lights. Newborn guinea pigs weigh between 60g and 115g. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. He is an exotic vet. Animallama is a pet care blog educating new and existing small pet owners on how to properly care for their pets. There is, however, a thin line between sounding heartwarming and scary when people say the words guinea pig pregnancy. Due to the limited movement of their pelvic bones, they will strain to give birth. ask a friend or neighbour to check on her. At this stage, the sow will appear quite swollen in the midsection. Ideally, relocate cagemates elsewhere rather than removing the pregnant sow, so she can remain in familiar surroundings. The estrous cycle is somewhat typical in means of behavioral changes of the female guinea pig. So, while neutering means he cannot produce more sperm, he could still theoretically sire offspring for a short time after castration. The duration of pregnancy is 60 to 70 days, because of this guinea pigs give birth to well developed young. Somewhere around week 5-6, the abdomen and hindquarters of the pregnant guinea pig will be markedly enlarged. Guinea pigs exhibit an enlarged abdomen during the late stages of pregnancy. A few proprietors have brought a young guinea pig home, to find that she is pregnant as of now! The largest noted litter numbered 14 guinea pigs. The average gestation period is 65 days. Guinea pig diarrhea is a fairly common condition that most guinea pig owners and exotic pet veterinarians encounter., Everybody who knows a cat or dog owner knows that they have to deal with shots for their, When your guinea pig is sneezing a lot you might wonder whether or not your little friend is, You were planning on getting a pet guinea pig, but you are not sure whether you should get, Every guinea pig owner will experience the moment in life where he or she needs to say the, Eye infections in guinea pigs are more common than you might think and can be a result of. The pups are born with open eyes and covered in fur. During pregnancy, you will need to provide your guinea pig with a clean cage or hutch. Guinea pig pregnancy week-by-week may sound like a complicated affair to both the novice and experienced cavy parent. Guinea pigs usually give birth during the day rather than overnight. Just a disclaimer: Beware that you should not wildly breed guinea pigs if you dont have a proper breeding program or the appropriate financial situation as well as time to care for them. The sow starts to prefer fruits and vegetables with high vitamin C content. Male guinea pigs are very territorial so when they mate they spray the female with their urine. unlocking this expert answer. Last Updated: March 2, 2023 On rare occasions, it means that the guinea pig is suffering from a sickness. Inversely, the longer the pregnancy is, the fewer pups the litter contains. Guinea pig pregnancy is relatively short, lasting only between 59 and 72 days. The duration of pregnancy is inversely proportional to the litter size. Do it every day at the same time routinely. I know there are so many groups out there that don't and its okay. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Sometimes its the uterus lacking contractions; sometimes its a pup ending up stuck in the birth canal. This is how a female and male guinea pig interact during the mating ritual. As a species, they also increase their food intake in the winter. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. She does so, as well, with the placenta. The typical gestation period (the time that the guinea pig is pregnant) is 59 - 72 days, with the average pregnancy lasting around two months, or 63 days. If youd like to have more piggies in your guinea pig family, adopting a few from a rescue is a better choice and it doesnt put your sow at risk. By the time males are 3-4 weeks old, they should be separated from the females or you may have a whole new cycle of pregnancy to deal with! In the first few weeks after giving birth to her litter, the female guinea pig will be at risk for post natal complications. guinea pigs concerned are given unlimited access to plenty of fresh, green meadow hay to keep them occupied - this will often stop the problem. What Does a Baby Guinea Pig Look Like? Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. Boys will try and mate with their mum at . This prevents an excess of one particular mineral that might be contained in that vegetable. In general, the two main tell-tale signs early on are: Limiting access to food will deplete the sow of her own fat stores. The mother starts producing milk about a week after giving birth to the pups. Discovered how versatile a. In fact, you may even wonder if your cavy is actually pregnant. :)", understand just in case for the future as well, thanks so much for the info. The vet will assess the guinea pigs condition. Pregnancy is hard work for a female guinea pig. Pregnant guinea pigs get visually larger in the abdominal area. Finally, feed your guinea pig high quality hay and pellets throughout its pregnancy. The canal is fully fused by the 7-8thmonth of age both in unbred female and male guinea pigs. A first-timer will not gain as much weight, but generally will weigh 35 ounces or more by the time she gives birth. Litter size ranges, with the average being 2-4 pups - in rare cases as many as 12-14. Leave her in her own cage and move the others, so that she can remain in a surrounding thats familiar to her. I am to have more of a informative conversation with my vet on Monday. Enjoy! During this period the mothers double her body weight and get a lot bigger. Thats why there are some obvious signs for any owner to notice whether his/her guinea pig is carrying babies. If there is not an out-of-hours vet in your area, discuss this with your vet to come up with a plan. Wondering how old your precious guinea pigs are in human years? A cesarian section surgery will likely be necessary. Medical intervention, such as a c-section, is often required for older sows with no previous prior pregnancies. Guinea pigs have naturally bald patches on two areas of the body that owners may not be aware of and, as a result, become worried about: an area of 1cm-1.5cm behind the ears; and There are numerous medical reasons why giving birth can go wrong. Fruits should usually be given sparingly to guinea pigs because the acid can give them mouth ulcers. This is because sperm can survive in his tubes for this length of time. Female guinea pigs sexually mature as early as 2 months of age. What a surprise this was. Depression Incoming! Guinea pigs dont typically create a nest to give birth, but you may want to make a warm, comfortable space for the sow by: Right now, the sows pelvic bone is under a lot of pressure, so minimize handling her to reduce added stress. Wash out the water bottle with a gentle dish soap every few days. A female is fertile for about 6 to 11 . Guinea pig babies are born looking like mini versions of their mama. If your pregnant guinea pig does not meet the age requirements, talk to your vet about a pregnancy plan. Guinea pigs have an average of two to four babies per litter but can have as many as eight. Speak to your vet to make sure you provide the right quantity of pellets. If I felt my pregnant guinea pig's belly and caused her a miscarriage, what would the signs be? Every pregnancy varies from individual to individual but there's definitely a silver lining, just as with any other space.Not only will we dive deeper into how you can actually find out if your piggy might be pregnant and how you can take steps and precautions towards their delivery date.Just a disc. Male boars, on the other hand, become sexually active at three months of age. Sows who are too old are at a greater risk of the pelvis not being 'elastic' enough to expand during the birthing process. If not, the female guinea pig will most likely bite or urinate on the male. Females can reach sexual maturity as early as approximately 4-6 weeks of age and males as early as approximately 8-9 weeks of age so the different sexes should be separated before they are able to reproduce with each other. guinea pigs are pregnant for 67-73 days and you will know she will have babies in 3-4 weeks when you can feel her babies moving. Loss of appetite can also be a symptom of pregnancy toxemia. . A guinea pig's pregnancy lasts about 9 or 10 weeks. We got her without knowing that she was a pregnant guinea pig. Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. Stillbirth isnt totally uncommon and you should remain calm. Guinea Pig Site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Mother strains for 15 minutes without producing a pup. Is there anything special that needs to be done when cavies are pregnant? Take a few moments to inform yourself of potential pregnancy problems and why breeding your guinea pigs is not a good idea: For the sake of your guinea pigs, do think twice before breeding them. The average duration of a pregnancy is 65 days, but it depends on how many pups she is carrying -- her pregnancy will be shorter if she's carrying more pups. They may prescribe treatment that includes injections of dextrose solutions, steroids and calcium, which may or may not be effective. Guinea Pig Reproduction and Gestation Guinea pigs have a lifespan of 4 to 8 years and reach sexual maturity at an early age. Thats because those tiny, adorable feet are just so tiny! However, toxemia is in part a lack of sugar, so keeping sugar levels high is important. Guinea pups, once born, will be completely furry. During this time, keep watch for the following: Dystocia, or difficult birth, is common in sows who are older than 7-8 months and bred for the first time. Typically, breeding reduces the lifespan of female cavies. Some may happen sooner, later, or not at all. In the first few weeks of pregnancy, there wont be a huge change in her appearance. It is common for them to double in weight during this time. Place any cavies that appear to annoy her in a different cage. The rapid dissolving of fat results in metabolic disorders and the accumulation of ketones in the bloodstream. Sometimes even surgery must be performed to save the mothers life. In addition, he is a proud owner of two guinea pigs. A female guinea pig can fall pregnant immediately after giving birth. Publisher: Pergamon. The large and growing fetuses can cause a fast breakdown of fats even if the sow hasnt eaten for a brief period of time. 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