Guinea Lynx :: A Medical and Care Guide for Your Guinea Pig. So your guinea pig is pregnant. The pups will learn a lot from how to form social bonds, to which foods are safe to eat from the adults they live with. We noticed our guinea pig babies began to eat mamas food within a few days of birth. Your pregnant and lactating guinea pigs should have access to alfalfa hay in the last weeks of their pregnancy. Wanna read something more boring than watching paint dry? However, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not this is true. During pregnancy your sow will need lots of energy and vitamin C, so make sure her hay doesnt run out, and offer a larger helping of fresh fruit and veg every day. Every baby guinea pig needs its mothers milk, which provides enough nutrition during the first crucial days of their lives. From the moment they are born they are unusually mature and capable of looking after themselves. What Are Common Health Problems in Guinea Pigs? As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made by my readers, but it doesn't cost you anything at all. If youre going to be away for an extended period, you may also want to consider finding a friend or family member to care for your guinea pig in your absence. Guineapigden.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. She checked each one of them and licked them clean immediately following their birth. At first your guinea pig baby may seem afraid when you pick him up. Additionally, when her babies are born she may eat them in order to prevent them from taking up the little space she has. While it is a hard thing to think about, it can happen. Many people believe that guinea pigs get attached to their owners and that they miss their parents when they are separated. In the meantime, if you havent seen enough sweet pictures of baby guinea pigs yet, then why not visit our compilation of favorite guinea pig videos. But recognising the biological reasons why it occurs makes it easier to avoid. One under his chest and one under his bottom. In some cases, guinea pigs may lick or try to groom you as a sign of affection. This can lead to health problems. Well, your guess is as good as mine guinea pigs sure miss their owners when theyre absent for so long. You can also ask your vet for advice and support. Remember to remove any they leave, as it will spoil quickly. Domestic guinea pigs originated in South America but today these vocal, sociable creatures thrive in households across the globe. Another challenge that people face is that they may not be able to tell if the guinea pig is sick or not. How To Stop Guinea Pigs Chewing On Cage Bars, Baby Chicken What To Expect From Egg To 8 Weeks Old, Effects of early environment on field CA2 pyramidal neurons in the guinea-pig, Cardiovascular and renal disease in the adolescent guinea pig after chronic placental insufficiency, The effect of maternal undernutrition on the growth and development of the guinea pig placenta, Chronic maternal feed restriction impairs growth but increases adiposity of the fetal guinea pig, Guineapig Vocalizations: Their Structure, Causation and Function, Attachment and Separation Distress in the Infant Guinea Pig, An ecologically relevant guinea pig model of fetal behavior, Auditory spatial responses of young guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) during and after ear blocking, The Effects of Diet on Anatomy, Physiology and Health in the Guinea Pig, Guinea Pig and Chinchilla Care and Husbandry. Guinea pigs are not only kept as family pets, but like dogs, cats and rabbits, they are also bred for show. There is a chance that your sow will only partially eat her offspring, particularly if she killed them by accident. How Can I Prevent Guinea Pigs From Eating Their Babies? In situations where one of your guinea pigs crosses the rainbow bridge leaving one behind, the guinea pig left behind might not be so receptive to a new cage mate. Give the orphaned puppy the same amount of water and evaporated guinea pig milk. Just like big farmyard pigs! (Find Out Now)Continue, Choosing the right materials to use a as a cage liner for your guinea pigs cage can seem daunting especially when youre a new pet parent. That way she doesnt have to deal with the stress of more pregnancies. Watch carefully for signs of stress or discomfort. Guinea pigs are social animals and may begin to experience depression-like symptoms when alone for too long. If you look after the guinea pig mother regularly, she will allow you to touch her baby guinea pigs. Baby boars must be separated from mama at three weeks. Common diseases in domestic guinea pigs include respiratory infections, diarrhea, itching, and boils due to infection (often the neck, throat, or external scratches). 11811 Shaker Blvd, #204, PMB 289Cleveland, Ohio 44120(216) 912-6291. So as long as the enclosure is secure and the bars are tight, you should be fine. This is for several reasons: You should find this post helpful: Can A Father Guinea Pig Be With The Babies? Change the water daily. We kept a close eye on Theo as her due date approached. But usually, mom will begin to discourage her babies from nursing at about the 3rd week. However, new guinea pig owners should be prepared for a long-term commitment. RELATED: CLICK HERE for tips on how to tame your guinea pig (step by step guide). Dwyer, C.M., et al, The effect of maternal undernutrition on the growth and development of the guinea pig placenta, Journal of Developmental Physiology, 1992. After birth, Guinea pig sows can become pregnant again within hours. Individual size is generally linked to litter size, so the more siblings there are in a litter, the smaller they are each likely to be. I also enjoy doing things outdoors, like hiking and camping. Under certain circumstances, the sow may eat her offspring for various reasons. One of which is probably: Will your guinea pig eat her babies? Show some tender feelings towards your guinea pig. Make sure any seller houses male and female guinea pigs separately, or there could be a chance you'll take home a pregnant female. If you are considering getting a guinea pig, ensure you can provide them with the social interaction they need. (Find Out Now). As a whole, guinea pigs do not eat their offspring, but it can happen. Do Chickens Get Lonely? Watch this video to learn more about guinea pig. My first piggy some years ago did a big dance of joy each time I came back home after some days of being away. On the other hand, a male guinea pig eats guinea pig babies when they recognize that the babies are not theirs, also because they are intimidated and territorial. They will understand. You might also notice they squeak in distress when you take them away from their mom. But, when a pet parent has makes an intentional choice to breed, its really not worth the risk in most cases. Approach them face-on, so they can see you coming. Sufficient nutrition, a mixture of alfalfa and timothy grass, keeps female guinea pigs hydrated and can prevent guinea pigs from eating their babies. (What You Need To Know), Can Guinea Pigs Eat Clementines? (Find Out Now), Filial Cannibalism (and 7 Reasons Why Some Animal Moms Dine On Their Babies). The guinea pig fathers dont play any role in taking care of the litter, and can do more harm than good (sorry piggie dads!). Guinea pigs do not share a similar parent-child bond like that of their siblings with their parents. Guinea pig pregnancy seems short to us, but in fact it lasts a remarkably long time for their size. You have to remember that these babies are coming out of the womb ready to run around the cage and have fun very quickly. When baby guinea pigs grow up the males are called boars and the females are called sows. To help you, weve written more about how to tame a guinea pig here. Guinea pigs should be kept indoors. But many experts recommend that pups be weaned as late as 6 weeks. By their second week, you wont be able to miss how much your baby guinea pigs have grown already. But, stick with me. An average sized pup measures around 3 to 5 inches at birth, and very cylindrical roughly the size of a tangerine in fact! That is a common myth and is not true. https://lakeshorepethospital.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Guinea_Pig_Pregnancy.pdf, If you know anything about guinea pigs, you know they love to play. I love animals, and I have three beautiful boys. This is pretty rare. My first piggy some years ago did a big dance of joy each time I came back home after some days of being away. Youre gonna want to read this. Will the baby guinea pigs be able to escape the enclosure? Having your guinea pig give birth to a litter should be an exciting time. So the remaining milestones left to look for relate to growth, feeding, behavior and sexual maturity. Continue to give milk to puppies for 21 days even when they start eating solid food. Watch after your guinea pig while she gives birth. https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheUniverseReflected The all natural Piggies Choice Hay Racks are available finally! Pet owners know that keeping a guinea pig as a pet is a wonderful experience. Guinea pig babies are born quickly. Giving birth is very stressful for the guinea pig mother and the babies. In fact, loneliness reduces the life expectancy of a guinea pig. The male guinea pig staying with the mother and babies is important because he helps keep them warm and protects them from predators. Your guinea pig's individual personality will likely play a big role in this. Male guinea pigs have a donut-shaped opening. Ask your vet for advice if this isnt the case. And the result is that guinea pig babies are born already more mature than many other species. Spaying a female guinea pig can be a risky procedure that not all veterinarians are willing to attempt. Although they are able to conceive year-round, springtime is the peak window for baby guineas appearing on the scene. Your guinea pig can definitely use more interplay with the loss of its buddy. This is because, in the wild, guinea pigs are usually found in herds, so you should try to create that level of interaction for your domesticated guinea pigs. 11. He may also help to nurse the babies. In order to have a peaceful pregnancy and birth, there are some things that you can do: Many people underestimate how much space a guinea pig needs, along with other types of rodents. RSPCA Knowledgebase Let Australias most trusted animal welfare charity help you answer the big questions. In our research, we could not find a definitive age when guinea pigs are declared adults; however, they reach sexual maturity by four weeks of age. male guinea pig staying with the mother and babies, guinea pigs can get attached to their owners. Aggression between two newly introduced guinea pigs is very common and If your guinea pig is finding it hard to deal with the change of a new cage mate, try engaging him in more interaction with you than ever before. When they dont respond to her attention, she tries cleaning them more and more vigorously, until eventually she ends up damaging them. Expect to pay around $10 to $40 on average, though this can vary depending on factors such as age and coloring. Can Guinea Pigs Eat Turnip Greens? There's nothing quite like getting away from it all in nature. Explain to them that they have not been replaced or that their babies have replaced your guinea pig. Here are some things we had to think about when we found out our guinea pig was pregnant: We adhered to the following recommended feeding guidelines for pregnant guinea pigs: RELATED: CLICK HERE to read about our unexpected guinea pig pregnancy and how to tell if your guinea pig is pregnant. Giving birth is very stressful for guinea pigs and the mortality rate of pregnant guinea pigs is quite high due to complications that occur during the delivery process. Whats your experience with newborn baby guinea pigs? They are able to see, hear and move around once they are born. (Find Out Now), Can A Father Guinea Pig Be With The Babies? Calcium is very important for baby piggies as they are growing and developing. Copyright 2023 mypetguineapig.com. AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE The gestation period is about 59 to 72 days or about two months. The two main reasons why Guinea pigs may eat their babies is a result of hunger, or insufficient feeding. Guinea pigs are less likely to eat their own young than other varieties of rodents because a baby guinea pig reaches maturity quickly. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. A newborn guinea pig might weigh around 3.5 ounces or 100 grams. Genetic abnormalities have been reported in guinea pigs, similar to those found in other breeds of animals (such as hip dysplasia in dogs). The extra calories should be provided until she stops nursing her newborn babies. It is perfectly fine to handle your new guinea pigs within the first week. ), Guinea pigs can suffer from running lice. Here are some of our top baby guinea pig name lists to help you feel inspired! Most experts believe that guinea pigs are relatively emotionally resilient creatures and are unlikely to suffer significant emotional distress due to being separated from their young. So, pet parents should be cautious and prepared when dealing with pregnant sows. Adult guinea pigs eat timothy hay, orchard hay, or any other hay thats high in fiber. If one or two guinea pig pups seem to suddenly vanish from their cage, it doesnt necessarily mean theyve been eaten. Sadly yes, guinea pig mothers do sometimes eat their newborn young. The Midwest Guinea Pig Habitat is the recommended size (minimum of 8 square feet) and has deep sides around the edges that make it difficult for the baby guinea pigs to crawl out of. During our research we learned that there are two possible reasons why: Malnourished - not getting enough to eat of the right kinds of food Back to back pregnancies - due to nutrient deficiencies This was one question that had me really worried. If you have decided youre ready to take the plunge and welcome a new baby guinea pig into your life, take a look at our article Where To Buy Guinea Pigs to start your journey. Guinea pigs can jump over obstacles but these, When they recognize they are in danger, guinea pigs stand in one place for a long time then suddenly run very fast with a darting movement. Although, some green beans and always bring us back together. This article has been extensively revised for 2019. However, taking some precautions can bring you peace of mind that your sow wont need to eat her babies. But whether youre raising a litter from birth or buying an older baby guinea pig for sale, getting prepared in advance is the best way to make sure you provide them with the best start in life. Put him back with his mother if he becomes vocal or squirmy. Guinea pigs make eleven different call types. Rather, they belong to a rodent species called cavies. Hamsters and rats are famous for such practice. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com and other affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Whining is typically a noise made by the more passive guinea pig to communicate to a guinea pig that is more pushy or dominant. If you are unsure if the guinea pig is missing its baby, you may not be able to know if it is ill and needs to see a veterinarian. In a pet situation, the male may be in the same guinea pig cage as the female and her newborns, and there is no way for the mother to move the pups away from . Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. How long does it take for guinea pigs to be born? If your guinea pig consistently has enough extra food, the chances of her needing to eat her pups drop to near zero. Female guinea pigs take care of the hardest part as much as possible. Over the next 2 weeks, decrease the feeding time gradually. From there you can jump straight to the answers you need, or join us for a complete overview of baby guinea pig development, week by week. Theres a few traits unique to piggies that probably explain why they usually dont feel the need to eat their babies. Allowing siblings to breed also poses a risk of dangerous congenital disorders to their offspring. Hold your guinea pig securely and gently turn him / her over. Under normal circumstances, the sow will give birth and have a healthy litter of pups. Most people find that, when it comes to guinea pigs at least, babies are the cutest. The above is important because it allows the mother to continue feeding and grooming her young. Bathing them, if its something you plan to try, should wait until they are at least eight weeks old. Foreign bodies in the eye of a guinea pig result in tearing, and corneal ulcers, which, in some cases, form a translucent film over the eyes. A mother guinea pig can eat her babies if one of the babies is born dead. Here you'll find the juicy goods to care for your little friends WITHOUT making your brain short-circuit. Merck Veterinary Manual. Yes, guinea pigs eat their babies albeit very rarely, mostly by accident. You need to know if you should reduce the amount of time you spend away from your pet. Yet, sometimes, guinea pigs can eat their babies. This blog will give you some helpful tips on how to make this a wonderful experience. Do everything you can to fulfill the wants and needs of the pregnant female, to make her feel safe and comfortable. Be quiet and move slowly around baby guinea pigs. These small pets need a lot of food and nutrition. When you decide to introduce baby guinea pigs to an adult guinea pig, follow their behavior (monitor them for aggression) and respond quickly. (And Other Key Terms), How Often Should You Clean a Guinea Pigs Cage? And baby guinea pigs are capable of joining in from a very young age. On the other hand, if it turns out that they dont form any attachment to their young, then we can rest assured knowing that there isnt anything we need to worry about. This is necessary to prevent pregnancy. Guinea Pig Lifespan How Long Do Guinea Pigs Live? If you are unsure, it is best to consult with a veterinarian to help determine the sex of the pups. However, if its weak it might put up little resistance and be eaten entirely. Why would a pet guinea pig eat its own babies? Their paws and head are comically outsized in proportion to their body, and they already have a full coat of fur. This is especially true if pet parents have not given their pregnant sow enough food. Your guinea pig wont eat its babies if you touch them. Newborn guinea pigs have fur and are born with their eyes open. Since males can get any female guinea pig pregnant once they reach maturity - including their mothers - they're weaned and taken from their mother at three weeks old. If it has not happened within the first 24 hours, it is very unlikely she will attempt to do it later on. If her diet doesnt contain enough vital vitamins and nutrients, she can still be malnourished whilst receiving enough calories to maintain her body weight. Guinea pigs are also notorious communicators, and they start vocalising from babyhood. So, what do you put on the bottom of a guinea pig cage? Guinea pig pregnancies are dangerous and the mortality rate is high both among guinea pig mothers and babies. Use the tips in this post to understand why piggies eat their babies and to prevent it from happening. In almost all species, males are inherently territorial. Female guinea pigs dont intentionally eat their babies nor do they kill them to eat them. They are born precocial, which means they already have teeth and fur, and from their earliest moments they can see, hear, and move about. So, I took some time to do some research on it for you. On average, baby guinea pigs come in litters of 2-4, and weigh 70-115g. In the meantime, the best thing you can do is provide your guinea pig with plenty of love and attention, so it doesnt feel lonely. She will naturally clean up the area around her: lick the babies clean, bite off the umbilical cord and eat the placenta. Ive wondered it myself. Their tiny mouths already manage to contain 20 teeth, which grow continuously. Guinea pigs are social animals who rely on their families for support. Guinea pigs are social animals and do best when kept in pairs or groups. Sometimes it happens accidentally. When you do approach the a baby guinea pig, be careful to move slowly and gently. My name is Tim Rhodes and I'm a guinea pig enthusiast through thick and thin. This is where they learn how to bond and behave in a herd. They need supervised time out of their cages each day to run around and exercise. Guinea pigs can recognize their owners and other people they know and trust. To do this, we learned it is best to wean the males by removing them from their mom and sisters cage at three weeks and moving them to a separate cage. While the baby boars can be separated in just three weeks once they are fully weaned, the baby sows can remain with the mother for up to 4 weeks from the time of birth. Your Baby Guinea Pig What To Expect And How To Look How long do guinea pig babies stay with mom? Babies grow fast. Some of the cutest animals kill and devour their offspring. Preview / Show more . We try to conform to the same standards and expectations when it comes to animal interactions and instincts. You can do a few things to help your guinea pig cope when youre not around. Bellinger, S. A. et al, An ecologically relevant guinea pig model of fetal behavior, Behavioral Brain Research, 2015. Read Also: How Often to Clean Guinea Pig Cage. Can Rabbits Eat Grapes Pros And Cons of Grapes For Rabbits. Compared to other rodents, guinea pigs (both in captivity and in the wild) will very rarely choose to eat their offspring. As mentioned already, increased stress will make it much more likely that your guinea pig will eat her offspring. Male guinea pigs (boars) usually mature sexually and can mate as young as 2-3 months of age. A mix of alfalfa and timothy hay could keep the mother full and prevent this from happening. Home - Guinea Pigs - Do Guinea Pigs Miss Their Owners? Mange worms (Trichocross cavia) are a common cause of hair loss, and other symptoms may include excessive scratching, abnormal aggression when being touched, and, in some cases, seizures. Do guinea pigs miss their babies? Even then, they must be handled very gently. New guinea pig breeds are formalised by the American Cavy Breeders Association, who also oversee breed standards and competitions in the United States. Calcium can be found in alfalfa hay or alfalfa-based pellets, timothy hay and oranges. On the other hand, if it turns out that they don't form any attachment to their young, then we can . The average guinea pig gestation is 59 72 days. 9. This usually happens when pups are stillborn, or born to ill to survive. We placed an additional water bottle in the cage so that it was low enough for the babies to reach it. In most cases, guinea pigs won't miss you if you decide to leave them in the home instead of taking them with you for camping.
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