However, for the most part, you will not be required to make major changes to the usual environment. Otherwise, a c-section may be necessary. The estrous cycle length is 16 days. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! Interesting Fact: The shorter the pregnancy is, the larger the litter size is. From this time on, they have a continuous estrus every 16-18 days. I know there are so many groups out there that don't and its okay. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Once the pups are weaned, the mother should not require vitamin supplements anymore, unless you gave them to her as part of her regular diet anyway. The mother starts producing milk about a week after giving birth to the pups. Small litters do not cause the belly to enlarge significantly, and will not be as noticeable. I am to have more of a informative conversation with my vet on Monday. Thats why the best age for a guinea pig to get pregnant is between 4 and 7 months of age. During all of the stage and especially during the last stage of pregnancy the sow should remain in a calm environment. The pups will likely lose weight for the first three days, but after this it should pick up again. Guinea Pig Eye Infection What You Should Do? Whilst brothers will be fine to be housed together throughout their lives, they may never get on well enough will other boars to be permanently housed with them. Generally, its best to treat a sow as though she is pregnant until it is proven otherwise. Do not crowd the mother have only one person in the room, but another on standby to make calls if necessary. Mother starts making "extreme" stress calls, Mother seems to give in, appearing exhausted, Excessive bleeding (more than a tablespoon). The mothers weight will vary for a few days whilst she re-adjusts but should settle within five days. Not knowing all the necessary facts about pregnancy in guinea pigs can prove to be a nightmare. It will be too stressful for her. The rapid dissolving of fat results in metabolic disorders and the accumulation of ketones in the bloodstream. Never offer the same vegetable two days running. . 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. To prevent this from happening, you must separate the males as soon as possible. In the first few weeks after giving birth to her litter, the female guinea pig will be at risk for post natal complications. How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. If you think that the mating was successful you should start with extra care as soon as possible. This is because sows who are too young are at a greater risk of vitamin deficiencies during pregnancy. Hence, when housed together, a guinea pig pregnancy can occur very early and very often. Females can become pregnant immediately after giving birth so make sure that there are no males nearby. If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to get to a vet. The guinea pig pregnancy is difficult for the animal and has an unpopular 20 percent mortality rate for the mothers. What Does a Baby Guinea Pig Look Like? If it declines every day or continues to change after 5 days, consult the vet. The average gestation period is 65 days. However, with the proper care, this risk can be significantly reduced and your pregnant guinea pig can be kept in good health. Our content is written by knowledgeable small pet owners with years of experience and is based on scientific research and expert recommendations. Make the habit of repeatedly measuring your pets weight, at least twice a month. For young guinea pigs, this may include supplementing her diet with Critical Care of a similar product. Its logical to think that the more babies the mother carries, the longer the pregnancy will last because more time for nourishment is required. (The Surprising Answer! Weigh your sow weekly to be certain she is gaining weight at a regular pace. It is worth noting that female guinea pigs can get pregnant at four weeks old. Some of the links on this blog are affiliate links. Even still, it's important to keep a very clean cage or hutch. There is a high maternal mortality rate for guinea pigs (about 20%) as they are vulnerable to complications and illnesses such as toxemia. Guinea pigs are pregnant for 58-73 days. Gaining weight at a regular pace is important. If you were unaware of it before, guinea pigs mate early and often which means different genders should be separated when kept as pets. Loss of appetite can also be a symptom of pregnancy toxemia. Establish a daily routine with set times and stick to it, to provide consistency. Do it every day at the same time routinely. Pregnancy for Guinea Pigs is very high risk, both for the mum and the babies. Naturally bald areas. 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. My guinea pig's quite fat, but when we went to the vet, she wasn't pregnant. Updated 18.12.19. However, this would put a huge amount of strain on her body and her mental stamina. In time, it will be a bit harder for them to move, but this is of little or no significance. Remember guinea pigs are social animals and should be kept in groups, so if you own both a boar and a sow make sure to provide company of the same sex for both of them. 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. Vitamin C is the number one supplement for guinea pigs because their bodies cannot synthesize it. Pregnant guinea pigs get visually larger in the abdominal area. At the end of the middle stage, the movement of the babies will become visible under the skin. Other potential complications are prolapse, retained placenta, uterine tears, etc. Remove any other pregnant sows. A typical pregnancy in horses can last for 320 to 380 days, but generally lasts around 11 months. If they do survive the first week they have a shorter than normal life expectancy and will require large amounts of medical care throughout their lives. However, both males and females can mature and be fertile even earlier. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 326,562 times. Post the number on a piece of paper next to the guinea pigs hutch/cage. Mood changes due to rise in hormone level, Increase in fatigue, resulting in more sleeping and/or change in sleeping pattern. If the process isnt over in 30-40 minutes or there is an abnormally large interval between delivered pups one may suspect a problem. 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. If any of the pups is definitely alive, but is not alert or able to see or walk then contact your vet immediately. The pregnancy of the guinea pig will be shorter if there is a larger litter size. Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone? What a surprise this was. And, truth be told, it can certainly be a tricky, stress-ridden adventure for experienced cavy owners as well. Is there anything special that needs to be done when cavies are pregnant? When you are sure the birth is over, you can assist the sow in cleaning by removing any stained bedding. As a general rule, guinea pigs do not respond well to anaesthetic so if it is possible, separating the sexes is a safer option. Males take a little longer and are typically sexually mature by 8 to 9 weeks of age. Enriching the guinea pigs diet with kale, broccoli, green peppers, and parsley is also advised. As she goes into labor she will release out a cry. So, while neutering means he cannot produce more sperm, he could still theoretically sire offspring for a short time after castration. You can even see his guinea pigs feature here and there in some articles. If the water bottle is usually placed high-up, provide a second water bottle lower down so that the sow does not have to stretch if she does not want to. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Do not overfeed pellets. If the female approves of the male, she will signal her acceptance to mate with loud squeaks. Discovered how versatile a. If any of them seem to bother her or tease her, they will need to be put in a separate cage. The duration of pregnancy is inversely proportional to the litter size. This article was very helpful in letting us know what to expect and what to do when our female goes into labor, etc. Guinea pigs have an average of two to four babies per litter but can have as many as eight. They are able to see, hear and move around once they are born. Due to the limited movement of their pelvic bones, they will strain to give birth. "Just found out our rescued pig was pregnant even after two exams and one ultrasound. Negligence and ignorance can prove to be fatal for the mother and the babies. 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. Some may happen sooner, later, or not at all. For example, carrots contain lots of oxalate. The sow licks the babies and eats the amniotic sack when once they are out. Vitamin C supplements should be given orally at a regiment of 10 mg a day. Pups will each have their own amniotic sac, which the sow normally removes and ingests. As a species, they also increase their food intake in the winter. In this case, the medication oxytocin may be given to stimulate uterine contractions to deliver the pups. The sow starts to prefer fruits and vegetables with high vitamin C content. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. At the end of the process, the placenta emerges and the mother eats it as well. One more way to detect guinea pig pregnancy is the smell of the pet. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. If you've found out that your guinea pig is pregnant, check on it several times a day to monitor its drinking and eating habits so you know what is normal and can react to changes. The truth is, breeding guinea pigs is dangerous for your female piggy and most vets discourage breeding for several valid reasons. Length of pregnancy for 1 litter can be 70 days while it reduces to 67 days for a litter of 6. Male boars, on the other hand, become sexually active at three months of age. 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. Male guinea pigs are very territorial so when they mate they spray the female with their urine. We got her without knowing that she was a pregnant guinea pig. 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