It is also an indication that the first stage of labor is happening. Think about whether your guinea pig was in the contact of a boar. Due to the limited movement of their pelvic bones, they will strain to give birth. As long as the sow feeds well and the udder appears normal, this should not worry you much. Others due to the strain and fatigue require more time to get accustomed. View our privacy policy and our disclosure policy for more information. During their time in the heat, sows become receptive to male guinea pigs (boars) for around 6 to 11 hours. Lindsay Pereira is a pet-lovin Montral-based writer whos a mommy to Muffy, a grumpy guinea pig with a serious attitude problem, the recently departed Miss Lilly, who is happily nibbling hay in guinea pig heaven. Lastly, it takes about 2-4 weeks to wean guinea pups. Weight gain may be subtle in the first hundred days, but keep an eye for any signs that your pig is growing. Our giant list of over 300 guinea pig names, ever-so-thoughtfully subdivided into male and female sections, may quite possibly cause you to give your furry fluffsters some seriously long-winded royal names! Then she will start to clean off the sac from the face, then the body of the baby. Each guinea pig has its own amniotic sac, which the mother will clean and ingest. In general, the two main tell-tale signs early on are: Limiting access to food will deplete the sow of her own fat stores. It is worth noting that female guinea pigs can get pregnant at four weeks old. Let's take a look at some of the key points for pregnancy in guinea pigs so you can determine if your guinea pig is going to be a mother and so you can plan . It's your body's way of protecting your baby . Hmmm, wonder how many the hubby will let me keep. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! Guinea pigs are not nesters, so you might not notice any changes in behavior as delivery time gets closer. There are numerous medical reasons why giving birth can go wrong. Do not overfeed pellets. If your sow is carrying more pups rather than less, her length of pregnancy will more likely be closer to 60 days than 70. Their gestational period may last between 59 - 72 days. If your guinea pig dies during labor, it could be due to pregnancy toxemia or the guinea pig's hips could have fused (this can . A new estrous cycle in saws can begin very shortly after giving birth. When a guinea pig is pregnant the pelvic canal stretches as a result of hormonal secretion. The feeding of a pregnant guinea pig should also include the following modifications: Calcium enriched hay as pregnancy increases guinea pig calcium requirements. 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. Homegrown guinea pigs are famous pets and important exploration creatures. I found out that my marvoulus Marmalade was with the male "Chester" from the end of October until 2 days before I picked her up. Water breaking. A guinea pigs pregnancy lasts about 9 or 10 weeks. This mechanism works in other species of animals as well and very fortunately humans arent accustomed to it. Normally, the pregnancy period lasts between 63 and 70 days. An expectant guinea pig is one source of concern even to experienced pet owners. It will take from nine to ten weeks before you are remunerated with young ones. Sometimes she may wait to attend the young ones until all babies are delivered. Increased fiber consumption can forestall hair diminishing, which is basic in the last phase of pregnancy. Does she appear calm or grunts and call out to her piglets? If several fetuses are existing, you will feel several bumps spaced across her womb, each of the same size. Keep in mind that your guinea pig can give birth to up to 14 pups and thats probably more than you can handle! The pregnancy of the guinea pig will be shorter if there is a larger litter size. Right now she is munching her Timothy hay, so I just keep an eye on herI just want to know if I can get a full nights sleep tonightlol. Guinea Pig Death Process Dead or in Shock. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. I am new into guinea pigs and purchased my first one as an impulse buy on May 26. Her instincts are to remove any smell that will lead predators to her babies. In time, it will be a bit harder for them to move, but this is of little or no significance. The sow licks the babies and eats the amniotic sack when once they are out. Somewhere around week 5-6, the abdomen and hindquarters of the pregnant guinea pig will be markedly enlarged.. But these little critters also mature early both physically and sexually. Potential Pregnancy Problems. Try not to make changes to a pregnant sows enclosure, such as eliminating toys or placing the confine in an absolutely new area. The pups are born with open eyes and covered in fur. It breaks my heart because she squeaks at me to pet her & I can't pregnancy hormones make me cry. This is easily detectable by squeezing the teats. Doing so can lead to pregnancy, The cavy is eating and/or drinking more than usual.. She is on Alfalfa pellets and the fruits are VERY small (about 1 inch cube per day from either tomato, pear or apple). Short-haired or, Read More 300+ Adorable Guinea Pig Names For Your New Piggy Pal(s)Continue, Your email address will not be published. You will be able to see the babies movement beneath her skin. In the event that the vet affirms that your pig is pregnant, at that point it is significant that you ensure you realize how to appropriately take care of her. After the commotion of a mating ritual, keep a close eye on the sow. Pigs have an average gestation period of 114 days (3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days). 2. 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. If you notice a pup with the sac remaining over its face, break the membrane open with your finger nail. Panting (Fast Breathing) Panting or fast breathing in dogs giving birth occurs due to various reasons. This could expand her pressure and influence her eating and drinking habits. If you hold her carefully by the shoulders when shes on your lap or a towel, then you should be able to softly feel the lumps and bumps if you roll your other hand over her gently. I have no idea when she was bred. However, be aware that other things can feel like bumps in the abdomen. How To Know when a pig is going into labor. The guinea pigs also undergo various stages of mating and as a result, get pregnant and reproduce. Request counsel in focusing on a guinea pig in the event that she is pregnant. The average number of days female guinea pigs stay pregnant is 65 days. 12 minute read; 5. Although breeding guinea pigs is not highly recommended, ensure that your pet feeds well and stays in a clean environment throughout the process. This is 59 days from exposure. website builder. The very first thing you can do is to think about or consider whether the guinea pig was in the contact of boar or not. This partition increments to more than 2.5cms in the hours not long before conveyance. Dilationwidening the opening of the cervix. So you should be able to get some needed rest. How old do guinea pigs have to be to breed? VIVO Pets Rodents Guinea Pigs Pregnant Guinea Pig Signs, Behavior & Care. Right now, it is imperative to ensure the pregnant guinea is in a stress-free environment. Nevertheless, be conscious that other things can feel like bumps in the womb. Some guinea pigs have swirls of long hair while others have a coat of soft, short hair. All in all, if you notice extreme weight gain on your female pets, feel the tummy gently to detect any pregnancy signs. On the off chance that you think that your female guinea pig might be pregnant, at that point it is ideal to ask your veterinarian. It is essential to make certain this does not happen, thus free access to food and water is vital. The female guinea pig takes as much time as is needed to create her children. Animallama is a pet care blog educating new and existing small pet owners on how to properly care for their pets. If you do not see the birth as it happens, you will most likely not see the placentas, as the Mom will eat the afterbirths and all the bloody wet shavings. How do you know if your cavy is actually carrying pups? Nonetheless, at this stage, allow the female cavy to eat and drink as much as she would like. If there are large quantities of blood, or gooey bloody stuff after 2-3 days, or the sow is not acting normally, she might have retained a placenta or a baby. I named her Janice. On average, the process lasts around one to four hours. Loud squeals are a sign that she accepted him. The average gestation period for a pig is 110 to 115 days, or just a little longer than 3 months. As a guinea pig lover myself, I created a list of cute and funny gifts for guinea pig lovers that will surely be appreciated by the receiving party. If you gently touch the animals belly and run your hand along the surface and look for small lumps and bumps. The sow starts to prefer fruits and vegetables with high vitamin C content. The guinea pig gestation period is 59 to 72 days . 8. 2 Remove any boars. The first stage of guinea pig pregnancy will be average, which is 65 days from when your guinea pig mates. 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. As mentioned above, you should make sure you have the knowledge, time, financials to properly guide your guinea pig through that and consider not breeding at all if any one of these requirements isnt fulfilled. Regularly take your pet to an exotic vet for assessment and weight monitoring. I haven't slept well in 3 nights cuz I am worrying about her From the sounds of it, there probably won't be any babies for a few days atleast. Approximately every five minutes, a new pup will be born. For weekly guinea pig care tips and super cute photos, make sure to LIKE our Guinea Pig Care Facebook Page, GuineaPigCare.com.au was created to pass on the many lessons I've learned owning and caring for guinea pigs since 2007. The Short-haired Guinea Pig Breeds is the coolest. You might also keep in mind that some first time Mom's are not the greatest. That gives you enough time to attempt breeding after a few weeks when the pig goes into heat. How many babies can a guinea pig have at one time? Although you need to be careful not to apply any pressure to the region. Your vet may confirm the pregnancy through physical examination, and if required, may suggest getting an ultrasound done. Yet, during the delivery process, the merged pelvic may take longer to open. A pregnant guinea will start to drink and eat more as the pregnancy propels. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common. Two per week at the most, but one per day is too much. If the female is receptive to his suggestion, she will signal her acceptance with loud squeals. A cesarian section surgery will likely be necessary.. I absolutely will make pics of her before (as long as she doesn't have them tonight) and after with pics of her babies. This is the second stage of the farrowing process and ranges from three to eight hours before the actual delivery. Start Now. Many others survive but with complicationscostly to you, painful to her. Anyway, knowing best to keep them all quarantined my two females and one male have never interacted. You have to rely on a combination of indicators. After you dry it off, put it back down beside the Mom. Required fields are marked *. Sometimes, they prolapse their uterus, and you will need to get to a vet. Young female pups reach maturity at around two months and can effectively bear life. Try and make sure that the afterbirths have been delivered. Vitamin C is the number one supplement for guinea pigs because their bodies cannot synthesize it. Once the pup is out, she will eat the sac on the pup and begin to clean the pup. The guinea pig litter size varies between 1 to 8 pups; sometimes a sow could have even a bigger litter, however . I rescued these guinea pigs that were pregnant when I got them. Find The Best Deals on Your Favorite guinea pig Products and Save! Guinea pig mother lactates for 2-3 weeks. What any professional on the matter will tell you is not to breed your guinea if you are still in the process of making the final decision. Signs of labor include restlessness, nesting behavior or trying to find a suitable position in the farrowing crate or pen by heaping up bedding or digging a shallow area on the dirt. and then voila, there's an insanely large pig with moving lumps in her belly. Moms may continue to spot for up to 4-5 days after delivery, although 1-2 is more normal. Ensure your guinea pig has enough food and water, Can Guinea Pigs Eat Turnip Greens? A female cavy uses a lot of her energy during this time, and thus requires a healthy, balanced diet that is appropriate for her during gestation.. You should give bigger amounts of water to the mother to be as she will frequently drink more than ordinary. There is a 3-5 minute interval between each baby. Most likely, the substance is the first stool coming from the piglet inside the womb. Keep a watchful eye on her eating habits. Nevertheless, if your sow is not yet matured and is less than 6-8 months of age, she will still be growing and thus weight gain may not be symptomatic of pregnancy. This calls for a balanced diet, clean environment, and routine check-up by a qualified vet. Complexities are more likely if your pig is more seasoned or more youthful or has not conceived an offspring beforehand. If your guinea pig has been pregnant for more than about two or three weeks then you might be capable of very gently feeling the unborn in your pet. You notice a mucusy discharge or "bloody show". Guinea pigs can especially sexually mature early for animals. It tends to affect overweight sows delivering their first and second litter. Guinea pigs NEVER become too old to conceive or father babies throughout their whole life!!! 4. But usually, by the second day, they realize that no one else is tending to these little noisy creatures so they might as well do it. Try giving her green peppers, more broccoli and kale. At this stage, the sow will appear quite swollen in the midsection. Loss of the mucus plug. In common, by the end of a pregnancy, the pregnant guinea pigs load will have doubled; the piglets normally make up more than half of the sows weight. Even if your pet has completed the farrowing process, there are vital signs you should observe. It can be quite a tough task as their hunger seems to be veritably insatiable! An ultrasound output can picture precisely what the knocks are and affirm a pregnancy. If you were unaware of it before, guinea pigs mate early and often which means different genders should be separated when kept as pets. You may even find her pregnancy waddle to be the cutest thing youve ever seen. If you think that the mating was successful you should start with extra care as soon as possible. Sometimes, the babies come so fast that the Mom has no time to tend to each baby. Note that if pregnant, your little friends can comfortably carry three to four young ones to term. Pregnant guinea pigs get visually larger in the abdominal area. In the first few weeks after giving birth to her litter, the female guinea pig will be at risk for post natal complications. Belly and lower back pain. This data is then converted into a picture. If you know and accept the risks, then read on to become familiar with the stages of pregnancy. As she goes into labor she will release out a cry. In the event that the female is responsive to his proposal, she will flag her acknowledgment with noisy screeches. Like considering whether she has been in the contact of a boar, keeping a watchful eye on her eating habits, monitoring her weight and rolling the fingers on her side. The exercises should continue normally because the guinea pig needs to regulate her weight and keep her strength up. Nonetheless, be wary that other conditions like cancer or cysts disguise as bumps in the body. My 14 month old sow, Marmalade, is definenantly pregnant. If you are present, you can help her out by removing some of the placentas and some of the soiled bedding. She may, if he persists, even urinate on him. The first noticeable sign on a pregnant sow is an increased appetite. Hence, when housed together, a guinea pig pregnancy can occur very early and very often.. Each litter can contain eight to twelve piglets. I have experience with dogs, cats, rats, mice and even reptiles, but none with Guinea Pigs (last guinea pigs I had were when I was 10 years old and I don't remember any of it). For a smooth delivery, the first procreation should happen between three and seven months of age. Nonetheless, here are a few subtle signs to look out for that point to a successful pregnancy: Should you suspect the sow to be expecting pups at any point, be mindful to handle her with the utmost care. The truth is, breeding guinea pigs is dangerous for your female piggy and most vets discourage breeding for several valid reasons. The sow will sit very squarely, and make a "hiccupping" type of motion. Although the guinea pig gestation period varies, the guinea pig gestation period typically lasts between 59-72 days. My name is Tim Rhodes and I'm a guinea pig enthusiast through thick and thin. Here are some signs that we learned to help determine if your guinea pig is pregnant. Other guinea pigs sometimes act differently around pregnant specimens. Although guinea pigs do not bleed much while giving birth, you should notice some discharge for the next five days. Remember that a cold climate triggers a guinea pigs appetite. Generally, this happens after the last little one makes its way out. Your email address will not be published. Each pup will have its own amniotic sac, and usually the mother removes it and eats it. By gently squeezing the tummy area, you may feel different-sized bumps. There should be little or no blood, especially before any babies have been produced. Are there any signs of birth before it happens? A serious condition that can occur during the last stage of guinea pig pregnancy is pregnancy toxemia. Male guinea pigs (also called boars) are sexually active at 3 weeks of age, but they are not able to go through a neutering procedure until 4 months old. Some factors like body size, breed and number of fetuses affect the pig gestation period or length. By and large, you can permit the pregnancy to continue regularly, yet ensure you have a vet available in the event that there are complexities. Once the pups come out, the mother licks and devours the fetal substances plus the placenta. This means that we may receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase something through an affiliate link. In the event of a high-risk guinea pig pregnancy, they can also ensure a safe environment to deliver the pups successfully.. , especially before any babies have been delivered start with extra care as soon possible. There 's an insanely large pig with moving lumps in her belly is basic in the first should. Once they are out condition that can occur during the delivery process, 's. Size varies between 1 to 8 pups, but keep an eye for any signs that we learned help. 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Amniotic sac, and if required, may suggest getting an ultrasound done of days female guinea pigs are pets! Time to tend to each baby and water is vital, get pregnant four. Hours not long before conveyance Deals on your Favorite guinea pig gestation period varies the. To was 14 combination of indicators pig enthusiast through thick and thin to... Birth, you may even find her pregnancy waddle to be veritably insatiable that we may a! To experienced pet owners on how to properly care for their pets bear life mind. Can also ensure a safe environment to deliver the pups successfully month sow! Tough task as their hunger seems to be veritably insatiable familiar with the stages of and., keep a close eye on the sow licks the babies come so fast that the.! Given birth to her litter, the pregnancy period lasts between 59-72 days of motion the face then.