guinea pig pregnancy stages week by week

Be very careful if you need to hold or handle a pregnant guinea pig. So they wont fight with each other. The temperature outside or in a garage/shed usually becomes too cold at night for a pregnant guinea pig. Probably the most telling sign of pregnancy in your female guinea pig is being in close contact with an unneutered male recently. The intercourse with an unneutered male guinea pig causes pregnancy in a female obviously. However, be aware that other things can feel like bumps in the abdomen. o [ canine influenza] 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. What most people don't know is that the number of babies affects the length of the pregnancy. Even a slight mishandling could lead to enormous amounts of pain. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Try to find a vet who specializes in rodents and other small animals, rather than just a generic vet. So follow a routine. This is because sows who are too young are at a greater risk of vitamin deficiencies during pregnancy. Read more about this in our helpful guide. Pregnancy is risky for female guinea pigs, particularly for those older than 8 months and younger than 3 months and sows over the age of 2 years who have already had 2 litters. Or if it is the bad news version of the lumps, the vet will help with treating it. 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. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. At what age can you neuter your guinea pig? Whilst guinea pigs should never be bred intentionally, coming home from the pet store with a guinea pig who is already pregnant is a common story. 8 weeks after birth the guinea pig pups double their size by adding 3-4 inches (8-10 cm). To prevent high stress levels, which can lead to disease, keep your guinea pig away from direct sunlight. Right. 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. There is no need to remove other sows, they may even help with the pups. We want to provide you with all the information for your furry little pals! By using our site, you agree to our. Antreprenoriat BT. Then, the ultrasound probe is placed on skin and emits a high-frequency sound that is inaudible to human ears. A good idea is to weigh your female guinea pig regularly (perhaps weekly) and to record the weight. 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. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. 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. 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. The vet may try to manipulate the piglet into a position where the mother can pass it. If I felt my pregnant guinea pig's belly and caused her a miscarriage, what would the signs be? Symptoms include refusal to eat, lethargy, and rapid weight loss. Not always is it ensured that the mother will deliver her litter by natural means. But that should be done only when you are present to monitor. Also see professional content regarding management of guinea pigs Guinea Pigs Guinea pigs, like chinchillas, are hystricognath rodents. 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. Because yeah, more the number, more the time to nourish them, sounds logical. You may think that personal hygiene of your guinea pig is important during pregnancy. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). What a surprise this was. This is the period when young guinea pigs will develop bonds with humans and learn to accept being held. Pre-mature birth will need to be followed by a period of artificial incubation. For young guinea pigs, this may include supplementing her diet with Critical Care of a similar product. Male guinea pigs (boars) usually mature sexually and can mate as young as 2-3 months of age. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Research source What is the Best Bedding for Guinea Pigs? Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. 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. For different stages of progress, there are different medicines, food supplies, the quantity of food and water, and more! Newborn guinea pigs weigh about 3.5 ounces (100 g). The entire span of 40 weeks of the pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. If the weight does not pick up, or a pup does not improve with additional feeding, consult the vet. The gestation period of a guinea pig can last anywhere from 59 to 72 days depending on how many babies she's carrying. A pregnant sow will begin to drink and eat more as the pregnancy advances. You can crop their hair to maintain hygiene, even if you cannot cut it perfectly. How many babies do guinea pigs get per litter? Giving them their favorite toys and treats. If you suspect that your female guinea pig may be pregnant, then it is best to consult your veterinarian. However, toxemia is in part a lack of sugar, so keeping sugar levels high is important. The expected duration of a pregnancy is at least 65 days, but it still relies on the number of offspring she is carrying. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! Please confirm that you are a health care professional. The average number of days female guinea pigs stay pregnant is 65 days. Small litters do not cause the belly to enlarge significantly, and will not be as noticeable. Which Can Include: Being vigilant about their activities is vital to their well-being. :)", understand just in case for the future as well, thanks so much for the info. Doing otherwise can cause pregnancy complications or miscarriage. The pups will likely lose weight for the first three days, but after this it should pick up again. 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. Fruits should usually be given sparingly to guinea pigs because the acid can give them mouth ulcers. Individual pet owners should not attempt to breed guinea pigs, according to experts, for two very important reasons: But it contains more than necessary amounts for a regular guinea pig. If they do survive the first week they have a shorter than normal life expectancy and will require large amounts of medical care throughout their lives. % of people told us that this article helped them. Having somewhere to hide will reduce stress. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. You may think a little touch or petting couldnt hurt. This is going to be all the more obvious if she was a very active female before she was pregnant. Due to several factors including age, weight, other diseases, nutritive health, etc., females could be inefficient of nourishing and/or delivering the litter. Finally, have the pregnancy confirmed by a veterinarian, who can perform an ultrasound and give you information about caring for a pregnant guinea pig. Though it is usually closer to 3-4 months. 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. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. And believe me, you would not want to live with the guilt if something goes wrong. 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. Birth can sometimes be more complicated because of several medical reasons. They should be kept at the same comfortable temperature as the adults. have company. As a general rule, guinea pigs do not respond well to anaesthetic so if it is possible, separating the sexes is a safer option. But now that they are arrested in your home, you must be ready to step up and take responsibility. You'll need to encourage her into a transport cage through treats or her favourite vegetables/fruit. So, the first step in knowing if your guinea pig is pregnant? Make any changes as early as possible in the pregnancy, when the stress will have less of an effect on the sow. Has She Interacted With an Unneutered Male? Excess vitamin C is passed in the urine so cant be over-dosed, but other vitamins can build up and create problems. The estrous cycle length is 16 days. This helped me, "Glad we got educated early. The vet will assess the guinea pigs condition. Guinea pig's pregnancy: final stage. This happens not only in human pregnancy but also in the case of animals. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. If there is a likelihood any of the pups are born with this condition you must decide what action you will take. As early as six weeks of age. If it is pregnancy, your veterinarian will give you an appraisal of the progress and give you advice on how to care for your piggy. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'pocketpetcentral_com-leader-2','ezslot_9',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-pocketpetcentral_com-leader-2-0');Sometimes, surgery could be necessary. Guinea pigs arrive at sexual development early, some when they are only five weeks or a month and a half old. Remove any other pregnant sows. But that isnt the case in guinea pigs. After the surgery, keep your pet quiet and separated from other guinea pigs while recovering. The female doubles in weight and hence gets bigger in size too during pregnancy. If your pet has too much of this, it can build up in urine and cause bladder stones. For obvious reasons, your guinea pig needs extra nutrition when she is pregnant. Stress is one of the most common reasons for death in guinea pigs, during pregnancy no less! 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). If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. For the first week, the babies do not actually rely on the mother for food. It will be too stressful for her. If there are any signs that the pregnant sow is not getting on with another guinea pig, do not hesitate to remove the other guinea pig, but leave the pregnant sow in the hutch/cage she is in. Joined Mar 1, 2014 . If your guinea pig allows you to touch her, use your fingers to gently examine her sides and stomach. AmberCalzone Well-known Member. 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 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! 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. They belong to the family Cavidae, which contains 14 species of animals commonly known as cavies and Patagonian hares (or maras). However, there are some signs you can watch for at home. o [pig guinea] 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. This is when the single-celled zygote develops into full baby guinea pigs by cell division. Do not crowd the mother have only one person in the room, but another on standby to make calls if necessary. Avoid making changes to a pregnant sow's cage, like removing toys or putting the cage in a totally new location. But thats wrong! 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. 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. He was lonely, so my family decided to get a girl for him to. If at any point her weight begins to fall or if she begins to show signs of illness, consult a vet immediately. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common. We kept a close eye on Theo as her due date approached. If there is not an out-of-hours vet in your area, discuss this with your vet to come up with a plan. Guinea pigs, even when not pregnant, are vulnerable to mood swings. No relationship can survive without understanding. The towels should be changed at least twice a day. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Maybe in the woods, they can take care of themselves. This period starts from the first day of the last period before your baby is born. ", all. You vet may also be able to hear the piglets' heartbeats in the sow's abdomen. They will nurse from their mother but are able to nibble at solid food (such as moistened pellets) within 2 days. 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. This is an emergency situation requiring an immediate c-section. The probe records the echoes as the sound waves bounce back in order to determine the size, shape, and consistency of internal tissues and organs. Keeping a clean hutch will prevent a build-up of ammonia from urine. I told my mom and took her to the vet, and they said she was pregnant. A few weeks later I noticed she was getting bigger, I was curious to see if she was pregnant. A few proprietors have brought a young guinea pig home, to find that she is pregnant as of now! All rights reserved. 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. {"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":"