Some of the most common signs include: 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. From everything that we had read about guinea pigs, we knew that it was likely that she was already pregnant since she had been housed with all male guinea pigs. Make sure your guinea pig is healthy during its pregnancy, by feeding the following foods: A guinea pigs gestation period is anywhere between 59 and 72 days. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am very lucky, my dog, Ollie doesnt bat an eyelid at fireworks, in fact if were out on an evening walk and a firework goes off I probably jump more than he does. Within a week or two of pregnancy, gently touch the abdomen area of your pet, and you will be able to feel the lumps in her belly, which can be an indication of developing fetus inside the womb. Do Ferrets Need Vaccination Shots? Fingers firmly crossed all the guinea army here send healing vibes :smitten: This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. At first, we thought we could detect 3 guinea pig babies. When a guinea pig is about to give birth, any male guinea pigs near her will gather around and try to become the dominant male in order to both protect the female and mate with her. We decided to leave Theo and Remmy together since they get along so well and crave each others company. For this reason, you need to be prepared for the delivery to occur at any point within the 59 to 72 day range. We had no idea of when Theo would have become pregnant, so we just counted the days from when we brought her home. Once the babies are born, its a good idea to separate the dad from the mom and babies right away. So, we can say that spaying does not help prevent false pregnancy but it does provide health benefits to our guinea pigs. When a guinea pig takes stress, she ovulates and then considers herself as pregnant, but she is not. Four read more . After some days, your guinea pig will herself realize that it is a false pregnancy and will start behaving normally. Oh bless you both Sophie! Regardless of the size of the litter, labour tends to be a relatively short process for guinea pigs, with delivery rarely taking longer than half an hour in total. She loves to research the best methods and products out there and cut through the jargon so you can see plainly what something is or how something is done. Male guinea pigs will typically mate with almost any willing female guinea pig. From the elephants carrying Hannibal over the Alps more than 2,000 years ago, to the dogs, dolphins, and monkeys, working with our armed forces today, animals have served and died in wars and conflicts throughout time. Great products, but what impressed me most was the speed at which I received them. : Sorry I can't help you but not experieced anything like that. Meanwhile, the male pups must be separated from their mother to prevent the new pregnancy cycles complexity. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, it doesnt happen often, and it is usually out of necessity. We suggest you not destroy the nest of guinea pigs as they may get upset and scared by this kind of action, instead of destroying net wait for some days so that she considers it a false pregnancy. Almost 60% of Brits own a pet, and for a good reason. Fortunately enough, if your pet turns out to be pregnant, then do ride your pet to a vet for medical assistance and advice to avoid any later complications. We read that the more babies she is carrying will result in a shorter pregnancy. The tummy starts getting swollen and might have small bumps. Contact with other family pets, or small children. The first physical sign of pregnancy will be weight gain. Can Guinea Pigs Have Straw in Their Cage? Check to see that the guinea pig is eating and drinking; extra vitamin C may also be helpful. So, deciding about pregnancy on the basis of their behavior is not possible. Super high-quality! At this stage, your guinea pig will need empathy and support from you. Therefore, the smaller the litter (one or two pups), the longer is the gestation time. A female is fertile for about 6 to 11 . The average Guinea pig gestation period is 68 days with a range of 59 72 days. Most of the mammals undergo pubic symphysis, and so does the female guinea pig. Yet, even with this, the actual birth could still be several days away. Progesterone production undergoes a luteal to placental shift as in human pregnancy with levels rising during gestation and with labor and delivery occurring without a precipitous decline in maternal progesterone levels. Breeding often reduces the lifespan of female guinea pigs. o [ canine influenza] Cesarean sections are rarely successful in guinea pigs even when performed by a veterinarian who has experience with guinea pigs. According to a guinea pig, there is no difference between phantom and genuine pregnancy. 2. When pregnant the pelvic area relaxes due to the hormonal changes. This is the period when young guinea pigs will develop bonds with humans and learn to accept being held. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. They can even eat solid food shortly after birth. Study now. I received my Hedgehog house, and I am absolutely thrilled with it. Pseudopregnancy is the development of signs of pregnancy without the presence of an implanted embryo or fetus. By this point, your guinea pig will be noticeably larger and may even have some difficulties with mobility, so you need to be extra careful to ensure that access to food and water has not been accidentally cut off by the layout of the cage or hutch. However, if a female of age more than 10 months is bred for the first time, than the severity of pregnancy increases and thus putting in danger both the mother and the child. This could limit the parts of the cage or hutch which are accessible. Wow Ive been blown away by the amazing service and quality of product with Home and Roost. These are specific issues that would be faced and need medical assistance. Like we previously mentioned, if your sow is older than 7 months, you will need to take caution and likely have your guinea pig go through a cesarean section. Can Guinea Pigs Have Phantom Pregnancies? Its a misconception that is developed by the guinea pig, which lasts for approx 20 days. It is also crucial that you know how many babies are in the womb. And we are guessing thats the last thing you need or want. Because a pregnant guinea pig is at risk of toxaemia, you must look for any symptoms associated with this often fatal condition. Finally, and sadly, without veterinary support, it is estimated that around 20 percent of all pregnant guinea pigs die in the post-delivery stage. Talking to your vet about possible care throughout the pregnancy and after the birthing process is vital. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Some vets may even recommend vitamin C supplements. Especially if there are any narrow passages to navigate. A small, clean cage with towels for bedding works well. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. Especially if any of them display aggressive tendencies. In the vast majority of cases, the mother will break the sacs herself, using her teeth, but there are instances where this does not occur. It is important to begin to carefully handle young guinea pigs when they are only 2 or 3 weeks old. You may also notice that your guinea pig becomes clumsy in its movement. It is, therefore, important that unneutered guinea pigs are separated after a couple of weeks, in order to avoid unwanted additional pregnancies. Still, there is nothing to worry about as she can resolve it on her own. So, when its time to give birth and your piggys pelvis cant get bigger, she and her babies can die from birth complications, unless a cesarean is performed. Provide her with a supply of alfalfa hay, [4] which is an excellent source of calcium. How Much Time Should You Spend With Your Guinea Pig? Phantom pregnancies are not common in guinea pigs, but if she faces false pregnancies, you will need to find out why. And Can They See in the Dark? The mother has a single pair of mammary glands from which the newborns will nurse until about 3 weeks of age. Female Guinea pigs often develop a false belief of them being pregnant, which is quite common in animals. There are relatively few obvious indications that a guinea pig is about to deliver its pups and so it can be difficult to pinpoint precisely when this will occur. And most importantly, take appropriate care and heed to their needs and demands. Learn how to introduce your dog to a baby the right way in this article. Allow them to interact with other female guinea pigs to give them the pleasure of companionship. How can I tell if my guinea pig is pregnant? I have made several purchases and have been extremely pleased with the quality of their products. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Copyright 2021 - 2023 Guinea Pig Den | Jennifer Franklin Media LLCThis site does not constitute pet medical advice, please consult a licensed veterinarian in your area for pet medical advice. Guinea pig models for translation of the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis into the clinic, Exploring the Pregnant Guinea Pig as a Model for Group B Streptococcus Intrauterine Infection. calls Colorado home, but has also recently resided in China, Iowa, and Puerto Rico However, guinea pigs often do not react well to surgery, anesthesia, or being kept in unfamiliar surroundings. A typical guinea pig weighs about 1.5-2 lbs. This Is What You Should Know! Delivery is always quick and my goods are very well packaged. Though male spaying is more preferable than the female due to ease in surgery. Although guinea pigs can have more complicated births, if you follow your vets instructions, you will be sure to have a healthy mom and babies by the time the birth rolls around. If your wish is to breed your guinea pig, the best time to breed is before your female turns 7 months old. You should note that the late stages of pregnancy are also the period where your guinea pig is most likely to develop certain health problems, including pregnancy ketosis, which is covered in more detail below. They will nurse from their mother but are able to nibble at solid food (such as moistened pellets) within 2 days. We brought home our male guinea pig pair 65 days ago and never in our wildest dreams imagined that within a few weeks we would have a guinea pig pregnancy! Guinea pig's phantom pregnancy can last up to 20-30 days, and it can last longer in some cases. Spaying or neutering of pet guinea pigs can be done by a veterinarian experienced in dealing with small animals, but the surgery can be expensive and does carry risks. Seperate any Guinea pigs that show aggression. However, they both can achieve fertility earlier than the mentioned period. How can u tell if a guinea pig is pregnant? As she approached day 54 in our care, we knew that it wouldnt be much longer until she would give birth. Lastly, remember to separate the male guinea pig from their mother and female siblings two weeks after they are born, to avoid difficulty at the beginning of a new cycle. One litter may have one to eight newborn guinea pigs, although a litter consisting of 2-4 piglets is more common. Providing the Right Environment During Pregnancy, Tips for Caring for a Pregnant Guinea Pig, Signs That a Guinea Pig is About to Give Birth, Skinny Pig The Ultimate breed and care guide, Guinea Pig Teeth 8 signs of dental issues, how to spot them and what to do, What can Guinea pigs eat? In addition to refilling her water bottle with fresh water daily, you will need to provide her with nutritious food like grass hay, leafy veggies, fruits rich in vitamin C, high-quality pellets, and, if youd like, lucerne hay for an extra protein boost. Therefore, the smaller the litter(one or two pups), the longer is the gestation time. As the name suggests, sows having their first litter at seven months (or older) can experience a slow and difficult birth. Which is why citrus and kiwi fruit can have a role to play. Do not squeeze too hard. The estrous cycle length is 16 days. And. Copyright 2023 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. Spaying/neutering is a surgical method to remove reproductive organs from a male or a female pig. Guinea pig delivery is usually relatively quick, with each of the pups taking somewhere in the region of five minutes to be delivered. Litter size also depends upon the duration of pregnancy. Our goal is to make Guinea Pig Den the ultimate resource for learning about your new guinea pig and helpful information before you bring one home as a pet. With their cute little faces and quirky personalities, pets provide hours of entertainment, devoted friendship and unconditional love. 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. I 1000% recommend home and roost, there hutches are very well made, the wood is thick and there super sturdy when together, I did have a few issues with a missing door and divider and also a few cracked parts however their customer service team are 5 and sorted everything for me the same day and sent new parts out
Avoid holding them from either sideway of the abdomen as it might cause miscarriage. Today we are on day 59 of guinea pig baby watch and already have so many more questions about what to do when the babies arrive. I wonder if my guinea pigs belly is curved from the top is she pregnant?? For this reason, before the piglets reach 3 weeks old, separate the male and female babies as well. To accept being held see that the more babies she is not tummy getting. And unconditional love notice that your guinea pig is at risk of,... Your vet about possible care throughout the pregnancy and will start behaving normally see that the guinea pig takes,... A small, clean cage with towels for bedding works well more common need medical.... Takes stress, she ovulates and then considers herself as pregnant, so just... 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