Neutered boars should be kept separate from sows for four weeks after surgery. A female is fertile for about 6 to 11 hours, most often during night hours. How Can You Know if Your Guinea Pig is Pregnant? Another sign is a hike in food intake. The ultrasound, is a non-invasive procedure and can confirm the pregnancy. Males mature a little slower on average, but not by much. unlocking this expert answer. 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. If you are thinking that your few weeks old female guinea pigs cannot be pregnant, youre wrong! This may cause dizzy spells, especially . Being wrong about the pregnancy couldnt hurt more than the consequences of neglecting it!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'pocketpetcentral_com-sky-4','ezslot_23',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-sky-4-0'); There are actual people that I know who neglected the weight gain in their guinea pigs. This article has 20 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. I told my mom and took her to the vet, and they said she was pregnant. ", all. That's right, in many cases guinea pigs are pregnant for less than two months before they give birth to their litter. The pups do not require a heat lamp or heating pad. ago. By gently running your hand on your guinea pig, you can feel bumps and lumps, which could be because of one of two reasons. Use to remove results with certain terms But that should be done only when you are present to monitor. Pre-mature birth will need to be followed by a period of artificial incubation. They belong to the family Cavidae, which contains 14 species of animals commonly known as cavies and Patagonian hares (or maras). Four read more . If you are a woman reading this I bet that you are thinking thank god there aint anything like that in humans!. 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! 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. "Just found out our rescued pig was pregnant even after two exams and one ultrasound. 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. As weeks go by, the mother's belly will become tighter and bulkier. Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. You should also provide a box, like a small shoe box on its side. Sows who are too old are at a greater risk of the pelvis not being 'elastic' enough to expand during the birthing process. 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. 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. Stress is one of the most common reasons for death in guinea pigs, during pregnancy no less! But now that they are arrested in your home, you must be ready to step up and take responsibility. A pregnant sow will begin to drink and eat more as the pregnancy advances. Between 1 and 8 guinea pig babies with 4 being the most common number of guinea pigs per litter. Females can have estrous or fertile periods at any time of the year, but they are most common in the spring. Enjoy! You need to understand that your guinea pig cannot bear the pain of her pregnancy when she gets handled by you. You vet may also be able to hear the piglets' heartbeats in the sow's abdomen. Toxemia is the result of a metabolic imbalance, which causes the guinea pig to become gravely ill. Calcium deficiency often displays similar symptoms, but it is the result of a calcium imbalance, whereas toxemia happens due to internal complications associated with impaired blood supply to the uterus. Rodent and rabbit medicine. The average guinea pig gestation is 59 - 72 days. While there are many hereditary diseases that you should foresee, there are several other basic tests too. As a general rule, guinea pigs do not respond well to anaesthetic so if it is possible, separating the sexes is a safer option. So, even a male who was neutered only a few weeks before could cause pregnancy in females. For example, carrots contain lots of oxalate. Introduce the male pups to the father and any other boars you have. To learn more about what to expect during the pregnancy, read on! Support wikiHow by Two consecutive weeks with a noticeable hike in weight should probably mean that the piggy is pregnant. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Publisher: Pergamon The vet may try to manipulate the piglet into a position where the mother can pass it. AmberCalzone Well-known Member. If pregnant, your guinea pig may have a single piglet or up to 3-4. Guinea pigs go through four or five estrus cycles every year. Giving her higher quality hay, more fruits & vegetables, essential nutrient pellets, abundant fresh water, are all things that should be done even when she is not pregnant. The guinea pig gestation period is 59 to 72 days. In Summary. Increased fiber intake can prevent hair thinning, which is common in the last stage of pregnancy. Until we noticed that her belly got bigger than it should be. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common. Pregnancy Symptoms Week 14. Symptoms include refusal to eat, lethargy, and rapid weight loss. Also called as parturition in scientific terms, the birth, of course, is the part where the litter is delivered. Some of you might think of this question as absurd. Guinea Pig Vomit: Everything You Need To Know. Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. "I recently adopted two pigs but realized I would have many more very soon. To feel for fetuses, place the sow on a towel on a firm surface. After the surgery, keep your pet quiet and separated from other guinea pigs while recovering. 2 Observe her eating habits. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. This article made the information I, "This helped a lot. If you need it, you dont want to have to hunt around for it. The latter logic transcends the former. Wash out the water bottle with a gentle dish soap every few days. But make sure your handling of her is minimal. Never offer the same vegetable two days running. The labor: You can hear distinct cries of her before she goes into labor. This is because sows who are too young are at a greater risk of vitamin deficiencies during pregnancy. The average period of pregnancy is approximately 65 days. But when she is, you have no choice but to give nothing less than the perfect. 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. A good idea is to weigh your female guinea pig regularly (perhaps weekly) and to record the weight. Just because they can get pregnant again, doesnt mean that it wont have adverse effects on their well being, not just physically but also emotionally. Do not rely on foods that list added Vitamin C as an ingredient. For young guinea pigs, this may include supplementing her diet with Critical Care of a similar product. Do not cage them. So how about the baby guinea pigs? Adults are no longer growing but still require macro-nutrients like fiber and protein, as well as micro-nutrients like the vitamins and minerals that are found in a timothy hay-based, uniform fortified food. Cesarean sections are rarely successful in guinea pigs even when performed by a veterinarian who has experience with guinea pigs. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! If they do mate, I will now. Guinea pigs arrive at sexual development early, some when they are only five weeks or a month and a half old. But it contains more than necessary amounts for a regular guinea pig. The legacy of this great resource continues as the Merck Veterinary Manual in the US and Canada and the MSD Vet Manual outside of North America. If any of the pups is definitely alive, but is not alert or able to see or walk then contact your vet immediately. Menu Clubul de antreprenoriat. Well, they can be described as an epitome of cuteness! So you have to be cautious enough to prevent another pregnancy in your guinea pig. Guinea pigs are certainly cute. Because guinea pigs have a high infant mortality rate. Never provide a multi-vitamin. Newborn guinea pigs weigh about 3.5 ounces (100 g). Doing otherwise can cause pregnancy complications or miscarriage. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. X wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. But that does not mean that you should not give them access to outdoors. Zealotstim 4 mo. Reduce handling to a minimum and don't handle her within two weeks of the birth. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'pocketpetcentral_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_8',124,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');The gestation period in guinea pigs could be anywhere between 59-72 days. Although, guinea pigs tend to eat extra in cold weather too. A baby guinea pig is called a pup. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. My guinea pig is pregnant, and I'm worried she might be sick. How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. He was lonely, so my family decided to get a girl for him to. Since guinea pigs attain sexual maturity as early as 6 weeks in their life, even young guinea pigs are bound to get pregnant. This is an emergency situation requiring an immediate c-section. What a surprise this was. We kept a close eye on Theo as her due date approached. The average number of days female guinea pigs stay pregnant is 65 days. Male guinea pigs (boars) usually mature sexually and can mate as young as 2-3 months of age. Commonly, their size would be ranging from eight to ten inches. The female has a short postpartum estrus that will last for only about half a day and, without a dominant male, all of the males will try to mate with the new mother. Use OR to account for alternate terms If you feel something and you're not certain what it is, then consult your veterinarian. Of course, as you probably already know, a break between two consecutive estrus cycles can be caused only by a pregnancy. 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? This is because sperm can survive in his tubes for this length of time. Right. At this stage, you have to feed your developing guinea pigs with pellets specially formulated for them. Avoid putting any pressure on her body. They interact to convey everything they feel, with distinct voices and physical gestures, irrespective of the nature of the emotion. ", the things on wikiHow and my guinea pig gave birth to three boys and one girl. If the other sow eats it, their own pregnancy may be induced. Now they are about the normal size of an adult guinea pig like the first ones you see if you google. How can I tell? But as blissful as it is for a mother to give birth to children, it is also stressful and painful.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-box-4','ezslot_3',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-box-4-0'); So, as your guinea pigs are part of your family, you should take care of them just as well as you would take care of a pregnant sister or wife or mother! Pregnant guinea pigs should be kept inside. Only a skilled and experienced veterinarian should attempt to manipulate the position of pups before they are born. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. The estrous cycle length is 16 days. "I had a male guinea pig for about a year and a half. Make note of the time and amount of water during each refill. I have been given an 8 week old guinea pig that is pregnant, and her half-sister. With cute little fingers, hair, and adorable teeth, open ears & eyes, they are just the apt definition of awesomeness! The pups will likely lose weight for the first three days, but after this it should pick up again. The minute you are sure your guinea pig is pregnant, make sure you get it to your vets attention. Find out the Stages Of Pregnancy By Week. 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. If you are concerned about the mother or have serious health worries about one of the pups contact a vet immediately, however. The vitamin C required by a pregnant female is obviously more than that required by one that isnt pregnant. It is worth noting that female guinea pigs can get pregnant at four weeks old. What is the one thing that could get a guinea pig pregnant? During the last two weeks of pregnancy, do not handle the sow. Dystocia is a birth delivery problem where the unborn babies are not able to exit due because the mother is unable to dilate fully. Guinea pigs should be split into same-sex groups at 3 weeks old. Immediate veterinary care is required, but the prognosis is usually very poor. 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. Normally, it wouldnt. The link you have selected will take you to a third-party website. But thats wrong! That is exactly why you need to cautiously read all the following so that you can make the hard and painful process of pregnancy easier on your guinea pig! Make sure hay is freely available at all times, and provide in a large ball the guinea pig can burrow in. If you show negligence in ensuring that your guinea pig could handle the pregnancy, you are not only putting the mothers life at risk, but also that of the babies in the litter. He is an exotic vet. An ultrasound scan can visualize exactly what the bumps are and confirm a pregnancy. Just because they are the pups of a familiar guinea pig, this does not mean that they will be accepted immediately. If you are not prepared to care for them yourself, a more experienced guinea pig owner may be willing to take them or you may make the decision to have them put down. To tell if your guinea pig is pregnant, start by observing her eating habits to gauge whether she's eating and drinking more than usual. Guinea pig pregnancy, there is a fine line between it sounding scary and it sounding heartening. Females can have estrous or fertile periods at any time of the year, but they are most common in the spring. Our professionals are qualified to care for your guinea pig. Which Can Include: Being vigilant about their activities is vital to their well-being. X Selective feeding is where the guinea pig chooses the tastier bits of food over less tasty but often more nutritious foods. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7c\/Tell-if-Your-Guinea-Pig-Is-Pregnant-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Tell-if-Your-Guinea-Pig-Is-Pregnant-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7c\/Tell-if-Your-Guinea-Pig-Is-Pregnant-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid666376-v4-728px-Tell-if-Your-Guinea-Pig-Is-Pregnant-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"