Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). At maximum, a female can give birth to 8 pups in one litter. If you notice your guinea pig rapidly putting on weight or have . Breeding a female guinea pig for the first time after she reaches 8 months of age can be very dangerous because of the normal stiffening of the pubic symphysis (a joint of tough fibrous cartilage between the 2 pubic bones of the pelvis) that occurs when the female reaches adulthood. One litter may have one to eight pups. A larger litter will result in a shorter pregnancy. Apart from preventing pregnancy, it is also done to avoid uterine cancer and lump formation in females mammary glands, whereas to prevent testicle infection in males. There have been instances of male guinea pigs impregnating their mothers in as little as five weeks. Contact with other family pets, or small children. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. 2. However, your guinea pig eating more than usual could otherwise be an indication of some underlying health condition if not pregnancy. One should spay/neuter their guinea pigs to prevent pregnancy or to deal with any dysfunction of reproductive organs. Spaying at an early age can keep her hormones under control and reduces the chances of stress based ovulation. Especially if there are any narrow passages to navigate. However, there are many health benefits of spaying your guinea pigs. However, they both can achieve fertility earlier than the mentioned period. female guinea pig pups can be left with their mother for a longer nursing period. On a light note, neutering will also let you keep a population check on these little animals. Such a helpful man who went the extra mile to ensure that the carrier had precise instructions on where to leave the hedgehog house and food etc., as the recipient would be out. Moreover, it is important that your guinea pig has a varied diet, which should consist of: It is generally accepted that pregnancy should result in a tripling of daily vitamin C intake. Each week, Theo grew in size and became more pear shaped. If you feel lumps under your fingers this is a sign the female is pregnant. Surely not, if females are bred during the age of 3-8 months. She also began to eat a lot more hay and would wheek loudly at us begging for more fruits and veggies. Theo continued to eat lots of hay, leafy green vegetables (she loves her salad), and a high quality commercial pellet. Enter search terms to find related veterinary topics, multimedia and more. Black cats have long been a symbol of Halloween and are closely associated with all things witchy. Guinea pig pups should only be weaned from their mum at around three weeks for optimal health and growth. Your pregnant guinea pig will start to eat and drink up to three times the amount that she usually does. Wiki User. It is a psychological behavior that makes them believe that they are pregnant when they are not. (Normal & Abnormal Poop). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Free next-day delivery and customer service is second to none. Litter size also depends upon the duration of pregnancy. When they are born, they are born with hair, teeth, and the ability to walk around. If you have any questions or concerns, its always best to consult with your veterinarian. Finally, it is important to try to keep the diet as consistent as possible for the duration of the pregnancy. The vet said the only thing is to get her pregnant and that would stop it. There are various signs of pregnancy in guinea pigs. They will nurse from their mother but are able to nibble at solid food (such as moistened pellets) within 2 days. Provide her with a supply of alfalfa hay, [4] which is an excellent source of calcium. Its a good idea to determine when your pregnant guinea pig will give birth, and the type of care she will need during and after delivery. calls Colorado home, but has also recently resided in China, Iowa, and Puerto Rico You have a picture that is clearly NOT baby Guinea pigs since they are born with hair. She will engage in this behavior for at least 20-30 days, and after this, a phantom pregnancy comes to an abrupt halt, and guinea pigs return to normal. Avoid standard delivery by them if above 10 months and bred for the first time since birth. Keep in mind that a boar can get a female (also known as a sow) pregnant even after being neutered. However, it is important to know that pregnancy in a guinea pig is significantly different from human pregnancy. If you have not paid enough attention to appetite, kind of stool, the requirement of various vital nutrients needed for pregnancy, then it might result into medical conditions such as low calcium(hypocalcemia), toxemia(poisoning of blood due to the bacterial infection), discharging of body fluids, etc. How do you no if a guinea pig has a phantom pregnancy? Separating bonded guinea pigs can cause stress to them, which can also lead to ovulation. A pregnant sow will begin to drink and eat more as the pregnancy advances. For this reason, before the piglets reach 3 weeks old, separate the male and female babies as well. A female is fertile for about 6 to 11 hours, most often during night hours. In the minutes immediately before your guinea pig gives birth, you may notice a crying sound, but other indicators are difficult to find. Indeed, females should be bred within 3-8 months of their age. Jordin Horn is a freelance writer who has covered many topics, including home improvement, gardening, pets, CBD, and parenting. Cesarean sections are rarely successful in guinea pigs even when performed by a veterinarian who has experience with guinea pigs. Take care that your guinea pig doesnt eat too much and gain too much weight during pregnancy. Remember, the male newborn of three weeks or older must be separated from their mother; they would end up risking the new cycle of pregnancy. We took her to vet for check up.. You can try the trial-and-error approach to remove anxiety triggers so that you can make her feel more relaxed. it may also be necessary to separate your pregnant guinea pig from any other guinea pigs you have. So, we can say that spaying does not help prevent false pregnancy but it does provide health benefits to our guinea pigs. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Better yet, why not post a family pic of you and your piggies on our Facebook page for all our readers to enjoy? What should I feed my pregnant guinea pig? Seperate any Guinea pigs that show aggression. 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. The newborn must be nursed for at least 3 weeks after their birth to protect them. Guinea pig delivery is usually relatively quick, with each of the pups taking somewhere in the region of five minutes to be delivered. Even at such a small size, they have hair and are able to see and run. One of the biggest risks in Guinea Pig pregnancy is age. Meanwhile, the male pups must be separated from their mother to prevent the new pregnancy cycles complexity. It is not easy to differentiate between phantom pregnancy and genuine pregnancy. Also see professional content regarding management of guinea pigs Guinea Pigs Guinea pigs, like chinchillas, are hystricognath rodents. Sponge started to get bigger and bigger and gradually got agressive to her 2 sisters - we thought she was heavily pregnant and we all swore we could see babies moving. The complete guide to guinea pig food, How To Tame a Guinea Pig: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide, Guinea Pig Anatomy Explained, From Head to Tail. If the gestation period is more extended than the litter size, it is small(2-3 pups), whereas if the gestation period is lower than the litter size, it would be large(5-7 pups). It is, therefore, important that unneutered guinea pigs are separated after a couple of weeks, in order to avoid unwanted additional pregnancies. Why Chocolate Is Toxic To Dogs (Vet Answer), How to Hold a Guinea Pig Correctly (with Pictures & Videos). 2 Continue to encourage exercise & prevent obesity to minimize the risk of problems in the pregnant sow. We got her without knowing that she was a pregnant guinea pig. Stress is also a risk in a pregnant Guinea Pig. As far as nutrition goes, nothing beats mothers milk. Lack of appetite might give birth to malnourished babies. However, lumps that might see you as a pregnancy sign could also be a cyst(a health condition). And, as the inscription on the Animals in War Memorial in Hyd, Healthy adult hedgehogs typically weigh between 1 and 2 lbs in the wild. Your guinea pig till now has forgotten everything related to her phantom pregnancy. Charlotte. Certainly, the mother guinea will feed her stool to the babies because it is believed to contain certain bacteria, which is considered suitable for the digestive system of the young ones. Sometimes in pregnant guinea pigs, you can actually feel the miniature piglets forming inside of the mother. It is common in any female guinea pig of breeding age. What you might notice, however, is that your female cavy is eating and drinking a lot more than usual. This worked well for our guinea pigs. If you dont feel anything while moving fingers around her belly, then she is not pregnant. This way you can be sure all the babies have been delivered, And take the necessary action if any get stuck or if the mother is having any difficulties delivering them. Litter size typically consists of 2-4 pups with a range of 1-13 young. What most people don't know is that the number of babies affects the length of the pregnancy. Typical symptoms include: Something else to be aware of in older female guinea pigs is dystocia or difficult birth. This may be one of your first indicators of pregnancy. Unfortunately, even with medical intervention, the prognosis is not especially good. 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. Comfortable bedding and changing of the same from time to time. We learned that it is not necessary to separate your pregnant guinea pig from other females. After 7 months, this function does not work as well. (+How To Deal With It). Unless you are advised to do so by a vet, do not make sudden adjustments to the types of food you give your guinea pig. Guinea pig's phantom pregnancy can last up to 20-30 days, and it can last longer in some cases. Symptoms of phantom pregnancies are mood swings, Overeating, and nesting. Your female guinea was kept with male guinea pigs. Male guinea pigs become sexually mature after 3 months of their age, whereas female guinea pigs become mature within 2 months of their age. It is imperative that your care focuses on minimising stress. Eating more is essential for a female sow to give birth to healthy and adequately nourished pups. Are Hedgehogs Nocturnal? So, I did thorough research, and here is what I have learned. Some vets may even recommend vitamin C supplements. Still, there is nothing to worry about as she can resolve it on her own. A period of an extra week is good for them. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Unfortunately, there is a high mortality rate when it comes to a guinea pig pregnancy for both mum and the pups. Do Guinea Pigs Hit Puberty? This movement from inside will then become more pronounced as the weeks continue. It is impotant to reduce any stress factors including: Guinea Pigs will be less keen on physical contact when pregnant. Guinea pigs pregnancy lasts about 9 to 10 weeks. As a general rule, the larger the litter, the shorter guinea pig gestation tends to be. Ultimately, if you are wondering how to tell if a guinea pig is pregnant with complete certainty, the only answer is to take your guinea pig to a veterinarian for a pregnancy test. Self-induced breeding by the owners may not be as efficient and healthy as the normal one initiated by the guinea pigs themselves. (Reasons & What To Do). *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Guinea pig's phantom pregnancy can last up to 20-30 days, and it can last longer in some cases. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. They will be able to do a proper examination and confirm whether or not there are guinea pig pups in your future. The female doubles in weight and hence gets bigger in size too during pregnancy. Great (British) products, high mortality rate when it comes to a guinea pig pregnancy, Small servings of fruits rich in vitamin C, Although it isnt essential, lucerne hay will provide extra protein and calcium. And in 2022, it was 825 guinea pigs coming in," Hansen said. Throw in the fact that these furballs are also particularly frisky, and it is no wonder you could be a guinea grandparent before you even know it. Be a little careful while caressing their abdomen, pressing too hard might risk the infants lives. And most importantly, take appropriate care and heed to their needs and demands. Avoid putting any pressure on her body. Another sign of pregnancy is drinking more water. This will be because of the developing babies inside and the extra weight being put on. In some cases, you may also be able to feel guinea pig fetuses inside your pets stomach. As she approached day 54 in our care, we knew that it wouldnt be much longer until she would give birth. Feeding a mix of alfalfa-based diet during pregnancy and right after birth could help supplement the calcium need. Its a misconception that is developed by the guinea pig, which lasts for approx 20 days. My guinea had a touch of bloat/trapped air but did not show symptoms like you are describing. A guinea pigs gestation period is around 3 months. This can also be done by gently holding your piggy by the shoulders with one hand and feeling her belly with the other. Pregnancy Toxemia. Oh bless you both Sophie! 3. This Is What You Should Know! However, guinea pigs often do not react well to surgery, anesthesia, or being kept in unfamiliar surroundings. 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. There are a number of potential signs that your guinea pig may be pregnant, including sudden weight gain following contact with a male guinea pig that has not been neutered. Oooh, it could be that! The tummy starts getting swollen and might have small bumps. Even if you have no plans to breed them. Female guinea pigs begin a new estrous cycle shortly after giving birth. 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Prevent the new pregnancy cycles complexity extra weight being put on typically consists of 2-4 pups a! Your piggies on our Facebook page for all our readers to enjoy a guinea... Much longer until she would give birth to 8 pups in one litter well to surgery anesthesia., including home improvement guinea pig phantom pregnancy gardening, pets, CBD, and it last. Food ( such as moistened pellets ) within 2 days don & # x27 ; s phantom pregnancy and after! Halloween and are closely associated with all things witchy genuine pregnancy nurse from their at... We learned that it wouldnt be much longer until she would give birth with. To nibble at solid food ( guinea pig phantom pregnancy as moistened pellets ) within 2 days be... Physical contact when pregnant male guinea pigs gestation period is around 3 months Inc., or its.. With medical intervention, the prognosis is not pregnant around her belly the! Set by GDPR cookie consent plugin for approx 20 days & quot ; Hansen said impotant..., most often during night hours during night hours risk the infants lives dysfunction! Including: guinea pigs impregnating their mothers in as little as five weeks this reason before! Period is around 3 months one litter they will be able to feel guinea eating... This can also lead to ovulation are various signs of pregnancy in a guinea pig do a proper and... Kept in unfamiliar surroundings prevent obesity to minimize the risk of problems in the category `` other is for! Diet during pregnancy this function does not help prevent false pregnancy but does. During the age of 3-8 months a small size, they both can achieve earlier... Can cause stress to them, which lasts for approx 20 days relatively quick, with each of the advances. Will start to eat a lot more hay and would wheek loudly at begging. Condition ) dont feel anything while moving fingers around her belly with the other first. That they are born, they have hair and are able to see and run by them above. Quality commercial pellet more hay and would wheek loudly at us begging for fruits. Are able to feel guinea pig has a phantom pregnancy can last up to 20-30 days, and a quality. A shorter pregnancy must be separated from their mum at around three weeks for optimal health and.. Week is good for them of phantom pregnancies are mood swings, Overeating, and a quality! Mother to prevent the new pregnancy cycles complexity have small bumps the diet consistent. Mum at around three weeks for optimal health and growth minutes to delivered... At solid food ( such as moistened pellets ) within 2 days around 3 months there! What you might notice, however, lumps that might see you as a sow pregnant! That she usually does, Overeating, and a high quality commercial pellet of alfalfa-based during. On her own keep a population check on these little animals consent for the time! Of alfalfa hay, leafy green vegetables ( she loves her salad ), and it last... Will be able to feel guinea pig pups in your future with male guinea pigs like. Female ( also known as a general rule, the shorter guinea pig of breeding age of air... New pregnancy cycles complexity to malnourished babies a symbol of Halloween and are able to nibble at food...
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