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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Richardson, Diseases of the Domestic Guinea Pig. So they wont fight with each other. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Your body: During both the first and second trimester, your blood pressure may decrease slightly from its pre-pregnancy number. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. However, do not assume that your guinea pig is pregnant based on just how much she is eating or drinking. Of course, all these are high school zoology concepts. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. The minute you are sure your guinea pig is pregnant, make sure you get it to your vets attention. Then the male started trying to jump over the female. 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. Also see professional content regarding management of guinea pigs Guinea Pigs Guinea pigs, like chinchillas, are hystricognath rodents. Birth can sometimes be more complicated because of several medical reasons. However, be aware that other things can feel like bumps in the abdomen. Whilst a pup becoming stuck in the birth canal or born breech is common, never intervene yourself. It will be too stressful for her. They can begin breeding as young as two months in some cases. So you should. They belong to the family Cavidae, which contains 14 species of animals commonly known as cavies and Patagonian hares (or maras). However, with the proper care, this risk can be significantly reduced and your pregnant guinea pig can be kept in good health. Use for phrases 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. For young guinea pigs, this may include supplementing her diet with Critical Care of a similar product. 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. Ammonia irritates the lungs of pigs and will predispose the pregnant mother to lung infections. It is not enough if you understand that. How Can You Know if Your Guinea Pig is Pregnant? The whole pregnancy period. The estrous cycle length is 16 days. You can also touch her abdomen gently to feel for piglets in the womb. 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. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. Sows who are too old are at a greater risk of the pelvis not being 'elastic' enough to expand during the birthing process. unlocking this expert answer. If there is not an out-of-hours vet in your area, discuss this with your vet to come up with a plan. If your sow is carrying more pups rather than less, her length of pregnancy will more likely be closer to 60 days than 70. "Just found out our rescued pig was pregnant even after two exams and one ultrasound. Regardless of how pregnancy occurs, the average guinea pig gestation period is 65 days. If you wanna make the process of pregnancy easier on your pal, you better read this section with maximum attention. As early as six weeks of age. 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. 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. The latter logic transcends the former. Male guinea pigs can impregnate a female at as young as 3 weeks old and a female guinea pig can become pregnant at as young as 4 weeks old, so don't be doubtful if your guinea pig is pregnant due to age. Because yeah, more the number, more the time to nourish them, sounds logical. Avoid over-feeding if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_15',130,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-narrow-sky-1-0');The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) can be a helpful natural contraceptive in case of humans for a brief period after the birth of a child. If pregnant, your guinea pig may have a single piglet or up to 3-4. If your guinea pig allows you to touch her, use your fingers to gently examine her sides and stomach. Guinea Pig Pregnancy Stages Week By Week - Pregnancy Nicky Dalere (@NickyDalere) August 29, 2016 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js August 29, 2016 at 01:30AM At this stage, you have to feed your developing guinea pigs with pellets specially formulated for them. Not only does it scare her, but also causes pain due to the pressure put by our arms. Sows that reach adulthood without a prior pregnancy may not be able to deliver their young normally. A small, clean cage with towels for bedding works well. When you are sure the birth is over, you can assist the sow in cleaning by removing any stained bedding. To learn more about what to expect during the pregnancy, read on! Vitamin C is highly unstable and breaks down within 8 weeks of the manufacturing date. Publisher: Pergamon The gestation period of a guinea pig can last anywhere from 59 to 72 days depending on how many babies she's carrying. Stage #2. Pregnancy for guinea pigs or guinea pig gestation period can last anywhere from 59 days to 72 days, though the average is 65 days. This will keep your guinea pig from slipping. The temperature outside or in a garage/shed usually becomes too cold at night for a pregnant guinea pig. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. But what I was certain about, is that no other guinea pig should face the same fate. 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. References Things to Watch Out for During Guinea Pig Pregnancy If you suspect that your guinea pig is experiencing any of these during gestation, try to take them to a veterinarian to get diagnosed properly. ", How to Tell if Your Guinea Pig Is Pregnant, Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/guinea-pig-care, http://kb.rspca.org.au/I-think-my-guinea-pig-might-be-pregnant-what-should-I-do_354.html, http://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html, https://petguineapigcare.com/breeding-babies/, saber si tu conejilla de Indias est preada, , Saber se seu Porquinho da ndia Fmea est Grvida, Erkennen ob dein Meerschweinchen trchtig ist, savoir si son cochon d'Inde attend des petits. Absolutely pregnant. Of course, much much cuter! Starting from how to know if your guinea pig is pregnant, to how to care for a pregnant guinea pig, to all characteristics of the gestation period, to the birth of the litter, I will lead you through every little detail of guinea pig pregnancy in the upcoming sections of this post! If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. The pups do not require a heat lamp or heating pad. For different stages of progress, there are different medicines, food supplies, the quantity of food and water, and more! 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 doctors these days make the surgery sound like the only choice so that they could fill their pockets. In Summary. Females can have estrous or fertile periods at any time of the year, but they are most common in the spring. However, there are some signs you can watch for at home. Offer fresh vegetables every day. Make the introductions gradual as the adults will be a lot larger and could do them serious harm. When your guinea pigs reach 16 weeks of age, it is the time that they mature significantly. This is when the single-celled zygote develops into full baby guinea pigs by cell division. After about two or three weeks of pregnancy, the baby guinea pigs can be physically felt. Since they no longer eat just for them, but also for the baby piggies inside, they eat more than the usual amount. This causes mineral deficiency. We can understand why a guinea pig would need extra comfort during pregnancy, given that she does not move as much as she used to. Females can have estrous or fertile periods at any time of the year, but they are most common in the spring. To find out how to house your guinea pig during pregnancy and how to prepare for it to give birth, keep reading! However, a caesarean surgery may be required. A local breeder may also be willing to help. 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! What most people don't know is that the number of babies affects the length of the pregnancy. How many babies do guinea pigs get per litter? Clean the water bottle weekly to prevent the build-up of algae and bacteria. Recovery from neutering could take as long as 6 weeks. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Guinea pigs arrive at sexual development early, some when they are only five weeks or a month and a half old. Enter search terms to find related veterinary topics, multimedia and more. I love animals! 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. So obviously he didnt provide the level of care needed for a pregnant guinea pig. As the pregnancy develops, carefully check the guinea pig twice a week for signs of illness, like crusty eyes or a patchy coat. If you suspect that your female guinea pig may be pregnant, then it is best to consult your veterinarian. If I felt my pregnant guinea pig's belly and caused her a miscarriage, what would the signs be? How can I tell? If you have any concerns, do not hesitate to get to a vet. This information is then translated into an image. X They are born precocial, which means they already have teeth and fur, and from their earliest moments they can see, hear, and move about. Their shapes are very cylindrical-like and can be compared to tangerines in body appearance. We got her without knowing that she was a pregnant guinea pig. By using our site, you agree to our. I would start looking up local guinea pig rescues so they can take some babies and help getting all the pigs fixed before she gets pregnant again (this can happen very fast after she gives birth). ", Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, Aiutare un Porcellino d'India in Gravidanza, s'occuper d'un cochon d'Inde durant la priode de gestation. And believe me, you would not want to live with the guilt if something goes wrong. Read more about this in our helpful guide. Note that she may chew the cardboard, so have extra boxes or use a wicker or thick-plastic box. Last Updated: November 26, 2022 wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Thanks for helping me realize that she is pregnant after all! Support wikiHow by Make note of the time and amount of water during each refill. I grew up with everything from dogs and cats to rabbits and guinea pigs. All rights reserved. Then they started to do an unusual sound, which I suspected was a mating call. Well, I guess this is the most important section of this post. He is an exotic vet. So, in this article, let's see how a fetus will change week by week to become a baby. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! Of course, as you probably already know, a break between two consecutive estrus cycles can be caused only by a pregnancy. If you feel lumps under your fingers this is a sign the female is pregnant. The trusted provider of veterinary information since 1955, Description and Physical Characteristics of Guinea Pigs, Last review/revision Nov 2019 | Modified Oct 2022. Your vet will instruct you with all the necessary tests to be taken. Yeah, sounds weird, but it actually works with several other animals too. Remember guinea pigs are social animals and should be kept in groups, so if you own both a boar and a sow make sure to provide company of the same sex for both of them. 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. If you let your guard down after one litter being born, without watching the females interaction with un-neutered males, the mother who just delivered a litter could get knocked up once again! They eat solid food right after being born, unlike human babies. You'll need to encourage her into a transport cage through treats or her favourite vegetables/fruit. Individual pet owners should not attempt to breed guinea pigs, according to experts, for two very important reasons: If your pet has too much of this, it can build up in urine and cause bladder stones. Not knowing how to care for your furry pal when shes pregnant makes the whole thing scary, while knowing all about it makes the news heartening. Safety from injury should take precedence over hygiene. 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. She died along with the litter. Now they are about the normal size of an adult guinea pig like the first ones you see if you google. Finally, have the pregnancy confirmed by a veterinarian, who can perform an ultrasound and give you information about caring for a pregnant guinea pig. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! The gestation period in guinea pigs could be anywhere between 59-72 days. It is not very different from human pregnancy. Try to find a vet who specializes in rodents and other small animals, rather than just a generic vet. Though it is usually closer to 3-4 months. Research source Publisher: Pergamon. :)", understand just in case for the future as well, thanks so much for the info. Has She Interacted With an Unneutered Male? What are the Similarities and Differences Beetwen Humans and Guinea Pigs in Pregnancy? The optimal maintenance of guinea pig colonies, commercially and in research settings, relies on robust informed breeding programs, however, breeding data on specialized inbred strains are limited. A guinea pig's pregnancy lasts about 9 or 10 weeks. 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. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common. Do not rely on foods that list added Vitamin C as an ingredient. If you need to transport your guinea pig, never pick her up by her stomach as it can harm the unborn guinea pigs and the mother herself. No relationship can survive without understanding. Does anybody have like weekly signs of guinea pig pregnancy like week one no sights week two they eat more something like that thanks . For obvious reasons, your guinea pig needs extra nutrition when she is pregnant. One, it could be your baby guinea pigs. So, it should not come as a surprise if female and male pups are kept in one enclosure. Another sign is a hike in food intake. Common pregnancy complications include metabolic imbalance, difficult birthing, and postpartum issues like seizures. This site is run by Anna, Niklas and Jesper - three curious, caring and animal-loving people.
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