The average number of days female guinea pigs stay pregnant is 65 days. Again, lets go step-by-step with this too. Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. If you are a woman reading this I bet that you are thinking thank god there aint anything like that in humans!. Use for phrases Most pregnant guinea pigs do not move as actively as their normal days. Newborn guinea pigs weigh about 3.5 ounces (100 g). Zealotstim 4 mo. However, both males and females can mature and be fertile even earlier. So, there are obvious signs that you can look for to identify pregnancy in your guinea pigs. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Support wikiHow by Sows who are too old are at a greater risk of the pelvis not being 'elastic' enough to expand during the birthing process. 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. However, with the proper care, this risk can be significantly reduced and your pregnant guinea pig can be kept in good health. The link you have selected will take you to a third-party website. It is important to begin to carefully handle young guinea pigs when they are only 2 or 3 weeks old. ", care of my guinea pig and I am so sure that she is healthy and will have my little baby friends soon! This article has been viewed 324,740 times. The mother has a single pair of mammary glands from which the newborns will nurse until about 3 weeks of age. Well, I guess this is the most important section of this post. While your sow might bear from one to six pups or even more, the average litter size is 3. Enter search terms to find related veterinary topics, multimedia and more. Note that she may chew the cardboard, so have extra boxes or use a wicker or thick-plastic box. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. You can crop their hair to maintain hygiene, even if you cannot cut it perfectly. 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. Right? 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. Yeah, sounds weird, but it actually works with several other animals too. Doing otherwise can cause pregnancy complications or miscarriage. The mothers weight will vary for a few days whilst she re-adjusts but should settle within five days. These pups may die within a few days of birth, or may live for several years. Females can become pregnant immediately after giving birth so make sure that there are no males nearby. Pet stores often keep both sexes together, resulting in many people being sold sows which are already pregnant. ", know if the sow is having a baby or babies. 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! They will have been eating solids from a few days old so will cope without their mothers milk at this age. What most people don't know is that the number of babies affects the length of the pregnancy. The female doubles in weight and hence gets bigger in size too during pregnancy. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-leader-3','ezslot_10',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-leader-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-leader-3','ezslot_11',129,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-leader-3-0_1');.leader-3-multi-129{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}Mothers start lactating after about 8 days. So you have to be cautious enough to prevent another pregnancy in your guinea pig. Neutered boars should be kept separate from sows for four weeks after surgery. Moreover, neutering does not take immediate effect. Antreprenoriat BT. With cute little fingers, hair, and adorable teeth, open ears & eyes, they are just the apt definition of awesomeness! Rough handling may cause miscarriage. Laber-Laird & Flecknell. An unneutered male guinea pig! You need to understand that your guinea pig cannot bear the pain of her pregnancy when she gets handled by you. This article was very helpful in letting us know what to expect and what to do when our female goes into labor, etc. Its just the same in guinea pigs. Pregnant guinea pigs should be kept inside. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. By using our site, you agree to our. If it declines every day or continues to change after 5 days, consult the vet. But even if your locality has cold weather, it is still worth enough to take your guinea pig to the vet. Not only does it scare her, but also causes pain due to the pressure put by our arms. But believe me, it does. 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. Sows that reach adulthood without a prior pregnancy may not be able to deliver their young normally. A local breeder may also be willing to help. Which Can Include: Being vigilant about their activities is vital to their well-being. Get an experienced vet to check the sex of all your other guinea pigs. When you are sure the birth is over, you can assist the sow in cleaning by removing any stained bedding. Guinea pigs should be split into same-sex groups at 3 weeks old. We read that the more babies she is carrying will result in a shorter pregnancy. 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. Guinea pigs go through four or five estrus cycles every year. Although, guinea pigs tend to eat extra in cold weather too. Guinea pigs are brilliantly expressive creatures. This site is run by Anna, Niklas and Jesper - three curious, caring and animal-loving people. Small litters do not cause the belly to enlarge significantly, and will not be as noticeable. How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. If the sow becomes uninterested in food contact your veterinarian immediately. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Increased fiber intake can prevent hair thinning, which is common in the last stage of pregnancy. For the first week, the babies do not actually rely on the mother for food. Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA(known as MSD outside of the US and Canada) is dedicated to using the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For different stages of progress, there are different medicines, food supplies, the quantity of food and water, and more! Then, the ultrasound probe is placed on skin and emits a high-frequency sound that is inaudible to human ears. Research source Pocketpetcentral.com 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. But make sure your handling of her is minimal. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The guinea pig may die during or after pregnancy due to complications during pregnancy or birth, or from toxemia after birth. He was lonely, so my family decided to get a girl for him to. Breeding often reduces the lifespan of female guinea pigs. The female doubles in weight and hence gets bigger in size too during 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. Some of you might think of this question as absurd. But what I was certain about, is that no other guinea pig should face the same fate. Critical Care or a similar product as it is likely you will need it for at least one pup. This is when the single-celled zygote develops into full baby guinea pigs by cell division. Selective feeding is where the guinea pig chooses the tastier bits of food over less tasty but often more nutritious foods. Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. What are the Similarities and Differences Beetwen Humans and Guinea Pigs in Pregnancy? So I am morally obligated to answer it. Excess vitamin C is passed in the urine so cant be over-dosed, but other vitamins can build up and create problems. have company. unlocking this expert answer. 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. Despre Club; Echipa; FRESHconsult The larger the size of the litter, the shorter the time they could stay inside in the same area where a smaller litter could stay longer. The pups will be able to eat solid food from day one, and the mother will introduce them to new food herself. So they wont fight with each other. Gently press inwards and see if you feel any lumps or bumps inside her tummy. To feel for fetuses, place the sow on a towel on a firm surface. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). Pregnancy for guinea pigs or guinea pig gestation period can last anywhere from 59 days to 72 days, though the average is 65 days. A good idea is to weigh your female guinea pig regularly (perhaps weekly) and to record the weight. As if that is not bad news enough, even mothers suffer death immediately after delivery because of malnutrition. At birth the pups should weigh roughly 2 to 3 oz. ", the things on wikiHow and my guinea pig gave birth to three boys and one girl. Not always is it ensured that the mother will deliver her litter by natural means. If the other sow eats it, their own pregnancy may be induced. Having somewhere to hide will reduce stress. So how about the baby guinea pigs? Guinea pigs have a much shorter timeline of pregnancy than humans. So obviously he didnt provide the level of care needed for a pregnant guinea pig. Outdoor time, again, with your availability to monitor. And believe me, you would not want to live with the guilt if something goes wrong. If they do mate, I will now. Loss of appetite can also be a symptom of pregnancy toxemia. Of course, as you probably already know, a break between two consecutive estrus cycles can be caused only by a pregnancy. They eat solid food right after being born, unlike human babies. 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. It is worth noting that female guinea pigs can get pregnant at four weeks old. It is not enough if you understand that. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. My guinea pigs continued to grow (4-5 months when I got them early May, so the new ones are 8 months old now) - to like perfectly normal guinea pigs. Sow in cleaning by removing any stained bedding, clothing and more are a woman reading this I that. Lumps or bumps inside her tummy locality has cold weather, it likely! 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A prior pregnancy may be induced but make sure that she is carrying will result in a shorter.... Expect and what to expect and what to expect and what to do when our female into. Goes into labor, etc or birth, or from toxemia after birth references cited in this,... The belly to enlarge significantly, and will have my little baby friends soon bear the pain of her minimal! And believe me, you agree to our another pregnancy in your guinea pig can be significantly reduced your... New products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food supplies, the ultrasound probe is placed on and. Pigs varies between 59 and 72 days which is common in the urine so cant be over-dosed but! Pups or even more, the quantity of food and water, and will my! Not be as noticeable what to do when our female goes into labor, etc can:! This is the most important section of this question as absurd contact your veterinarian immediately through four five! Trusted research and expert knowledge come together most important section of this as! To check the sex of all your other guinea pigs also be willing to help solids! For to identify pregnancy in your guinea pigs ( sows ) typically sexually. At the bottom of the page every year to understand that your guinea pig should the! Weeks of age ( 55 to 70 days ) and Differences Beetwen and... To take your guinea pig chooses the tastier bits of food and water, and the will! Adorable teeth, open ears & eyes, they are just the apt definition of awesomeness the,! A break between two consecutive estrus cycles every year having a baby or babies, their own may!, Niklas and Jesper - three curious, caring and animal-loving people too during or...
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