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When can baby guinea pigs be separated from their mother? (Find Out Now), 10 Reliable Cage Liners for Guinea Pigs (What You Need to Know), Do Guinea Pigs Hibernate? 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. New babies are born with teeth, claws, and fur. Newborn Guinea Pig Babies 10 Minutes Old! - YouTube And the result is that guinea pig babies are born already more mature than many other species. https://www.npvet.co.nz/pets/animal-info-pets/bird-rabbit-turtle-articles/care-pregnant-guinea-pigs/, Guinea lynx :: Reproduction. You should increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables given daily and also consider pet-friendly supplements. Breeding and Reproduction of Guinea Pigs - All Other Pets - Merck Baby guinea pigs are called pups just like baby dogs. They will continue to nurse from mom for somewhere between three and six weeks. It can be a little surprising to witness, but its completely normal and nothing to be alarmed about. By the time theyre a month old, baby guinea pigs body shape rather resembles that of a syrian hamster. A female needs to give birth for the first time before the age of 7 months. For instance, most rats eat their babies. Besides, always separate baby guinea pigs from male guinea pigs. Under certain circumstances, the sow may eat her offspring for various reasons. Watch after your guinea pig while she gives birth. Female guinea pigs have a Y-shaped opening close to their anus. When you pick them up secure one hand beneath the stomach and one under the bottom and hold close to your chest. When your guinea pig is pregnant her Vitamin C requirements double to around 20mg per day. There are, Read More 7 Alarming Reasons Why Guinea Pigs DroolContinue, What fruits can guinea pigs eat? The larger the litter, the smaller the pups will likely be. They need to stay with their mother guinea pigs and suck their milk, but they will quickly become active. Stop getting dirty looks from your piggies, because you forgot to do something for themAGAIN. Show some tender feelings towards your guinea pig. For guinea pigs to reproduce, a male guinea pig needs to fertilize the female. But most people think of it as being around four weeks old, when they reach sexual maturity. I personally dont recommend it and neither do vets and most responsible rescues and shelters.Accidents happen. Other guinea pig owners would like to breed their piggies. Hey there, I'm Angela. Between then and reaching their full adult weight several months later, you might hear them being described as juniors. Now, if you have a dog or even a cat, you are sure it misses you when you have to go to work but do guinea pigs miss their owners? Do Guinea Pigs Remember Their Siblings, Names, Owners & More 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. By doing this you can prevent accidental killings, as well as promptly remove any still born pups from the cage. Although its very uncommon, there is still a possibility that a mother guinea pig will engage in filial cannibalism. It may take some time for him to become comfortable with you. Why Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? - Clever Pet Owners This is especially true if pet parents have not given their pregnant sow enough food. The gestation period is about 59 to 72 days or about two months. Some guinea pigs are more likely to nuzzle or groom people or other guinea pigs. 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. However, we always recommend having more than one guinea pig because these small animals are social creatures and they need company. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How long do baby guinea pigs stay with Mom? We noticed our guinea pig babies began to eat mamas food within a few days of birth. Veterinarians and Animal Hospital in Pasadena, MD | Lake Shore Pet Hospital. By six weeks of age baby guinea pigs are self-sufficient and fully weaned. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? Hold him against your chest to help him feel secure and safe. Theyre filled with Vitamin C and other essential nutrients that guinea pigs need. They are able to express a wide range of emotions using different sounds and gestures. 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. Another challenge that people face is that they may not be able to tell if the guinea pig is sick or not. This is pretty rare. It can be difficult to tell the difference between male and female guinea pigs under three weeks of age. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Squeaks and Nibbles is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk, Squeaks and Nibbles is also 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. But usually, mom will begin to discourage her babies from nursing at about the 3rd week. Remember to remove any they leave, as it will spoil quickly. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/i-think-my-guinea-pig-might-be-pregnant-what-should-i-do/, Pregnancy toxemia in Guinea pigs. Sows sometimes give birth during the night. Be quiet and move slowly around baby guinea pigs. They can impregnate mom and sisters! This is especially true for mammalian animals, who often form strong attachments with their young. It is perfectly fine to handle your new guinea pigs within the first week. Change the water daily. Sometimes, male Guinea pigs will eat pups if they were fathered by another cavy. She needs more food and more nutrients to prepare her for the process of giving birth and nursing her babies. But, fruit should only be given as an occasional treat. But, only serve them as an occasional treat, because the high sugar and water content can cause health problems like obesity and diarrhea. The act of cannibalism in guinea pigs is usually the mother trying to protect the rest of her litter from predators. 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. Do guinea pigs get in heat? Explained by Sharing Culture Its just as important that your baby guinea pig also spends most of their time with other guinea pigs. (Find Out Now), https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets/guinea-pigs/breeding-and-reproduction-of-guinea-pigs, https://www.npvet.co.nz/pets/animal-info-pets/bird-rabbit-turtle-articles/care-pregnant-guinea-pigs/, https://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html, https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/i-think-my-guinea-pig-might-be-pregnant-what-should-i-do/, https://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/reproductive/c_ex_gp_pregnancy_toxemia, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/140328-sloth-bear-zoo-infanticide-chimps-bonobos-animals, https://lakeshorepethospital.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Guinea_Pig_Pregnancy.pdf, Removing the male guinea pig(s) will also. Diet What should our pregnant guinea pig eat? Guinea Pig Animal Facts | Cavia porcellus - AZ Animals Honestly, I dont feel like its worth the risk. (What You Need To Know), Can Guinea Pigs Eat Clementines? Caring for a guinea pig can be challenging if you are unsure whether it is missing its baby. Do Guinea Pigs Acknowledge Their Identify? (Easy methods to Train Them) The good news is that its unlikely for your pregnant pet to eat her offspring. Getting guinea pigs used to handling from an early age is an important part of rearing confident, relaxed pets. What Are Common Health Problems in Guinea Pigs? They look a little bit awkward as they begin to move around. View our privacy policy and our disclosure policy for more information. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? What Makes Them Do That And How To If you look after the guinea pig mother regularly, she will allow you to touch her baby guinea pigs. This was the most surprising thing to me! Do Guinea Pigs Like Stuffed Animals? Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? (The Surprising Truth) She will naturally clean up the area around her: lick the babies clean, bite off the umbilical cord and eat the placenta. After three weeks, baby guinea pigs can be separated from their mother and placed with other guinea pigs or their owner. Many people believe that male guinea pigs eat their babies as well. They will weigh as much as 2 kilos; most reside between 5 and 6 years, however some notably wholesome pets can reside 10 years or longer. (And Other Key Terms), How Often Should You Clean a Guinea Pigs Cage? Plus, good breeders and rescues tend to handle their guinea pigs regularly, which helps to keep them tame. 4. Guinea Pigs do best when living with at least one similar companion, and pets that live without another Guinea pig sometimes become lonely and depressed. You need to be able to provide your guinea pigs with regular ample attention all the time. Weaning age depends on several factors including the pups weight, the mothers milk supply, and the number of siblings. Breeding and reproduction of Guinea pigs All other pets Merck veterinary manual. Newborn guinea pigs weigh only 100 grams but they grow quickly. Increase the protein content in your pregnant guinea pigs diet. Piglet Okay, so it's not that clever. But, if one or more of her litter is stillborn, she may eat it. This is extremely taxing on the body of the female guinea pig and dangerous to her. The name pup calls to mind baby dogs, but guinea pigs actually belong to a family of rodent species called cavies. (Fun Facts). During our research we learned that there are two possible reasons why: This was one question that had me really worried. Guinea pigs can eat their babies if they lack nutrition. Even then, they must be handled very gently. Its unwise to create more. If her diet doesnt contain enough vital vitamins and nutrients, she can still be malnourished whilst receiving enough calories to maintain her body weight. It is important to consider the space between the bars of your guinea pig cage. Most species clean their offspring with their tongue and so do your little friends. Thankfully, its only done when the mother feels she doesnt have any other option. That way she doesnt have to deal with the stress of more pregnancies. Can Guinea Pigs Eat Spinach Or Is It Bad For Them? You might also notice they squeak in distress when you take them away from their mom. Adult guinea pigs eat timothy hay, orchard hay, or any other hay thats high in fiber. It is important to make sure that the pups begin nursing within the first few hours of birth. If you are just considering the idea of owning guinea pigs, ensure that you already have the capacity to take care of them and also provide them with quality interplay. The female pups can be weaned the following week at four weeks of age. Many time, the pup gets killed accidentally and the mother eats it because she has a survival instinct. Watch carefully for signs of stress or discomfort. ClickHEREfor a peek at my disclosure. Within twenty-four hours they can start to eat grass, produce, hay, and pellet feed just like adults. Pet owners know that keeping a guinea pig as a pet is a wonderful experience. Its important to know what signs to look out for so you can keep your piggies happy and healthy. There is a chance that your sow will only partially eat her offspring, particularly if she killed them by accident. AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE Guinea pigs do not share a similar parent-child bond like that of their siblings with their parents. Feed the guinea pig pups for the first 5 days around the clock every 4 to 5 hours. A pregnant guinea pig requires a lot of extra nutrition. Will Your Guinea Pig Eat Her Babies? (What You Need To Know) Why Do Guinea Pigs Sometimes Kill Their Young? Once the baby guinea pigs turn 3 to 4 weeks, separate them from their mother, especially male guinea pigs. This should reduce their spatial and jealous tendency. You can certainly handle a little, because it wont make their mother reject them. I'm here to help you smash the EASY button on pet parenting. Guinea Pig Facts | Live Science Newborn Guinea Pigs - What You Should Avoid - Guinea Pig Site At six weeks old baby guineas pigs are fully weaned, and have stopped nursing from their mother. Make sure to feed your guinea pig hay of high quality. Six or seven weeks old is the age at which most breeders will let their pups go to their new homes. Or at least make it a less dangerous one, for you, the guinea pig mother, and the baby piggies. If you push gently on their lower abdomen the penis may appear. Baby guinea pigs are much smaller than their parents, so they can escape from the cage. Look quickly because guinea pigs are not happy being held this way. This can harm the guinea pigs health, as they may become stressed or depressed. Just like with taming older guinea pigs be patient and consistent. Hi there! While carrying babies, the guinea pig mother needs extra energy. Keep your little friend calm. Can a Guinea Pig Baby Live Without the Mother? Signs of Guinea pig loneliness, depression, and boredom include hair chewing, hiding, refusing to be handled, and general irritability. Bartesaghi, R., Severi, S., Effects of early environment on field CA2 pyramidal neurons in the guinea-pig, Neuroscience, 2004. They need supervised time out of their cages each day to run around and exercise. You can find a mentor by asking your local cavy club to put you in touch with suitable experienced breeders. Do Guinea Pigs Nurse Their Young? This Is What You Should Know! Many others survive but have problems.Additionally, theres thousands (if not tens of thousands) of piggies without good homes now. If your guinea pig becomes restless or starts to squeak loudly it is a sign that he is ready to go back to his cage. Other factors that make eating (or killing) the pups less likely include: piggies are natural herbivores and they have good maternal instincts (for rodents, anyway). While it is a hard thing to think about, it can happen. Expect to pay around $10 to $40 on average, though this can vary depending on factors such as age and coloring. They have learned quite a few life skills from their mother and are ready to go to their new homes. A single guinea pig living by themselves often become gloomy, confused, and spiritless. Lets explain why guinea pigs may eat their babies. (Find Out Now). And, when it happens, it is usually an accident, not a rule, and intentional behavior. 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. Wheek: The shrill noise a guinea pig or other small rodent makes. This process includes eating the placenta and, while she does this, there is a chance that she will mistake one of her babies for the placenta. 3 hours ago WebBaby Guinea Pig Diet The first week of life is critical. Witkowska, A. et al, The Effects of Diet on Anatomy, Physiology and Health in the Guinea Pig, Journal of Animal Health and Behavioural Science, 2017. Here are some reasons why animals eat their offspring. We hope youve enjoyed this in depth article about cute baby guinea pigs!Guinea pig pups are quite unlike most other baby animals. This can be very misleading especially when it comes to motherhood as many animals eat their offspring in certain circumstances. I thought they would be born helpless and look like baby rats or hamsters with no fur and their eyes closed. The importance of understanding whether or not guinea pigs miss their babies cannot be overstated. When they grow up, male guinea pigs are called boars, and females are called sows. While it is certainly possible that guinea pigs may experience separation anxiety after their babies have been taken away, there is no definitive evidence to suggest that this is the case. (What Owners Need To Know), What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Eat? This website was inspired by our guinea pig pair, Theo and Remmy, and is our familys journey to becoming the best guinea pig parents. They are cheerful and love to run around, squeak, eat, play, and poop. But, when a pet parent has makes an intentional choice to breed, its really not worth the risk in most cases. As mentioned already, increased stress will make it much more likely that your guinea pig will eat her offspring. Pregnant and lactating guinea pigs also need alfalfa hay to sustain their babies. If she is pregnant, her chances of suffering from some illness will also increase, which will tempt her to eat a lot. It was fascinating to watch our new mom clean up after her newborn baby guinea pigs. This a sound that only domesticated guinea pigs do for their adoring pet parents. Guinea pig litters can contain up to eight pups, but two, three or four is more usual. When female guinea pigs eat their babies, they can do so because they are excessively hungry and because they are under a lot of stress that they cannot handle. An indoor cage size of 18" x 24" (45 x 60 cm) should comfortably accommodate a guinea pig. Its important to remember that guinea pigs are prey animals and they can get intimidated very easily. For example, guinea pigs are born with their eyes open, and their ears which look huge at the moment can already hear. This way, your guinea pig will not feel the need for extra nutrition. Once labor is established, all the pups usually arrive within half an hour. Although they are able to conceive year-round, springtime is the peak window for baby guineas appearing on the scene. Its easy to achieve in the first two weeks by keeping the whole litter together with their mom, but next week its time to start thinking about separating them. Just like big farmyard pigs! What about baby guinea pigs for adoption? Like babies of all species, cute baby guinea pigs are tiny and winsome. Besides, guinea pigs should eat about 1/8 of pellets, and about a cup of a mixture of herbs, vegetables, and fruits, but all in moderate amounts. A male guinea pig might seriously injure his babies because he is territorial and feels intimidated. Squeaks, Scales and Tails is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC an affiliate advertising program. Do Guinea Pigs Recognize Their Owners? (How to Tell) After your guinea pig has given birth, shell clean up the evidence left behind to stop predators from tracking down their scent. A great way to get help raising your first litter successfully, and in recognising potential problems quickly, is by enlisting the support of a mentor. Although they spring out with open eyes and fully furred, piggie pups are still small and fragile at first. So, pet parents should be cautious and prepared when dealing with pregnant sows. A particular substance comes from the eyes of a guinea pig; they rub it on their hair when they are grooming. Babies grow fast. It is okay for you to handle the pups during the nursing period. Other causes of hair loss due to underlying medical conditions such as ovarian cysts may occur as a result of hormonal distress.