However, toxemia is in part a lack of sugar, so keeping sugar levels high is important. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). Ideally, relocate cagemates elsewhere rather than removing the pregnant sow, so she can remain in familiar surroundings. While your sow might bear from one to six pups or even more, the average litter size is 3. We encourage people to be informed and ask questions before they start breeding. However, with the proper care, this risk can be significantly reduced and your pregnant guinea pig can be kept in good health. ask a friend or neighbour to check on her. Bloody uterine discharge and straining longer than 30 minutes requires a medical examination. If not, the female guinea pig will most likely bite or urinate on the male. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. When the metabolic product reaches harmful concentration in the blood most obvious symptoms are: Commercial urine strips can help you measure the presence of ketones in her urine in the last few weeks of the pregnancy. Leave her in her own cage and move the others, so that she can remain in a surrounding thats familiar to her. Once in labour, the sow will cry out, and it takes about 5 minutes for each pup to emerge. Gaining weight at a regular pace is important. Do it every day at the same time routinely. To use the calculator, click on the calendar icon next to the breeding or due date and choose the correct year, month, and day. Doing so can cause pups to grow too big, which the sow may struggle to birth. During pregnancy, you will notice your guinea pig will be more reluctant to interact with you, so avoid too much petting or lifting. Female guinea pigs usually have a smooth swelling over their genital area. Sometimes even surgery must be performed to save the mothers life. But taking in mind the previously mentioned signs you can suspect pregnancy if any one of them is present. If the other sow eats it, their own pregnancy may be induced. After the seventh week, the animal enters the late stage of guinea pig pregnancy. In most cases, the small forms are a sign of guinea pig pregnancy. Flaunt your baby bump in style in 'belfies' or bump selfies. Male piglets must be separated by four weeks old or breeding between littermates may occur. Doing so can lead to pregnancy. Speak to your vet to make sure you provide the right quantity of pellets. Male guinea pigs have a larger amount of space between their penis and their anus, about 2-3cm of space between the penis and the anus. Usually, the occurrence is 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after giving birth. Medical intervention, such as a c-section, is often required for older sows with no previous prior pregnancies. Guinea pig babies are born looking like mini versions of their mama. Do not crowd the mother have only one person in the room, but another on standby to make calls if necessary. I have been given an 8 week old guinea pig that is pregnant, and her half-sister. Male guinea pigs should be separated from the females as early as 3 weeks old, and female guinea pigs should be bred before they are 7 months old. My guinea pig is pregnant, and I'm worried she might be sick. She may, if he persists, even urinate on him. Providing a stress-free location for the mom-to-be assures an easier birth. Guinea pig pregnancy is relatively short, lasting only between 59 and 72 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. Guinea pig mother lactates for 2-3 weeks. Lastly, it takes about 2-4 weeks to wean guinea pups. There are several factors that can affect how many days a mare is actually pregnant. Publisher: Pergamon If the food has been stored for a while at the retail outlet, the chances are the vitamin C content is already negligible by the time you open the bag. Enjoy! An average guinea pig weighs about 26 ounces before she becomes pregnant. ). The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. To prevent this from happening, you must separate the males as soon as possible. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. 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. And, truth be told, it can certainly be a tricky, stress-ridden adventure for experienced cavy owners as well. This causes mineral deficiency. She may carry several pups, between one and six, and they're carried in the womb for 58 73 days. Sows older than 2 years that werent bred before are most at risk. If you need it, you dont want to have to hunt around for it. If you have not removed males yet, do so at this point. 25% in pregnancies can end in death for either the mum or the babies and this is why that breeding guinea pigs for a hobby is not encouraged. Keep in mind that your guinea pig can give birth to up to 14 pups and thats probably more than you can handle! The early stage consists of the first few days after mating. All guinea pigs enjoy burrowing down in hay, but do not nest specifically because of pregnancy. The pregnancy of guinea pigs lasts 63 to 70 days, larger litters having a shorter gestation, and at the end of pregnancy, the sow will often have become alarmingly large! They may be willing to attend themselves, or you may have to contact an experienced. The rapid dissolving of fat results in metabolic disorders and the accumulation of ketones in the bloodstream. 2. This allows you to gauge what is normal, so that if she becomes unwell and stops eating, or becomes very thirsty, you will pick up clues early on. Welcome to Animallama, a place where experienced small pet owners share all the tips they learned over the years of caring for their fur friends. Negligence and ignorance can prove to be fatal for the mother and the babies. It is worth noting that female guinea pigs can get pregnant at four weeks old. 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. Common pregnancy complications include metabolic imbalance, difficult birthing, and postpartum issues like seizures. The pregnancy of the guinea pig will be shorter if there is a larger litter size. Pregnant guinea pigs should be kept inside. Support wikiHow by If the female approves of the male, she will signal her acceptance to mate with loud squeaks. Its the time when the body is anatomically and sexually ready for pregnancy and the birth canal hasnt fully narrowed. Alfalfa hay is great for pregnant, nursing and young guinea pigs but the calcium content is too high for normal guinea pigs as a build-up of calcium can cause bladder stones. A pregnant sow will begin to drink and eat more as the pregnancy advances. Baby boys need to leave mum at 3 weeks of age or 250grams, whichever comes first. Setting up a guinea pig cage is not so easy. Your email address will not be published. Potential Pregnancy Problems. Implement patterned feeding, drinking, and outdoor regiments. During this time the sow needs to be weighed weekly. Answer by Guinea P lover! X Guinea Pig Pregnancy Week By Week Pictures. 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. Guinea pigs arrive at sexual development early, some when they are only five weeks or a month and a half old. A serious condition that can occur during the last stage of guinea pig pregnancy is pregnancy toxemia. Research source This is a common occurrence; roughly 1 in 5 guinea pigs will die as a direct result of pregnancy or birth. Males should be removed well before the birth to avoid back-to-back pregnancies. The pups do not require a heat lamp or heating pad. The male, when courting a female, will physically display himself with actions like rumbling, standing upright before the sow, and approaching her with a lowered head. She may carry several pups, between one and six, and they're carried in the womb for 58 - 73 days. Around this time, youll notice the female cavy will be physically larger. Season: A mare's gestation period can be impacted by the season. I know there are so many groups out there that don't and its okay. Is your female guinea pig getting more chubby lately, leaving you wondering if youll soon have a bunch of fluff balls running around? It doesnt take more than a few hours for them to start eating solid food, just like any other adult guinea pig. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. During this period the mothers double her body weight and get a lot bigger. As with most animals, there's not a set number of days that a guinea pig is pregnant. Pregnant guinea pigs arent accustomed to building nests, yet any type of clean soft bedding will do just fine. Do not cut pellets to reduce the chance of larger pups or attempt to put a pregnant overweight sow on a diet. We begin with week 4, which is when the pregnancy is most likely to be confirmed. Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone? Postnatally guinea pigs can become sexually mature as early as four weeks. The duration of pregnancy is inversely proportional to the litter size. As of three weeks of age, boars can impregnate females, creating a continuous gestation cycle if males arent housed separately. Are you still deciding whether to breed your female cavy? Luckily, the stages of a successful pregnancy are predictable and consistent, making caring for your momma-to-be cavy relatively straightforward. unlocking this expert answer. Somewhere around week 5-6, the abdomen and hindquarters of the pregnant guinea pig will be markedly enlarged. "I recently adopted two pigs but realized I would have many more very soon. What most people dont know is that the number of babies affects the length of the pregnancy. Guinea pigs reach sexual maturity very early, around 2-4 months of age. Vitamin C is highly unstable and breaks down within 8 weeks of the manufacturing date. A female guinea pig can fall pregnant immediately after giving birth. Depression Incoming! The average period of pregnancy is approximately 65 days. Then check out these 15 things to know, Read More 15 Things to Know Before Adopting Guinea PigsContinue, Your email address will not be published. Pregnancy toxaemia in well kept guinea pigs is very rare; it is most common in breeder sows kept mainly on low grade pellets and with too little/low grade and too little/low grade hay and is more commonly seen in hot weather. Feeling the abdomen needs to be done by a professional because it is easy to mistake the bladder, kidney, or even an enlarged ovary for a foetus. The guinea pig may die during or after pregnancy due to complications during pregnancy or birth, or from toxemia after birth. One more way to detect guinea pig pregnancy is the smell of the pet. At this time you will be even able to distinguish the body parts of the moving babies by gently touching the belly. Pig babies are born looking like mini versions of their mama hours for guinea pig pregnancy week by week pictures to start eating solid,... Only between 59 and 72 days baby bump in style in & # x27 ; bump! Hay, but another on standby to make calls if necessary be fatal for mother. 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