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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Richardson, Diseases of the Domestic Guinea Pig. The ultrasound will also be able to confirm how many pups there are, and how many of them are alive. On average, baby guinea pigs come in litters of 2-4, and weigh 70-115g. When you are sure the birth is over, you can assist the sow in cleaning by removing any stained bedding. How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. A female may accidentally injure the babies by squashing them and babies are prone to escaping cages, so check up on them regularly. Yeah, sounds weird, but it actually works with several other animals too. Sows who are too old are at a greater risk of the pelvis not being 'elastic' enough to expand during the birthing process. 4. Make any changes as early as possible in the pregnancy, when the stress will have less of an effect on the sow. Note that the gestation period is usually 66 - 72 days. We took her to vet for check up.. And believe me, you would not want to live with the guilt if something goes wrong. How Can You Know How Far Along Your Guinea Pigs Pregnancy is? HappyPiggies14 Well-known Member. Dystocia is a birth delivery problem where the unborn babies are not able to exit due because the mother is unable to dilate fully. Pre-mature birth will need to be followed by a period of artificial incubation. 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. 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. Another sign is a hike in food intake. I guess it is not too difficult to believe that hormone levels go crazy during pregnancy irrespective of which animal it is. One, it could be your baby guinea pigs. Doing otherwise can cause pregnancy complications or miscarriage. So they recover pretty quickly. Guinea Pig Pregnancy Stages - YouTube 0:00 / 2:14 Guinea Pig Pregnancy Stages 64,851 views Jul 6, 2014 550 Dislike Share Save Squishy Bubbles 5.62K subscribers Are you wondering if your. They should be kept at the same comfortable temperature as the adults. Grooming requires a lot of handling. Since guinea pigs attain sexual maturity as early as 6 weeks in their life, even young guinea pigs are bound to get pregnant. It goes without saying that they need emotional stability during pregnancy when they are drowning in fluctuating hormone levels. However, there are some signs you can watch for at home. unlocking this expert answer. An unneutered male guinea pig! 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. X Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. Only a skilled and experienced veterinarian should attempt to manipulate the position of pups before they are born. Neutering is advised only after the age of 4 months. Publisher: Pergamon If you cannot check on the sow because of work etc. Mother strains for 15 minutes without producing a pup. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Even though having a vet all the time is not convenient. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). To learn more about what to expect during the pregnancy, read on! Do not crowd the mother have only one person in the room, but another on standby to make calls if necessary. I didnt know whether to hit him in the face for the negligence or to feel sorry for his loss. A pregnant sow will begin to drink and eat more as the pregnancy advances. Small litters do not cause the belly to enlarge significantly, and will not be as noticeable. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? I really enjoyed that it was stressed that the babies don't need to be with dad at, "I love guinea pigs, and when I get one, and then another one, they will probably mate. The female doubles in weight and hence gets bigger in size too during pregnancy. There is a high maternal mortality rate for guinea pigs (about 20%) as they are vulnerable to complications and illnesses such as toxemia. Even a slight mishandling could lead to enormous amounts of pain. Again, lets go step-by-step with this too. The average number of days female guinea pigs stay pregnant is 65 days. But consult with your vet first, just to be on the safer side. No relationship can survive without understanding. Your body: During both the first and second trimester, your blood pressure may decrease slightly from its pre-pregnancy number. Which Can Include: Being vigilant about their activities is vital to their well-being. In addition, you may want to increase your guinea pig's fiber intake. Your vet will instruct you with all the necessary tests to be taken. Though it is usually closer to 3-4 months. Enjoy! Most pregnant guinea pigs do not move as actively as their normal days. You should also provide a box, like a small shoe box on its side. The boar must be removed by 50 days as he may continue to mount her which can be stressful or painful in later pregnancy, and she could become pregnant again as early as two hours after the birth. Despre Club; Echipa; FRESHconsult Until we noticed that her belly got bigger than it should be. Reduce her exposure to loud noises or bright lights, including direct sunlight. We got her without knowing that she was a pregnant guinea pig. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common. You should absolutely, Alfalfa hay is rich in calcium and protein. they were both female and have been living together. The temperature outside or in a garage/shed usually becomes too cold at night for a pregnant guinea pig. Since they no longer eat just for them, but also for the baby piggies inside, they eat more than the usual amount. While your sow might bear from one to six pups or even more, the average litter size is 3. Guinea pigs go through four or five estrus cycles every year. Copyright 2023 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. 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. All rights reserved. Support wikiHow by Joined Mar 1, 2014 . Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Publisher: Pergamon. Do not bath the sow during pregnancy. Note that she may chew the cardboard, so have extra boxes or use a wicker or thick-plastic box. Recovery from neutering could take as long as 6 weeks. What are the Similarities and Differences Beetwen Humans and Guinea Pigs in Pregnancy? Though this window usually falls between 2-3 months old, some can even be mature after only a single month. While a female guinea pig is in estrus and he spends time with her overnight, results in her pregnancy. But that isnt the case in guinea pigs. Do not rely on foods that list added Vitamin C as an ingredient. When your guinea pigs reach 16 weeks of age, it is the time that they mature significantly. Guinea pigs are typically considered adults from 6 months to about 5 years of age. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This could increase her stress and affect her eating and drinking habits. 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). o [ canine influenza] Probably the most telling sign of pregnancy in your female guinea pig is being in close contact with an unneutered male recently. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Not all guinea pigs are capable of handling the stress of a pregnancy. Laber-Laird & Flecknell. A vet all the time that they mature significantly she was a pregnant guinea pig gestation tends be... Couldnt hurt same comfortable temperature as the pregnancy, read on of pain strains for minutes! Estrus cycles every year between 2-3 months of age ( 55 to 70 days ) go during! Are alive lead to enormous amounts of pain of time between getting pregnant and the birth is the... 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