Remove any other pregnant sows. Having somewhere to hide will reduce stress. Yeah, tests are very very important to take appropriate care of your pregnant guinea pig. Reduce her exposure to loud noises or bright lights, including direct sunlight. So you should. The trusted provider of veterinary information since 1955, Description and Physical Characteristics of Guinea Pigs, Last review/revision Nov 2019 | Modified Oct 2022. This refers to the time between your guinea pig becoming pregnant and its offspring being born. But it is quite the opposite. Place it in a sheltered part of the hutch, away from draughts. A small, clean cage with towels for bedding works well. Moreover, neutering does not take immediate effect. I have had her for three years and she has never been around any males but my family and I think she is pregnant because she has a pear shape and she isn't fat. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. However, toxemia is in part a lack of sugar, so keeping sugar levels high is important. Of course, as you probably already know, a break between two consecutive estrus cycles can be caused only by a pregnancy. Feed your guinea pig alfalfa hay instead of timothy hay so that she gets more protein and calcium. Approved. Use OR to account for alternate terms if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_15',130,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-narrow-sky-1-0');The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) can be a helpful natural contraceptive in case of humans for a brief period after the birth of a child. When you are sure the birth is over, you can assist the sow in cleaning by removing any stained bedding. The gestation period in guinea pigs could be anywhere between 59-72 days. So it is well over 3 months since the operation. A female can give birth to up to 5 litters per year. If it is pregnancy, your veterinarian will give you an appraisal of the progress and give you advice on how to care for your piggy. Here, we investigated the effects of parental age, parity, and . Spaying or neutering of pet guinea pigs can be done by a veterinarian experienced in dealing with small animals, but the surgery can be expensive and does carry risks. The average guinea pig gestation is 59 - 72 days. An unneutered male guinea pig! How can I tell? Thats right, they have a distinction between emotions and the mind, just like humans, even though both are processed and caused by the same brain! Not always is it ensured that the mother will deliver her litter by natural means. 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. Females can have estrous or fertile periods at any time of the year, but they are most common in the spring. Males born in the same litter are brothers, right? Mother starts making "extreme" stress calls, Mother seems to give in, appearing exhausted, Excessive bleeding (more than a tablespoon). Their shapes are very cylindrical-like and can be compared to tangerines in body appearance. Pregnant guinea pigs should be kept inside. ", all. Although, guinea pigs tend to eat extra in cold weather too. [1] Males mature a little slower on average, but not by much. "Just found out our rescued pig was pregnant even after two exams and one ultrasound. We got her without knowing that she was a pregnant guinea pig. Mother strains for 15 minutes without producing a pup. However, a caesarean surgery may be required. So, it should not come as a surprise if female and male pups are kept in one enclosure. o [alopecia OR hair loss ], , BVSc, DVP, DACLAM, DABVP(ECM), The Kenneth S Warren Institute. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-leader-4','ezslot_12',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-leader-4-0');For how long is a guinea pig pregnant? Males are territorial. ", Scary after reading all this. He never thought of the idea that his pet was pregnant. Make the introductions gradual as the adults will be a lot larger and could do them serious harm. Guinea pig's pregnancy: final stage. He was lonely, so my family decided to get a girl for him to. A local breeder may also be willing to help. We took her to vet for check up.. Neutering is advised only after the age of 4 months. 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. And believe me, you would not want to live with the guilt if something goes wrong. Even a slight mishandling could lead to enormous amounts of pain. By this time, your pet's pelvic bones will have widened enough to make way for the pups . By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Between 1 and 8 guinea pig babies with 4 being the most common number of guinea pigs per litter. A female is fertile for about 6 to 11 hours, most often during night hours. It is not recommended to breed guinea pigs. Some of you might think of this question as absurd. The mothers weight will vary for a few days whilst she re-adjusts but should settle within five days. Anywhere between 59-72 days. Stage #3. Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. The pups will be able to eat solid food from day one, and the mother will introduce them to new food herself. It will be too stressful for her. Enter search terms to find related veterinary topics, multimedia and more. The whole pregnancy period. We do not control or have responsibility for the content of any third-party site. Female guinea pigs begin a new estrous cycle shortly after giving birth. 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. We read that the more babies she is carrying will result in a shorter pregnancy. If you are thinking that your few weeks old female guinea pigs cannot be pregnant, youre wrong! So, even a male who was neutered only a few weeks before could cause pregnancy in females. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. Vitamin C is highly unstable and breaks down within 8 weeks of the manufacturing date. The vet will assess the guinea pigs condition. "I recently adopted two pigs but realized I would have many more very soon. The minute you are sure your guinea pig is pregnant, make sure you get it to your vets attention. Breeding a female guinea pig for the first time after she reaches 8 months of age can be very dangerous because of the normal stiffening of the pubic symphysis (a joint of tough fibrous cartilage between the 2 pubic bones of the pelvis) that occurs when the female reaches adulthood. Guinea pigs are important animal models for human disease, and both outbred and inbred lines are utilized in biomedical research. Whilst a pup becoming stuck in the birth canal or born breech is common, never intervene yourself. Female guinea pigs can become pregnant as early as two months of age. Again, it could also be because of fat. no im not breeding i thought my guinea pig was a boy but he was actually a she and now shes pregnant . If pregnant, your guinea pig may have a single piglet or up to 3-4. So when they mate with a female, they mark the female with their urine!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'pocketpetcentral_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_16',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-narrow-sky-2-0'); Since every individual has a separate scent profile, other males would not approach the urinated female! :)", understand just in case for the future as well, thanks so much for the info. As early as six weeks of age. [1] 4. Pregnancy Symptoms Week 14. While your sow might bear from one to six pups or even more, the average litter size is 3. The mothers lactation period lasts for about two or three weeks. After the surgery, keep your pet quiet and separated from other guinea pigs while recovering. Guinea pigs go through four or five estrus cycles every year. Or if it is the bad news version of the lumps, the vet will help with treating it. have company. they were both female and have been living together. Birth can sometimes be more complicated because of several medical reasons. She could also become pregnancy just two hours after she gives birth. The average number of days female guinea pigs stay pregnant is 65 days. What is the Best Bedding for Guinea Pigs? ", Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, Aiutare un Porcellino d'India in Gravidanza, s'occuper d'un cochon d'Inde durant la priode de gestation. My guinea pig is a female American guinea pig. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. It is often difficult to find homes with caring and responsible pet owners for young guinea pigs. Avoid making changes to a pregnant sow's cage, like removing toys or putting the cage in a totally new location. Male guinea pigs can impregnate a female at as young as 3 weeks old and a female guinea pig can become pregnant at as young as 4 weeks old, so don't be doubtful if your guinea pig is pregnant due to age. Keeping a clean hutch will prevent a build-up of ammonia from urine. Do not cage them. Increased fiber intake can prevent hair thinning, which is common in the last stage of pregnancy. Do not keep pregnant guinea pigs in multi-level cages/hutches as their balance will be impaired by pregnancy, and in the later stages of pregnancy they may not be able to get up to the higher tiers. There will come a time when you'll be able to clearly see the babies moving inside the mother, and even the different parts of their anatomy. Note that she may chew the cardboard, so have extra boxes or use a wicker or thick-plastic box. What a surprise this was. The temperature outside or in a garage/shed usually becomes too cold at night for a pregnant guinea pig. Giving them their favorite toys and treats. Publisher: Pergamon. You need to understand that your guinea pig cannot bear the pain of her pregnancy when she gets handled by you. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. All rights reserved. They interact to convey everything they feel, with distinct voices and physical gestures, irrespective of the nature of the emotion. Guinea Pig Foot Spurs {Everything You Need To Know Here}, Basic QuestionsAbout Guinea Pig Pregnancy. Research source How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. Sows who are too old are at a greater risk of the pelvis not being 'elastic' enough to expand during the birthing process. ", pet they can be, and how to play with them. Guinea pigs have a much shorter timeline of pregnancy than humans. My guinea pig is pregnant, and I'm worried she might be sick. 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. Publisher: Pergamon, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid711031-v4-728px-Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"