- The female should be at least 4 to 5 months old. If she is younger than this age, then there is the risk that she may not be fully developed enough to have a successful delivery.
- Very young sows are prone to having premature births. If this happens, the babies may not live past the first day. Also, another problem is the mother may not have enough milk or know how to take care of her newborns. This is where the more knowledge you have on their care will pay off.
- Guinea Pigs are pregnant (called the gestation period) for 59-72 days and they usually have a litter of 1-6 young with the average being 3-4. Some sows may have a shorter pregnancy period which mostly depends on her age and the number of baby guinea pigs they carry. Having more babies usually means a shorter pregnancy.
- During pregnancy the sows can get large, they will almost double their normal size as the pups reach birthing size. So don't be alarmed. You may also be able to witness the movement of the tiny babies in the final two weeks.
- You will need to supplement her diet with extra water and Vitamin C. Pregnant and nursing sows will need approximately 20mg of Vitamin C daily.
- A delivery usually lasts for about 1/2 hour, with an average of 5 minutes between delivery of each baby. All you need to do is make sure the nose of the babies are not blocked and that they are breathing okay.
- Most pregnancies usually go smoothly and easy. With that said, I will also add that while your pet is giving birth, you should stay close and keep a closer eye on her. Be sure to have your vets contact phone number ready, so if anything may go wrong, the vet can help. If the pregnancy goes longer than 45 minutes, be prepared to make a phone call since this normally suggests a problem.
- You will not have to remove the male from the cage if he has been neutered. If he has not, be WARNED that the female will be ready to mate again within one hour of giving birth. It is both unwise and hard on the female to get her pregnant again this quickly after giving birth.
- The babies are born with their eyes open and with full hair. They will try to walk within seconds and will eat solid food within the first day of their lives.
- It will take 3 to 4 weeks for the babies to be weaned. It would be wise to remove ALL young males at this time since they can be virile at any time after being weaned. Young females will come into season usually after about 4 weeks.
Recommendation to reader:
Understanding the guinea pig pregnancy is as important as any other health condition your pet will encounter. I believe that knowing as much as possible about your guinea pig or any other pet you own, can not only make your experience more rewarding. To get a full understanding of their proper care, you will discover: how to picking the right one, the correct way of handling them, picking your pet up and holding them without hurting them, the different types of cages, the right foods to feed your pet, foods to avoid that could kill them, the treatment of health problems, breeding problems and much much more.
The reference book we suggest to ALL guinea pig owners is: "Guinea Pigs Made Simple - The Pet Owner's Guide". It is without a doubt one of the most complete and comprehensive guides to having a happy and healthy pet. To discover more about guinea pigs and their care, go directly to: http://www.GuineaPigsMadeSimple.com
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