Thank you for your information. The early stage consists of the first few days after mating. The Short-haired Guinea Pig Breeds is the coolest. If you feel lumps under your fingers this is a sign the female is pregnant. This thing will assist you with moving towards the additional examination. The middle stage is up until the seventh week of pregnancy. Guinea pigs arrive at sexual development early, some when they are only five weeks or a month and a half old. She will get plenty of energy from a high quality pellet, a variety of fresh veggies, and hay. Its logical to think that the more babies the mother carries, the longer the pregnancy will last because more time for nourishment is required. If your guinea pig has been pregnant for more than about two or three weeks then you might be capable of very gently feeling the unborn in your pet. By choice and sometimes by accident, a pregnant guinea pig comes under our care. It makes me so happy and very worried at the same time. The second stage of labor is the actual pushing of pigs out of the birth canal. Dogs, cats, rats mice and reptiles go off their feed a little, but I know guinea pigs usually don't. Belly and lower back pain. A visit to the vet will help determine if your cavy is pregnant. Hi there! signs of labor. Pigs have an average gestation period of 114 days (3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days). The pregnancy of the guinea pig will be shorter if there is a larger litter size. The pups will be fully furred and have their eyes open. Her body will be positioned in a down-squat on all four legs. (Benefits, Risks, Servings & FAQs), Baytril For Guinea Pigs (Side Effects, Efficacy, Dosage & FAQs), Signs Your Guinea Pig Hates You (Top 7 & And How to Fix It). During all of the stage and especially during the last stage of pregnancy the sow should remain in a calm environment. Changes in the Estrous Cycle. Male guinea pigs will keep on mounting pregnant sows, which can put pressure or torment your pregnant sow late in the pregnancy (after the 50-day mark). Watch your sow for signs of illness during pregnancy. During the first month or so, there arent a lot of physical signs to indicate your sow is a mom-to-be. Just to clarify (as most of you know). The estrous cycle takes 21 days. And remember, even a neutered male can get a female pregnant. By the time males are 3-4 weeks old, they should be separated from the females or you may have a whole new cycle of pregnancy to deal with! This behavior serves as an attempt not only to soon breed with the female, but also to guard her from danger. Two per week at the most, but one per day is too much. Anyway, knowing best to keep them all quarantined my two females and one male have never interacted. mypetguineapig.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Cheers, Adrian @ GuineaPigCare.com.au, Adrian, thank you so much for making this post. This is 59 days from exposure. Nonetheless, here are a few subtle signs to look out for that point to a successful pregnancy: Weight gain after 2+ weeks Increase in food and water intake Mood changes due to rise in hormone level Increase in fatigue, resulting in more sleeping and/or change in sleeping pattern Noticeable enlargement of nipples Around this time, youll notice the female cavy will be physically larger. All in all, if you notice extreme weight gain on your female pets, feel the tummy gently to detect any pregnancy signs. 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. Not at all like in different species, the pressure of taking blood can antagonistically influence the wellbeing of pregnant guinea pigs. What you're looking at in the photo above is the clitoral hood of a gilt, that is to say a female pig who has not yet had a litter. If there are male guinea pigs present at the time of birth, they will compete between themselves to mate with the mother and protect the newborn guinea pigs. This is easily detectable by squeezing the teats. A List of Safe, Healthy Chewables for your CaviesContinue, Are you searching for an awesome guinea-pig-themed gift? Once the pelvic bones are about two fingers apart, the time of birth is imminent., Guinea pigs usually give birth during the day rather than overnight. Also, let us know when mom and babies are doing well. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I am a little glad that there are more because that means they will be smaller, but I don't want too many. Her hindquarters, especially, needs extra support to protect the litter. Common pregnancy complications include metabolic imbalance, difficult birthing, and postpartum issues like seizures. But usually, by the second day, they realize that no one else is tending to these little noisy creatures so they might as well do it. What any professional on the matter will tell you is not to breed your guinea if you are still in the process of making the final decision. View our privacy policy and our disclosure policy for more information. Are you able to feel the outlines of the babies bodies? Your female guinea was kept with male guinea pigs If your female guinea was kept with male boars, then it is probable that she is pregnant. Bloody show. Also, one may observe a mucous discharge from the vulva. Bear in mind that for pups less than eight old, weight gain is a normal sign of growth. 6 Signs of a Pregnant Pig. Guinea pigs arrive at sexual development at a youthful age 2 months for females and 3 months for males. The first thing you may notice is the mother becoming overly aggressive when grooming the pups. 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. Once they are one to two finger-widths apart, it wont be long until birth. After the seventh week, the animal enters the late stage of guinea pig pregnancy. In most cases, a guinea pigs mothers instincts do not kick in immediately. This process can take up to 2-3 hours. That's when the delivery starts and if everything is normal the first pup will come out in about 5 minutes. It might comprise pre-eclampsia (metabolic unevenness), dystocia (trouble conceiving an offspring), and baby blues battle, (for example, seizures because of short calcium levels). You have to rely on a combination of indicators. If your sow is carrying more pups rather than less, her length of pregnancy will more likely be closer to 60 days than 70. Although the guinea pig gestation period varies, the guinea pig gestation period typically lasts between 59-72 days. As in humans, this happens when pups grow and take up more space. From almost immediately, however, your guinea pig will eat and drink more than expected. Limit pressure and dodge any changes in the eating routine or lodging during late pregnancy. 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? 2 Remove any boars. The first noticeable sign on a pregnant sow is an increased appetite. Before going into labor some guinea pigs produce grunt sounds. Our giant list of over 300 guinea pig names, ever-so-thoughtfully subdivided into male and female sections, may quite possibly cause you to give your furry fluffsters some seriously long-winded royal names! Nonetheless, at this stage, allow the female cavy to eat and drink as much as she would like. It is possible to make out fetuses 12 weeks after conception. Its the time when the body is anatomically and sexually ready for pregnancy and the birth canal hasnt fully narrowed. The release of the placenta is the third and final farrowing stage. Naturally, they have narrow birth canals. Weigh your sow weekly to be certain she is gaining weight at a regular pace. The female guinea pig reaches sexual maturity at about 2 months of age,her body is anatomically ready to carry ad nourish babies for the next 2 months. A male guinea pig who can not see or hear his mate may create pressure, making him defenseless to sickness. The feeding of a pregnant guinea pig should also include the following modifications: Calcium enriched hay as pregnancy increases guinea pig calcium requirements. 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. The estrous cycle length is 16 days. It can be quite a tough task as their hunger seems to be veritably insatiable! Your email address will not be published. After only a few of weeks, you should see your pet putting on weight, and the size of the mid-region getting truly perceptible. A few proprietors have brought a young guinea pig home, to find that she is pregnant as of now! Avoid putting any pressure on her body. Respiratory rate increases, and sometimes pigs will breathe through open mouths. Make the habit of repeatedly measuring your pets weight, at least twice a month. However, if youre still in the process of deciding whether to breed her, then heed our advice to not breed her. During pregnancy, the cervix stays closed and plugged up with mucus (aptly called the "mucus plug"). Male guinea pigs as young as 3 weeks old can impregnate a female, and a female guinea pig as young as a month old, can get pregnant. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! Ultrasounds are non-intrusive and dont need sedation. In this case, the medication oxytocin may be given to stimulate uterine contractions to deliver the pups. 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. I named her Janice. Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum! It takes two or three weeks to wean pups, and remember that the baby males must be separated by the time they are at most three weeks old. You should also provide the sow with a stress-free environment. 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. Most likely, the substance is the first stool coming from the piglet inside the womb. Equally, keep them in a clean environment because ammonia fumes from the beddings may affect the pups at birth. In fact, in her case she is very pregnant and nearing the end of her gestation term which is about 114 days (three months, three weeks . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hello,Normal guinea pig labor is short with few signs that it is going on. Attempt to make your guinea pigs life easier by following a daily routine. Daily touch-up cleaning of her habitat to keep it as clean as possible without removing her. Cervix begins to dilate. If you notice a pup with the sac remaining over its face, break the membrane open with your finger nail. How many babies can a guinea pig have at one time? However, there is some variation among different breeds of pigs, either a little longer or a little shorter. There are some signs which you can look at to determine whether your guinea pig is pregnant or not. So you should be able to get some needed rest. Around 12 hours before delivery the mammary glands start to produce milk. The milk provides some very important nutrients for the babies. If the female is receptive to his suggestion, she will signal her acceptance with loud squeals. Although some pregnant guinea pigs become excessively lazy during the last few days, others behave normally to the last day. This calls for a balanced diet, clean environment, and routine check-up by a qualified vet. The gestation period in guinea pigs could be anywhere between 59-72 days. On the other hand, keeping a pregnant sow with boars poses a greater danger. Is your female guinea pig getting more chubby lately, leaving you wondering if youll soon have a bunch of fluff balls running around? Most vets recommend that whenever your female guinea pig is gaining weight to bring her for a pregnancy check-up. Lastly, it takes about 2-4 weeks to wean guinea pups. Today, they are kept as pets around the globe. Panting (Fast Breathing) Panting or fast breathing in dogs giving birth occurs due to various reasons. As you get closer to labor, your water may break and you may have back pain or . Chris got Tabythas momma from someone who said "no no, she's not pregnant! Your email address will not be published. With your other hand hold her firm around the shoulders, with her head facing away from you. Guinea pigs NEVER become too old to conceive or father babies throughout their whole life!!! Sectioned sows may develop agalactia and both sow and . In reality, close to 20% of expectant sows die while giving birth. My name is Tim Rhodes and I'm a guinea pig enthusiast through thick and thin. Sometimes, they prolapse their uterus, and you will need to get to a vet. She also needs extra vitamin C; you can give at least 10mg orally. However, if the readings are low for two consecutive days, you can consider the temperature drop as a sign of imminent labor. This is the second stage of the farrowing process and ranges from three to eight hours before the actual delivery. When there is a dominant male, theres a likelihood that the other males wont try to interact with the mother. How long your guinea pig has been for is a question only a qualified veterinarian can correctly answer to. Pig is pregnant a few proprietors have brought a young guinea pig has been for is sign... Daily touch-up cleaning of her habitat to keep it as clean as possible without removing.! So happy and very worried at the most, but I do n't too! 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