Can you hold Pregnant guinea pigs?
Guinea pig fetuses are tiny and fragile, and pressure from your hands can be enough to harm them. Be very careful when handling a pregnant guinea pig, and never press on her abdomen.
When does a guinea pig go into labor?
Complications can happen during birth, and failure to act may result in the female guinea pig giving birth dying. Generally, guinea pigs give birth during daylight hours. Labor is typically a fast onset affair, and your guinea pig may squeak when it starts.
When can you Hold Your guinea pig after they are born?
A pair of five day old babies in the ‘guinea pig day creche’. Once the babies were old enough I’d put them all in the play pen together, partly to give their mothers a break, mainly to socialize the babies with each other so I could organize them into herds for when they were old enough to move to their new cages.
How long does it take a guinea pig to suckle after giving birth?
Baby guinea pigs will suckle from their new mother for around 4-6 weeks from their birth. They will also have the odd nibble at the same food their mother eats from only two days old.
Can a guinea pig have two babies at the same time?
A double birth can happen – where two babies pop out at the same time. Things can get a bit tricky here for the mother as she has twice the work on her hands. The baby that comes out second may not get attention until the mother has finished with the first. Female guinea pigs are very organised and methodical during the birth process.
What happens to a guinea pig after giving birth?
Twenty four hours can bring about a lot of changes after the birth of a litter of guinea pig pups. Knowing when not to interfere can be the hardest part of witnessing a birth or having a litter of young pups to care for. Pups may be born too quickly and the sow may not get the sacks (membranes) off in time.
How many pups does a guinea pig have?
A guinea pig’s pregnancy lasts about 9 or 10 weeks. While your sow might bear from one to six pups or even more, the average litter size is 3. Interesting fact – The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! Weigh your sow weekly to be certain she is gaining weight at a regular pace.
When to separate mother guinea pig from her pups?
Not only does the mother guinea pig need to be protected from the male pups, but the female pups need protection as well — the male pups could even try to impregnate their sisters! Male pups should be separated from the mother and female pups at three weeks of age (right after nursing).
Is it okay to hold a guinea pig during the nursing period?
It is okay for you to handle the pups during the nursing period. Their mother will not reject them if they are handled by humans. During the nursing period, the mother guinea pig will clean her pups’ bottoms to stimulate their urination and defecation. Do not be concerned about the mother guinea pig’s maternal instincts.
