ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. The sow may sit hunched up, make a hiccup-like movement, and reach under herself to pull out a baby. Hence, when housed together, a guinea pig pregnancy can occur very early and very often.. If you measure her weight each week then you should be able to see observable contrast, if she is pregnant. That way, you get assured of a thriving litter and healthy mother. A pregnant guinea pig's food and water consumption will noticeably increase. On the other hand, keeping a pregnant sow with boars poses a greater danger. As before, you should pick her up only if necessary and only with full support of her hips. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to . It's important to make sure how many babies does sow has in her tummy before delivery and make sure she delivers all of them. It is one of the first physical signs your guinea pig is pregnant shows. Even if your pet has completed the farrowing process, there are vital signs you should observe. All rights reserved. Negligence and ignorance can prove to be fatal for the mother and the babies. At the end of the process, the placenta emerges and the mother eats it as well. I WILL interfere if she is biting the babies, or attacking them. Signs of Pregnancy in a Guinea Pig Contact with an Intact Male Weight Gain Increased Food and Water Intake Larger Abdomen Wider Pelvis Labor and Birth Taking Care of a Pregnant Guinea Pig Image Source Guinea pigs are adorable household pets. It makes me so happy and very worried at the same time. When a guinea pig is pregnant the pelvic canal stretches as a result of hormonal secretion. One of my guinea pigs is pregnant! Know when a pig is going into labor. Attempt to make your guinea pigs life easier by following a daily routine. Pregnant guinea pigs will also make a unique groaning sound when they are going into labor. Short-haired or, Read More 300+ Adorable Guinea Pig Names For Your New Piggy Pal(s)Continue, Your email address will not be published. It is wise to make the pregnancy journey less cumbersome by providing the sow with a comfortable enclosure away from others. If male guinea pigs are in the vicinity, you might see them congregating around a pregnant female just prior to labor. For instance, a 2 Ibs sow may augment up to 4 Ibs by the end of the pregnancy. As they grow, the opening fuses and becomes a stiff bony bridge. Is It Safe to Breed Cavies? Once the pup is out, she will eat the sac on the pup and begin to clean the pup. Somewhere around week 5-6, the abdomen and hindquarters of the pregnant guinea pig will be markedly enlarged.. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Copyright 2000-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Guinea Lynx, All Rights Reserved, Sow straining for more than 10 minutes and not producing a baby, Sow squealing loudly with each contraction, Sow getting exhausted and just giving up from trying, No placenta being produced with the babies, Sow smelling like nail polish remover, or acetone. When there is a dominant male, theres a likelihood that the other males wont try to interact with the mother. If several fetuses are existing, you will feel several bumps spaced across her womb, each of the same size. Try giving her green peppers, more broccoli and kale. Cessation of this agitated behavior indicates labor has begun. Sometimes she may wait to attend the young ones until all babies are delivered. Bloody show. There are three stages of the farrowing process; pre-farrowing, farrowing, and after-birth expulsion. Some sows take up caring for their young ones right away after birth. Remember to always ask a veterinarian for help regarding your pets. Belly and lower back pain. Some factors like body size, breed and number of fetuses affect the pig gestation period or length. Make the habit of repeatedly measuring your pets weight, at least twice a month. Ensure your guinea pig has enough food and water, Can Guinea Pigs Eat Turnip Greens? If you see your sow bleeding, more than a tablespoon, dripping blood, or many pieces of bloody bedding with no babies, you are best advised to get to a vet. Much like other Rodentia and those of the Lagomorpha species, guinea pigs have pearly whites that will grow without end in sight something that can be a serious health problem, Read More What Can Guinea Pigs Chew On? Thats why the best age for a guinea pig to get pregnant is between 4 and 7 months of age. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! Litter size ranges, with the average being 2-4 pups in rare cases as many as 12-14. My 14 month old sow, Marmalade, is definenantly pregnant. With the use of ultrasound, your vet can also assess potential concerns with the pregnancy. The gestation period in pigs is 113 to 115 days from the first day of mating. WE SMILE Note that if pregnant, your little friends can comfortably carry three to four young ones to term. The whole process from first contraction to last baby can be as short as 15 minutes, and up to 40 minutes depending on how many babies she has. Later, her belly might also appear swollen and asymmetrical, but this can be hard to spot. If several fetuses are present, you will feel several bumps spaced across her tummy, each of a similar size. How to tell if your sow is pregnant. Usually, a guinea pig's pregnancy lasts from 59-72 days. Although the guinea pig gestation period varies, the guinea pig gestation period typically lasts between 59-72 days. The large and growing fetuses can cause a fast breakdown of fats even if the sow hasnt eaten for a brief period of time. Use our guinea pig gestation calculator to estimate your pets due date based on the date she was bred. Guinea pigs tend to express every little change in their body. Guinea pig pregnancy week-by-week may sound like a complicated affair to both the novice and experienced cavy parent. Speak to your vet to make sure you provide the right quantity of pellets., Do not cut pellets to reduce the chance of larger pups or attempt to put a pregnant overweight sow on a diet. Providing a stress-free location for the mom-to-be assures an easier birth.. If you have not removed males yet, do so at this point., Ideally, relocate cagemates elsewhere rather than removing the pregnant sow, so she can remain in familiar surroundings., Adding a soft, fleece blanket to her sleeping area., Covering the sleep section of the cage with a towel so she feels cozy and safe.. Also, let us know when mom and babies are doing well. Cavies, as notorious early developers, are sexually mature at a very young age. After only a few of weeks, you should see your pet putting on weight, and the size of the mid-region getting truly perceptible. Hello,Normal guinea pig labor is short with few signs that it is going on. This process can take up to 2-3 hours. How can you tell if the sow has become pregnant? Related species live in the wild on green fields and feed on vegetation including grass and leaves. Other, early signs labor is close (anywhere from a month to mere hours away from active labor) include: Baby drops. An expectant sow would suddenly start to drink and eat more as the pregnancy progresses. On rare occasions, it means that the guinea pig is suffering from a sickness. That gives you enough time to attempt breeding after a few weeks when the pig goes into heat. After the commotion of a mating ritual, keep a close eye on the sow. Thats why a female guinea pig should be bred before the permanent hardening on the pelvic canal. The homegrown guinea pig species, Cavia porcellus, doesnt exist in nature. In some cases, you may also be able to feel guinea pig fetuses inside your pet's stomach. 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. If it helps just a few guinea pigs in the world live a happier and healthier life, then the site has done it's job. by the way, how many are you expecting? It is very helpful and appreciated. With your other hand hold her firm around the shoulders, with her head facing away from you. Medical Disclaimer: VIVOPets.com does not intend to provide any kind of veterinary suggestion. The test records the echoes as the sound waves skip back to decide the size, shape, and consistency of tissues and organs in the body. The pups will be fully furred and have their eyes open. Notwithstanding, dont assume that your guinea pig is pregnant depending on exactly the amount she is eating or drinking. I feel their feet kicking me. . Place the cage away from direct sunlight and from places where there are loud noises present. Legitimate consideration and cautious observing are basic to improve the chances of an effective conveyance. ?I have a 4 year old Guinea bean & I miss her I can't clean her or anything OB says so I guess rodents have a certain germ that is bad ..? What are some more signs that she is going to go into labor??? Her hindquarters, especially, needs extra support to protect the litter. Water breaking. Thank you for your information. How old do guinea pigs have to be to breed? If your sow is carrying more pups rather than less, her length of pregnancy will more likely be closer to 60 days than 70. All in all, if you notice extreme weight gain on your female pets, feel the tummy gently to detect any pregnancy signs. Handle the sow with care and never treat her roughly. website builder. Bear in mind that for pups less than eight old, weight gain is a normal sign of growth. Many others survive but with complicationscostly to you, painful to her. signs of labor. Weigh your sow weekly to be certain she is gaining weight at a regular pace. There should be little or no blood, especially before any babies have been produced. Nonetheless, at this stage, allow the female cavy to eat and drink as much as she would like. A healthy guinea pig should have no problem going through labor. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. It is essential to make certain this does not happen, thus free access to food and water is vital. Sometimes, the babies come so fast that the Mom has no time to tend to each baby. Is your sow pregnant? She does so, as well, with the placenta. The best clue might be when they stop the mating ritualnatures call has been answered, and they both quiet down. Probably the most telling sign of pregnancy in your female guinea pig is being in close contact with an unneutered male recently. Some guinea pigs have swirls of long hair while others have a coat of soft, short hair. 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. Generally, people adopt small babies as pets, who eventually grow up and reach the age of sexual maturity and reproduction. Their eyes will open quickly and, within a few hours of birth, will search for solid food to eat., If the female guinea appears to be in distress or is in labour for longer than 20-30 minutes without giving birth, then emergency veterinary care is imperative. Shares. If you touch her underbelly a couple of centimeters ahead of the anus, you will be able to feel that the pelvic bones have spread apart. The estrous cycle length is 16 days. Dilationwidening the opening of the cervix. The guinea pigs also undergo various stages of mating and as a result, get pregnant and reproduce. You should be watchful of the sow, because you really wont notice any difference in her appearance for the first few weeks. Her instincts are to remove any smell that will lead predators to her babies. Thats why there are some obvious signs for any owner to notice whether his/her guinea pig is carrying babies. oh, and I do wonder what the piglets will end up looking like maybe you'll get a pleasant mix of long/short hair? I even have an emergency vet lined up if needed. Sows older than 2 years that werent bred before are most at risk. She will give out a cry just as she goes into labor, and it will take about five minutes to birth a pup. Today, they are kept as pets around the globe. To decide when the introduction of the young ones will happen is frequently troublesome in that they have a long development period, and that the sows dont assemble homes. 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