Loosening . She. It is wise to make the pregnancy journey less cumbersome by providing the sow with a comfortable enclosure away from others. Guinea pigs need extra vitamin C during pregnancy, so you may see her favoring the products of the soil having the vitamin C in high quantity over those lacking it. VIVO Pets Rodents Guinea Pigs Pregnant Guinea Pig Signs, Behavior & Care. I have even felt them grinding their teeth. Your email address will not be published. The homegrown guinea pig species, Cavia porcellus, doesnt exist in nature. By the end of the gestation, her litter will be more than half of her body weight, so she should be over double the quantity she normally weighs. An ultrasound output can picture precisely what the knocks are and affirm a pregnancy. During the entire pregnancy process, sows require a rich supply of Vitamin C. It is recommended that pet owners should double the quantity up to 20 mg per day. If youve had cavies for a while, youve undoubtedly noticed from the start that your little, Read More How to Feed Guinea Pigs: An Easy-To-Follow Feeding ScheduleContinue, Guinea pigs spend quite a lot of time in their habitat, so they require an excellent bedding material thats not only highly-absorbent, but soft and cozy too. Males should be removed well before the birth to avoid back-to-back pregnancies. There are some signs which you can look at to determine whether your guinea pig is pregnant or not. Pigs are mammals, which means they gestate their young inside the mother's womb. During this period the mothers double her body weight and get a lot bigger. It is one of the first physical signs your guinea pig is pregnant shows. Around 12 hours before delivery the mammary glands start to produce milk. These little critters can be one solid color, two colors, or tri-colored! Such temperature drops can happen at any point of the pregnancy. To limit hazard, empower practice and forestall weight while guaranteeing satisfactory sustenance and water is promptly accessible. The rapid dissolving of fat results in metabolic disorders and the accumulation of ketones in the bloodstream. Two per week at the most, but one per day is too much. Sows do not usually build nests, so provide some soft bedding in the cage. It takes about 20-30 minutes for the whole litter to be delivered. Guinea pigs can especially sexually mature early for animals. During this time the sow needs to be weighed weekly. Near the end restrain yourself from picking the animal up. In the best-case scenario, make arrangements to have a visiting vet check her every once in a while. Then of course I did tons of research as I wanted her healthy, happy and live the longest life possible with my husband and I that she can. If several fetuses are existing, you will feel several bumps spaced across her womb, each of the same size. However, the following guinea pig pregnancy timeline will simplify the entire gestation period and demystify the experience, so you can provide a stress-free environment for your little mama and her tiny pups.. Great news! Avoid over-feeding her, however, because by the time she moves into the latter stages of pregnancy it will be difficult if shes carrying extra body fat. Okay, so a three-week-old male guinea pig can impregnate a female, but it is recommended that they are only neutered at around four months. Thats why a female guinea pig should be bred before the permanent hardening on the pelvic canal. Mom's can, and are, very vigorous in cleaning up these babies! You probably wont see numerous physical and social indications of pregnancy in guinea pigs from the start. Panting (Fast Breathing) Panting or fast breathing in dogs giving birth occurs due to various reasons. Stillbirth isnt totally uncommon and you should remain calm. The guinea pig gestation period is 59 to 72 days . You most likely wont be able to do this without a proper instrument, as she will only probably put on a few grams per day. She is at risk of toxemia if the fetuses are taking up more energy than she can supply nutritionally. Thus, an increased desire for food may not always indicate pregnancy. Joined Jun 13, 2010 Posts 178. . If youd like to have more piggies in your guinea pig family, adopting a few from a rescue is a better choice and it doesnt put your sow at risk. I rescued these guinea pigs that were pregnant when I got them. Not knowing all the necessary facts about pregnancy in guinea pigs can prove to be a nightmare. Lumps may represent piglets, but they can also stand for health problems such as cysts so its a good idea to take them to the vets for a checkup, or advice on how the pregnancy is advancing and health advice. Copyright 2023 mypetguineapig.com. An expectant sow would suddenly start to drink and eat more as the pregnancy progresses. NEVER try and pull anything out of the Mom. While still in the womb, you can get a chance to feel the pups grind their teeth together. Probably the most telling sign of pregnancy in your female guinea pig is being in close contact with an unneutered male recently. Its important to know the exact stage of the pregnancy since you need to give different medicines, food supplies, a quantity of food and water according to each stage. Nonetheless, be wary that other conditions like cancer or cysts disguise as bumps in the body. As you get closer to labor, your water may break and you may have back pain or . Does she appear calm or grunts and call out to her piglets? And post pictures of the babies. Her instincts are to remove any smell that will lead predators to her babies. In most cases, the small forms are a sign of guinea pig pregnancy. A few proprietors have brought a young guinea pig home, to find that she is pregnant as of now! Some factors like body size, breed and number of fetuses affect the pig gestation period or length. When she has a contraction, she will kind of hunch up. Guinea pigs usually weigh about 1.5-2 lbs. Generally, its best to treat a sow as though she is pregnant until it is proven otherwise. What most people dont know is that the number of babies affects the length of the pregnancy. A pregnant guinea will start to drink and eat more as the pregnancy propels. Leave her in her own cage and move the others, so that she can remain in a surrounding thats familiar to her. Are there any signs of birth before it happens? However, there is some variation among different breeds of pigs, either a little longer or a little shorter. Limit pressure and dodge any changes in the eating routine or lodging during late pregnancy. Guinea pig mother lactates for 2-3 weeks. Duration of guinea pig pregnancy depends on the number of pups: the larger the litter the shorter the pregnancy. 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. Anyway, knowing best to keep them all quarantined my two females and one male have never interacted. Nevertheless, if your sow is not yet matured and is less than 6-8 months of age, she will still be growing and thus weight gain may not be symptomatic of pregnancy. Generally, this happens after the last little one makes its way out. Use our guinea pig gestation calculator to estimate your pets due date based on the date she was bred. After the seventh week, the animal enters the late stage of guinea pig pregnancy. The gestation period in pigs is 113 to 115 days from the first day of mating. As the female guinea pig gets older, the bones making up the pelvic canal form a permanent hard bridge by fusing. There should be little or no blood, especially before any babies have been produced. Some guinea pigs have swirls of long hair while others have a coat of soft, short hair. Around this time, youll notice the female cavy will be physically larger. During pregnancy, a thick plug of mucus blocks the cervical opening to prevent bacteria from entering the uterus. This is easily detectable by squeezing the teats. That way, you get assured of a thriving litter and healthy mother. 3. If male guinea pigs are in the vicinity, you might see them congregating around a pregnant female just prior to labor. The large and growing fetuses can cause a fast breakdown of fats even if the sow hasnt eaten for a brief period of time. We'll discuss all the things you need to know about guinea pig pregnancy. I always try to give her a small piece of fruit so that she has the extra energy to litter (not sure if this is the word for g-pigs, but it is the term for most rodents) if she needs to. Handle the sow with care and never treat her roughly. Are you able to feel the outlines of the babies bodies? Your pregnant sow will require more Vitamin C, about twice so much, so fuse all the more new foods grown from the ground high in nutrient C into her eating routine. By choice and sometimes by accident, a pregnant guinea pig comes under our care. Are there any signs of impending birth for guinea pigs? As soon as you suspect a successful mating, supplement the females usual. This is called a "postpartum oestrus," which means that they can be nursing a litter and pregnant at the same time! How many babies can a guinea pig have at one time? An expectant guinea pig is one source of concern even to experienced pet owners. Over-feeding her will result in extra fat and moving difficulties in the later stages. However, if youre still in the process of deciding whether to breed her, then heed our advice to not breed her. Jane is an advocate for animal welfare and supports organizations dedicated to protecting wildlife. Required fields are marked *. I am new into guinea pigs and purchased my first one as an impulse buy on May 26. Although some pregnant guinea pigs become excessively lazy during the last few days, others behave normally to the last day. Or possibly when. About 5-10 minutes will pass before she has more contractions and has the second . Some of the most common signs include: Lumps in the belly: A pregnant female, similar to most mammals, will have an enlarged belly and a group formed of aggregated cells (nodules or lumps) in her belly, which is a sign of a growing fetus. Guinea Pig Death Process Dead or in Shock. At the end of the process, the placenta emerges and the mother eats it as well. One more thing. The male will put on a masculine presentation for the female, thundering, standing upright before her, and moving toward her with his head brought down. Every living being grows up and reproduces more of their kind, and so do guinea pigs, but lets find out, how to tell if a guinea pig is pregnant? Cavies were tamed at any rate by 900 BCE and conceivably as right on time as 5000 BCE. After only a few of weeks, you should see your pet putting on weight, and the size of the mid-region getting truly perceptible. Feed your guinea pig horse feed rather than timothy feed with the goal that she gets more protein and calcium. Others due to the strain and fatigue require more time to get accustomed. You wont have the option to tell without a doubt until the guinea pig is analyzed and evaluated by a talented veterinary expert. Signs when my Sow will give birth? To feel for the unborn, place the pig on a towel on a firm surface. Copyright 2023 - VIVO Pets. Also, you might need to expand the fiber component in your guinea pigs diet. Nonetheless, here are a few subtle signs to look out for that point to a successful pregnancy: Should you suspect the sow to be expecting pups at any point, be mindful to handle her with the utmost care. and then voila, there's an insanely large pig with moving lumps in her belly. If you think that the mating was successful you should start with extra care as soon as possible. Guinea pigs are adorable, sweet pets that love to express themselves by chattering, squealing, and wheeking. Hello,Normal guinea pig labor is short with few signs that it is going on. Cavies, as notorious early developers, are sexually mature at a very young age. Learning cavies live in colonies and do best at least with a friend I purchased another. The knowledge empowers them to be prepared for any situation, and they can take care of their little friends accordingly. The male guinea pig is called a boar, while the female is known as a sow. Bumps can also refer to ovarian cysts or tumors. 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