guinea pig pregnancy week by week pictures

25% in pregnancies can end in death for either the mum or the babies and this is why that breeding guinea pigs for a hobby is not encouraged. She does so, as well, with the placenta. It is entirely possible for a male pup to impregnate its mother or sisters. The baby guinea pigs can be physically felt 2 to 4 weeks into pregnancy. Even though you can assist the birthing by yourself, its always better to leave it to licensed professionals. 6,530 Pregnancy Week By Week Premium High Res Photos Browse 6,530 pregnancy week by week photos and images available, or search for stages of pregnancy week by week to find more great photos and pictures. Lastly, it takes about 2-4 weeks to wean guinea pups. 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. In the presence of a male, the female changes her back (spine) which she arches downwards. The gestation period in guinea pigs could be anywhere between 59-72 days. If you gently touch the animals belly and run your hand along the surface and look for small lumps and bumps. Though it may sound hard to believe, the fact is, its true! Many females who survive experience complications, which are painful to the sow and costly to the pet parent. Implement patterned feeding, drinking, and outdoor regiments. Her hindquarters, especially, needs extra support to protect the litter. Stillbirth isnt totally uncommon and you should remain calm. The mothers weight will vary for a few days whilst she re-adjusts but should settle within five days. Only hold her if necessary. If the female approves of the male, she will signal her acceptance to mate with loud squeaks. Sometimes its the uterus lacking contractions; sometimes its a pup ending up stuck in the birth canal. Interesting Fact: The shorter the pregnancy is, the larger the litter size is. She may, if he persists, even urinate on him. Duration of guinea pig pregnancy depends on the number of pups: the larger the litter the shorter the pregnancy. This is because sperm can survive in his tubes for this length of time. Sows older than 2 years that werent bred before are most at risk. Female guinea pigs sexually mature as early as 2 months of age. If you cannot check on the sow because of work etc. Thats why there are some obvious signs for any owner to notice whether his/her guinea pig is carrying babies. However, this would put a huge amount of strain on her body and her mental stamina. This type is rich both in protein in calcium, two things she needs a lot at the moment. For young guinea pigs, this may include supplementing her diet with Critical Care of a similar product. guinea pigs concerned are given unlimited access to plenty of fresh, green meadow hay to keep them occupied - this will often stop the problem. This helped me, "Glad we got educated early. How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. Guinea pigs tend to express every little change in their body. The sow should gradually put on weight. Enjoy! Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. Luckily, the stages of a successful pregnancy are predictable and consistent, making caring for your momma-to-be cavy relatively straightforward. Wondering if you are able to commit to being a responsible pet parent to these adorable little rodents? Required fields are marked *. Enriching the guinea pigs diet with kale, broccoli, green peppers, and parsley is also advised. Newborn guinea pigs have fur and are born with their eyes open. The onset is generally sudden and progress rather quicker than you are reporting. If any of the pups is definitely alive, but is not alert or able to see or walk then contact your vet immediately. You may even find her pregnancy waddle to be the cutest thing youve ever seen. Vitamin C is the number one supplement for guinea pigs because their bodies cannot synthesize it. Guinea Pig Reproduction and Gestation Guinea pigs have a lifespan of 4 to 8 years and reach sexual maturity at an early age. A local breeder may also be willing to help. Guinea Pig Death Process Dead or in Shock? If the water bottle is usually placed high-up, provide a second water bottle lower down so that the sow does not have to stretch if she does not want to. Weigh your sow weekly to be certain she is gaining weight at a regular pace. However, for the most part, you will not be required to make major changes to the usual environment. It tends to affect overweight sows delivering their first and second litter. How much your cavy expands during this time depends on the number of pups shes carrying. Selective feeding is where the guinea pig chooses the tastier bits of food over less tasty but often more nutritious foods. ", needed available in a clear, concise manner, super simple, and now I feel confident in my unexpected blessing. Gaining weight at a regular pace is important. ), Will Guinea Pigs Kill Each Other? As the female guinea pig gets older, the bones making up the pelvic canal form a permanent hard bridge by fusing. Publisher: Pergamon. Guinea pigs usually give birth during the day rather than overnight. Mother strains for 15 minutes without producing a pup. In addition, he is a proud owner of two guinea pigs. The gestation period in guinea pigs varies between 59 and 72 days. However, with the proper care, this risk can be significantly reduced and your pregnant guinea pig can be kept in good health. A female may accidentally injure the babies by squashing them and babies are prone to escaping cages, so check up on them regularly. Critical Care or a similar product as it is likely you will need it for at least one pup. The boar must be removed by 50 days as he may continue to mount her which can be stressful or painful in later pregnancy, and she could become pregnant again as early as two hours after the birth. Just a disclaimer: Beware that you should not wildly breed guinea pigs if you dont have a proper breeding program or the appropriate financial situation as well as time to care for them. Thats because those tiny, adorable feet are just so tiny! A female cavy uses a lot of her energy during this time, and thus requires a healthy, balanced diet that is appropriate for her during gestation. In the case of any anomalies or worry, you should contact the vet. I am to have more of a informative conversation with my vet on Monday. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Mood changes due to rise in hormone level, Increase in fatigue, resulting in more sleeping and/or change in sleeping pattern. An average guinea pig weighs about 26 ounces before she becomes pregnant. How Big of a Cage for Two Guinea Pigs? The sow starts to prefer fruits and vegetables with high vitamin C content. Vitamin C is highly unstable and breaks down within 8 weeks of the manufacturing date. Quite a shock, since we thought. A female is fertile for about 6 to 11 . 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. There is no need to remove other sows, they may even help with the pups. If I felt my pregnant guinea pig's belly and caused her a miscarriage, what would the signs be? Setting up a guinea pig cage is not so easy. Neutered boars should be kept separate from sows for four weeks after surgery. During the first month or so, there arent a lot of physical signs to indicate your sow is a mom-to-be. During pregnancy, you will need to provide your guinea pig with a clean cage or hutch. Updated 18.12.19. They should be kept at the same comfortable temperature as the adults. 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. The duration of pregnancy is inversely proportional to the litter size. Do not crowd the mother have only one person in the room, but another on standby to make calls if necessary. She may carry several pups, between one and six, and they're carried in the womb for 58 73 days. They may prescribe treatment that includes injections of dextrose solutions, steroids and calcium, which may or may not be effective. If you are not certain that the pups are weaned at 21 days, the males should be removed anyway to prevent pregnancy. However, even without the mothers milk baby guinea pigs can survive feeding only on solid food. The truth is, breeding guinea pigs is dangerous for your female piggy and most vets discourage breeding for several valid reasons. The vet may try to manipulate the piglet into a position where the mother can pass it. Avoid over-feeding Keeping a clean hutch will prevent a build-up of ammonia from urine. Only this way, serious delivery problems can be avoided. However, most guinea pigs have a pregnancy that lasts from 59 to 72 days. Typically, breeding reduces the lifespan of female cavies. Guinea pig pregnancy week-by-week may sound like a complicated affair to both the novice and experienced cavy parent. Look closely at the cavy's genital opening. Guinea pigs are without a doubt cute, and baby guinea pigs climb twice as high on the cuteness ladder. 8 weeks after birth the guinea pig pups double their size by adding 3-4 inches (8-10 cm). Pregnancy is hard work for a female guinea pig. Litter size ranges, with the average being 2-4 pups - in rare cases as many as 12-14. Support wikiHow by If it declines every day or continues to change after 5 days, consult the vet. Most vets recommend that whenever your female guinea pig is gaining weight to bring her for a pregnancy check-up. Guinea Pig Gestation Period: How Long Is Guinea Pig Pregnancy? Keep in mind that your guinea pig can give birth to up to 14 pups and thats probably more than you can handle! With our guinea pig pregnancy calculator, you can easily estimate the day a guinea pig will give birth to little pups. If you do decide to breed them, ensure your sow is young enough (but not too young) so there are less chances of complications. 2. Male guinea pigs have a larger amount of space between their penis and their anus, about 2-3cm of space between the penis and the anus. At birth, baby guinea pigs can weigh between 2.1 and 4.2 oz (60 and 120 grams) and have an average size of 3-4 inches (8-10 cm). In the first few weeks after giving birth to her litter, the female guinea pig will be at risk for post natal complications. Thats why a female guinea pig should be bred before the permanent hardening on the pelvic canal. Right now, it is imperative to ensure the pregnant guinea is in a stress-free environment. There are numerous medical reasons why giving birth can go wrong. Small litters do not cause the belly to enlarge significantly, and will not be as noticeable. Guinea pig mother lactates for 2-3 weeks. . Make the habit of repeatedly measuring your pets weight, at least twice a month. If there are any signs that the pregnant sow is not getting on with another guinea pig, do not hesitate to remove the other guinea pig, but leave the pregnant sow in the hutch/cage she is in. When its utterly necessary make sure she has the support of her hips. Even still, it's important to keep a very clean cage or hutch. A female guinea pig can fall pregnant immediately after giving birth. I for one was never able to see Emma's babies move from the outside. This causes mineral deficiency. The middle stage is up until the seventh week of pregnancy. There is a high maternal mortality rate for guinea pigs (about 20%) as they are vulnerable to complications and illnesses such as toxemia. ask a friend or neighbour to check on her. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). Publisher: Pergamon, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid711031-v4-728px-Care-for-a-Pregnant-Guinea-Pig-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"