If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Until we noticed that her belly got bigger than it should be. Be very careful if you need to hold or handle a pregnant guinea pig. So, better to be overly cautious than to be negligent.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-sky-3','ezslot_22',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-sky-3-0'); Make sure you monitor your guinea pigs weight every week. If you feel something and you're not certain what it is, then consult your veterinarian. Excess vitamin C is passed in the urine so cant be over-dosed, but other vitamins can build up and create problems. But make sure your handling of her is minimal. In Summary. Please confirm that you are a health care professional. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 447,279 times. Keep the two in separate cages until one of them is fixed. You may think a little touch or petting couldnt hurt. Weigh your sow weekly to be certain she is gaining weight at a regular pace. If you cannot check on the sow because of work etc. Birth can sometimes be more complicated because of several medical reasons. Guinea Pig Foot Spurs {Everything You Need To Know Here}, Basic QuestionsAbout Guinea Pig Pregnancy. Small litters do not cause the belly to enlarge significantly, and will not be as noticeable. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'pocketpetcentral_com-netboard-2','ezslot_18',122,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-netboard-2-0');Well, not too many similarities are shared by guinea pigs and humans in their pregnancy. The ultrasound exam involves involves clipping a small square of fur and applying gel to the exposed skin. However, there are some signs you can watch for at home. Never offer the same vegetable two days running. Stress is one of the most common reasons for death in guinea pigs, during pregnancy no less! If you wanna make the process of pregnancy easier on your pal, you better read this section with maximum attention. They are born precocial, which means they already have teeth and fur, and from their earliest moments they can see, hear, and move about. Offer fresh vegetables every day. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. Any one else has pets that you can't pet or hold ? Even though having a vet all the time is not convenient. But pregnancy is far from straightforward for guinea pigs. Of course, as you probably already know, a break between two consecutive estrus cycles can be caused only by a pregnancy. This is the period when young guinea pigs will develop bonds with humans and learn to accept being held. You vet may also be able to hear the piglets' heartbeats in the sow's abdomen. Males are territorial. 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. How Can You Know How Far Along Your Guinea Pigs Pregnancy is? Yes, its to know whether she interacted with an unneutered male in recent days.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'pocketpetcentral_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_19',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Even though a male guinea pig over three weeks of age is capable of causing pregnancy in a female, neutering is advised only after the age of 4 months. The whole pregnancy period. ago. Not always is it ensured that the mother will deliver her litter by natural means. Though it is usually closer to 3-4 months. The kidney, bladder, or even fecal pellets can all be easily mistaken for fetuses. So, even a male who was neutered only a few weeks before could cause pregnancy in females. 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. Pregnancy can have a number of complications for the sow, the female guinea pig, including toxaemia (metabolic imbalance), dystocia (difficulty giving birth), and post-partum difficulties (such as seizures due to low calcium levels). A few proprietors have brought a young guinea pig home, to find that she is pregnant as of now! Does anybody have like weekly signs of guinea pig pregnancy like week one no sights week two they eat more something like that thanks . You can crop their hair to maintain hygiene, even if you cannot cut it perfectly. One, it could be your baby guinea pigs. I grew up with everything from dogs and cats to rabbits and guinea pigs. This causes mineral deficiency. All animals, for example, tend to eat more when it's cold, when they're having a growth spurt, and when they're suffering from certain illnesses. Keeping a clean hutch will prevent a build-up of ammonia from urine. Guinea pigs, even when not pregnant, are vulnerable to mood swings. "I had a male guinea pig for about a year and a half. She died along with the litter. Cavy Slave. ", know if the sow is having a baby or babies. Have a visiting vet every once in a while. If you are concerned about the mother or have serious health worries about one of the pups contact a vet immediately, however. At what age can you neuter your guinea pig? There is no need to remove other sows, they may even help with the pups. An unneutered male guinea pig! A guinea pig's pregnancy lasts about 9 or 10 weeks. The trusted provider of veterinary information since 1955, Description and Physical Characteristics of Guinea Pigs, Last review/revision Nov 2019 | Modified Oct 2022. Safety from injury should take precedence over hygiene. Grooming requires a lot of handling. Bumps can also indicate ovarian cysts or tumors. So do not be surprised if a young little guinea pig you just brought home is already pregnant! If pregnant, your guinea pig may have a single piglet or up to 3-4. While your sow might bear from one to six pups or even more, the average litter size is 3. Giving them their favorite toys and treats. So, this post is that fine line between scary and heartening, because it has information on everything you need to know about guinea pig pregnancy. It is worth noting that female guinea pigs can get pregnant at four weeks old. % of people told us that this article helped them. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common. Guinea pigs reach sexual maturity early in their life- as early as six weeks!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-leader-1','ezslot_6',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-leader-1-0'); So, remember that when you are wondering about the probable pregnancy of your guinea pigs. Remove any other pregnant sows. So having their cagemates with them could be a good choice. A good idea is to weigh your female guinea pig regularly (perhaps weekly) and to record the weight. But now that they are arrested in your home, you must be ready to step up and take responsibility. Try to find a vet who specializes in rodents and other small animals, rather than just a generic vet. So they wont fight with each other. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). 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. With cute little fingers, hair, and adorable teeth, open ears & eyes, they are just the apt definition of awesomeness! The mothers lactation period lasts for about two or three weeks. If several fetuses are present, you will feel several bumps spaced across her tummy, each of a similar size. Then they started to do an unusual sound, which I suspected was a mating call. 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. But consult with your vet first, just to be on the safer side. Your pregnant sow will also need more vitamin C after 4 weeks, about twice as much, so incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C into her diet. The average period of pregnancy is approximately 65 days. Due to several factors including age, weight, other diseases, nutritive health, etc., females could be inefficient of nourishing and/or delivering the litter. They should be kept at the same comfortable temperature as the adults. You should absolutely, Alfalfa hay is rich in calcium and protein. 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":"