guinea pig pregnancy stages week by week

This article has been viewed 447,279 times. If it declines every day or continues to change after 5 days, consult the vet. Is she pregnant? 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. After about two or three weeks of pregnancy, the baby guinea pigs can be physically felt. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. What is the Best Bedding for Guinea Pigs? To feel for fetuses, place the sow on a towel on a firm surface. Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. Females can become pregnant immediately after giving birth so make sure that there are no males nearby. Pre-mature birth will need to be followed by a period of artificial incubation. Finally, feed your guinea pig high quality hay and pellets throughout its pregnancy. For different stages of progress, there are different medicines, food supplies, the quantity of food and water, and more! 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. Right? Male guinea pigs will continue to mount pregnant sows, which can cause stress or pain to your pregnant sow late in the pregnancy (after the 50-day mark). So, it is vital that you know which stage of pregnancy your guinea pig is. Common pregnancy complications include metabolic imbalance, difficult birthing, and postpartum issues like seizures. If you feel something and you're not certain what it is, then consult your veterinarian. 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. Find out the Stages Of Pregnancy By Week. Two consecutive weeks with a noticeable hike in weight should probably mean that the piggy is pregnant. Fruits should usually be given sparingly to guinea pigs because the acid can give them mouth ulcers. Make note of all the foods that you offer her, with the quantity and time. 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. The female doubles in weight and hence gets bigger in size too during pregnancy. This way you can keep track of her weight in order to determine any patterns of weight gain that may be indicative of a pregnancy. Once, I had a friend who didnt care about a drastic weight change in his female guinea pig. If the other sow eats it, their own pregnancy may be induced. By using our site, you agree to our. Since guinea pigs attain sexual maturity as early as 6 weeks in their life, even young guinea pigs are bound to get pregnant. If you cannot check on the sow because of work etc. While a female guinea pig is in estrus and he spends time with her overnight, results in her pregnancy. Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. So you wouldnt have to worry about them running away to places they are not supposed to go. And the babies? We got her without knowing that she was a pregnant guinea pig. This period starts from the first day of the last period before your baby is born. They may prescribe treatment that includes injections of dextrose solutions, steroids and calcium, which may or may not be effective. If you suspect that your female guinea pig may be pregnant, then it is best to consult your veterinarian. :)", understand just in case for the future as well, thanks so much for the info. The average guinea pig gestation is 59 - 72 days. Males are territorial. This helped me, "Glad we got educated early. Well, they can be described as an epitome of cuteness! As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Neutering is advised only after the age of 4 months. Doing otherwise can cause pregnancy complications or miscarriage. If you wanna make the process of pregnancy easier on your pal, you better read this section with maximum attention. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 447,279 times. We had no idea of when Theo would have become pregnant, so we just counted the days from when we brought her home. Females can have estrous or fertile periods at any time of the year, but they are most common in the spring. How many babies do guinea pigs get per litter? Newborn guinea pigs weigh about 3.5 ounces (100 g). Ammonia irritates the lungs of pigs and will predispose the pregnant mother to lung infections. This is because sows who are too young are at a greater risk of vitamin deficiencies during pregnancy. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. X ask a friend or neighbour to check on her. They should be kept at the same comfortable temperature as the adults. Individual pet owners should not attempt to breed guinea pigs, according to experts, for two very important reasons: It is worth noting that female guinea pigs can get pregnant at four weeks old. Small litters do not cause the belly to enlarge significantly, and will not be as noticeable. Keep a watchful eye on her eating habits. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. A good idea is to weigh your female guinea pig regularly (perhaps weekly) and to record the weight. So you have to be cautious enough to prevent another pregnancy in your guinea pig. And believe me, you would not want to live with the guilt if something goes wrong. Here, we investigated the effects of parental age, parity, and . Has She Interacted With an Unneutered Male? This may cause dizzy spells, especially . Things to RememberAbout Guinea Pig Pregnancy and Breeding, Terms and Conditions for Pocket pet central, Keeping them in the rooms of your home where loud noises cant be heard, Guinea pigs tend to get stressed when they do not have a pattern in their food, drinking, and outdoor timings. But doctors these days make the surgery sound like the only choice so that they could fill their pockets. An unneutered male guinea pig! As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). However, guinea pigs often do not react well to surgery, anesthesia, or being kept in unfamiliar surroundings. they were both female and have been living together. Of course, all these are high school zoology concepts. Guinea pigs are certainly cute. Thanks for helping me realize that she is pregnant after all! Check to see that the guinea pig is eating and drinking; extra vitamin C may also be helpful. 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). The pups will likely lose weight for the first three days, but after this it should pick up again. A few weeks later I noticed she was getting bigger, I was curious to see if she was pregnant. I am to have more of a informative conversation with my vet on Monday. To Avoid Stress, You Need to Take Several Measures Obviously. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Or if it is the bad news version of the lumps, the vet will help with treating it. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? If they do mate, I will now. However, be aware that other things can feel like bumps in the abdomen. So be sure to consult fair- minded veterinarians, and a second opinion could never hurt. When your guinea pigs reach 16 weeks of age, it is the time that they mature significantly. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. They can begin breeding as young as two months in some cases. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Most inexperienced Guinea pig "breeders" do not understand this concept. Of course, much much cuter! Wait 24 hours after the birth to give additional feeding for one of the pups as it takes this long for some pups to begin feeding at all. The gestation period of a guinea pig can last anywhere from 59 to 72 days depending on how many babies she's carrying. Giving them their favorite toys and treats. The latter logic transcends the former. What a surprise this was. At what age can guinea pigs mate? He is an exotic vet. Absolutely pregnant. Keeping a clean hutch will prevent a build-up of ammonia from urine. Although, guinea pigs tend to eat extra in cold weather too. Male guinea pigs (boars) usually mature sexually and can mate as young as 2-3 months of age. Females can have estrous or fertile periods at any time of the year, but they are most common in the spring. Support wikiHow by Facultatea Business si Turism. For obvious reasons, your guinea pig needs extra nutrition when she is pregnant. Other adverse effects include a loss of appetite out of fear, which could also result in fatal effects. Thats right, they have a distinction between emotions and the mind, just like humans, even though both are processed and caused by the same brain! And hand those records to your vert during his weekly visit so that he can comprehend the situation in hand better. But make sure your handling of her is minimal. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! You vet may also be able to hear the piglets' heartbeats in the sow's abdomen. Discovered how versatile a. 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 Use for phrases References The pups will be able to eat solid food from day one, and the mother will introduce them to new food herself. Finally, have the pregnancy confirmed by a veterinarian, who can perform an ultrasound and give you information about caring for a pregnant guinea pig. ", needed available in a clear, concise manner, super simple, and now I feel confident in my unexpected blessing. The vet may try to manipulate the piglet into a position where the mother can pass it. The period of time between getting pregnant and the birth is called the gestation period. Their shapes are very cylindrical-like and can be compared to tangerines in body appearance. However, both males and females can mature and be fertile even earlier. Note that she may chew the cardboard, so have extra boxes or use a wicker or thick-plastic box. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common. Whilst a pup becoming stuck in the birth canal or born breech is common, never intervene yourself. But pregnancy is far from straightforward for guinea pigs. What are the Similarities and Differences Beetwen Humans and Guinea Pigs in Pregnancy? 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. The minute you are sure your guinea pig is pregnant, make sure you get it to your vets attention. With your non-dominant hand hold her steady around the shoulders, with her head facing away from you. I told my mom and took her to the vet, and they said she was pregnant. She could also become pregnancy just two hours after she gives birth. If pregnant, your guinea pig may have a single piglet or up to 3-4. The temperature outside or in a garage/shed usually becomes too cold at night for a pregnant guinea pig. Guinea pigs are important animal models for human disease, and both outbred and inbred lines are utilized in biomedical research. If you are concerned about the mother or have serious health worries about one of the pups contact a vet immediately, however. Joined Mar 1, 2014 . Pet stores also often house both sexes together, and some breeders do not separate the sexes early enough so it is possible the sow was already pregnant when you bought her. AmberCalzone Well-known Member. no im not breeding i thought my guinea pig was a boy but he was actually a she and now shes pregnant . Yeah, tests are very very important to take appropriate care of your pregnant guinea pig. Moreover, neutering does not take immediate effect. 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. 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. Our professionals are qualified to care for your guinea pig. This is the period when young guinea pigs will develop bonds with humans and learn to accept being held. {"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":"