guinea pig pregnancy week by week pictures

Research source Litter size ranges, with the average being 2-4 pups - in rare cases as many as 12-14. So it is not good practice by caring breeders. Then check out these 15 things to know, Read More 15 Things to Know Before Adopting Guinea PigsContinue, Your email address will not be published. Female guinea pigs usually have a smooth swelling over their genital area. unlocking this expert answer. In the case of any anomalies or worry, you should contact the vet. 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. They should be kept at the same comfortable temperature as the adults. How much depends on the size of the litter, but her weight should never begin fall. Place any cavies that appear to annoy her in a different cage. Daily touch-up cleaning of her habitat to keep it as clean as possible without removing her. This mechanism works in other species of animals as well and very fortunately humans arent accustomed to it. The gestation period in guinea pigs could be anywhere between 59-72 days. Only hold her if necessary. Publisher: Pergamon The estrous cycle length is 16 days. Pregnant guinea pigs get visually larger in the abdominal area. Make the habit of repeatedly measuring your pets weight, at least twice a month. Required fields are marked *. Negligence and ignorance can prove to be fatal for the mother and the babies. If I felt my pregnant guinea pig's belly and caused her a miscarriage, what would the signs be? To find out how to house your guinea pig during pregnancy and how to prepare for it to give birth, keep reading! Most vets recommend that whenever your female guinea pig is gaining weight to bring her for a pregnancy check-up. If you are concerned about the mother or have serious health worries about one of the pups contact a vet immediately, however. Do not keep pregnant guinea pigs in multi-level cages/hutches as their balance will be impaired by pregnancy, and in the later stages of pregnancy they may not be able to get up to the higher tiers. Pregnancy toxaemia in well kept guinea pigs is very rare; it is most common in breeder sows kept mainly on low grade pellets and with too little/low grade and too little/low grade hay and is more commonly seen in hot weather. guinea pigs concerned are given unlimited access to plenty of fresh, green meadow hay to keep them occupied - this will often stop the problem. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! When its utterly necessary make sure she has the support of her hips. Guinea pigs usually give birth during the day rather than overnight. Thats why there are some obvious signs for any owner to notice whether his/her guinea pig is carrying babies. Whilst guinea pigs should never be bred intentionally, coming home from the pet store with a guinea pig who is already pregnant is a common story. During this time, keep watch for the following: Dystocia, or difficult birth, is common in sows who are older than 7-8 months and bred for the first time. Not only will we dive deeper into how you can actually find out if your piggy might be pregnant and how you can take steps and precautions towards their delivery date. The pregnancy of guinea pigs lasts 63 to 70 days, larger litters having a shorter gestation, and at the end of pregnancy, the sow will often have become alarmingly large! The average number of days female guinea pigs stay pregnant is 65 days. The onset is generally sudden and progress rather quicker than you are reporting. This article has been viewed 326,562 times. If so then this video will help answer all of your questions. Guinea Pig Gestation Period: How Long Is Guinea Pig Pregnancy? By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. The average gestation period is 65 days. Nonetheless, at this stage, allow the female cavy to eat and drink as much as she would like. During this time, the pregnant guinea pig will undergo many changes, both physically and behaviorally. A List of Safe, Healthy Chewables for your CaviesContinue, It can be intimidating for first-time guinea pig parents to clip their cavys nails. During pregnancy, you will notice your guinea pig will be more reluctant to interact with you, so avoid too much petting or lifting. Sometimes its the uterus lacking contractions; sometimes its a pup ending up stuck in the birth canal. . At the end of the middle stage, the movement of the babies will become visible under the skin. There is no need to remove other sows, they may even help with the pups. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. My guinea pig's quite fat, but when we went to the vet, she wasn't pregnant. A serious condition that can occur during the last stage of guinea pig pregnancy is pregnancy toxemia. She may carry several pups, between one and six, and they're carried in the womb for 58 - 73 days. Length of pregnancy for 1 litter can be 70 days while it reduces to 67 days for a litter of 6. Be very careful if you need to hold or handle a pregnant guinea pig. I know there are so many groups out there that don't and its okay. I for one was never able to see Emma's babies move from the outside. Stillbirth isnt totally uncommon and you should remain calm. When a guinea pig is pregnant the pelvic canal stretches as a result of hormonal secretion. Neutered boars should be kept separate from sows for four weeks after surgery. The majority of guinea pigs give birth during daylight. Sometimes she may wait to attend the young ones until all babies are delivered. Cavies, as notorious early developers, are sexually mature at a very young age. There is a high maternal mortality rate for guinea pigs (about 20%) as they are vulnerable to complications and illnesses such as toxemia. Enriching the guinea pigs diet with kale, broccoli, green peppers, and parsley is also advised. A female may accidentally injure the babies by squashing them and babies are prone to escaping cages, so check up on them regularly. Guinea pigs reach sexual maturity very early, around 2-4 months of age. Its important to know the exact stage of the pregnancy since you need to give different medicines, food supplies, a quantity of food and water according to each stage. Keeping a clean hutch will prevent a build-up of ammonia from urine. . However, with the proper care, this risk can be significantly reduced and your pregnant guinea pig can be kept in good health. Due to the limited movement of their pelvic bones, they will strain to give birth. As the pregnancy develops, carefully check the guinea pig twice a week for signs of illness, like crusty eyes or a patchy coat. However, a caesarean surgery may be required. Avoid over-feeding 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. At this stage, the sow will appear quite swollen in the midsection. Thats because those tiny, adorable feet are just so tiny! Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? What Does a Baby Guinea Pig Look Like? Near the end restrain yourself from picking the animal up. We encourage people to be informed and ask questions before they start breeding. 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. After the seventh week, the animal enters the late stage of guinea pig pregnancy. Some may happen sooner, later, or not at all. (The Surprising Answer! 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. 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. Quite a shock, since we thought. Is It Safe to Breed Cavies? Are you still deciding whether to breed your female cavy? Pet stores often keep both sexes together, resulting in many people being sold sows which are already pregnant. Ammonia irritates the lungs of pigs and will predispose the pregnant mother to lung infections. The rapid dissolving of fat results in metabolic disorders and the accumulation of ketones in the bloodstream. It is common for them to double in weight during this time. Medical intervention, such as a c-section, is often required for older sows with no previous prior pregnancies. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. These images range from super small baby bumps to plus-size pregnancy belly bump pictures showing the week-by-week pregnancy development. Pregnant guinea pigs arent accustomed to building nests, yet any type of clean soft bedding will do just fine. If you need it, you dont want to have to hunt around for it. 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":"