Do not disturb your guinea pigs when they are sleeping or nursing. Also, after delivery, the mother guinea pig can eat babies accidentally, while eating the placenta. A male guinea pig might seriously injure his babies because he is territorial and feels intimidated. Guinea pigs are not capable of "missing". Cage size Will the baby guinea pigs be able to escape? The importance of understanding whether or not guinea pigs miss their babies cannot be overstated. If your guinea pig becomes acquainted with someone they don't trust, they may become quiet or hide when that person is nearby. The standard litter can range from one to six little pups, with an avg. 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. Paying lots of brief visits to your litter with mother, and getting them used to gentle handling without worrying them are going to be a vital foundation of good socialization. The Best Pet Health & Care Advice from Real Vets | PetMD. They have learned quite a few life skills from their mother and are ready to go to their new homes. Honestly, I dont feel like its worth the risk. When they dont respond to her attention, she tries cleaning them more and more vigorously, until eventually she ends up damaging them. To understand why a guinea pig mother killing and gobbling up her offspring is so rare and why its still a possibility (although it is a long shot), you need to know a little bit about the dynamics of. She checked each one of them and licked them clean immediately following their birth. Sows sometimes give birth during the night. If this happens, you should immediately remove the dead babies and dispose of them appropriately. We found the following cage on Amazon that worked really well. They are basically saying . 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. However, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not this is true. 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. If a baby guinea pig is orphaned, it is essential to find a surrogate mom as soon as possible. The above is important because it allows the mother to continue feeding and grooming her young. How long do baby guinea pigs stay with Mom? While carrying babies, the guinea pig mother needs extra energy. It's particularly common when introducing new guinea pigs for the first time. Although they are capable of eating almost immediately, baby guineas do still need to nurse and they will seek milk about every two hours. Weaning age depends on several factors including the pups weight, the mothers milk supply, and the number of siblings. Yet, the mother guinea pig will take care of them during the first few weeks, so dont separate them from her. What to Do If Your Guinea Pig Had Babies - YouTube CLICK HERE to check the price. the babies are doing so well and are so healthy.#guineapig #babies #cuteSong: Sapphe. How do I know when my guinea pig is ready to give birth? You should increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables given daily and also consider pet-friendly supplements. Dont be surprised if your pup lets out a little chirp as a means of asking for food! Do guinea pigs hurt their babies? - Your Wisdom Tips Some have lengthy, silky hair, and others have brief, tough coats. Any guinea pig lover would approve. Guinea pig babies are born looking like mini versions of their mama. 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. But another remarkable thing about baby guinea pigs is just how grown up their appetites are! Yes, guinea pigs miss their owners. Do mother guinea pigs miss their babies when they are given away? Just simply focusing on your guinea pigs and trying to chat with them every day can go a long way. To pick up your guinea pig move slowly and gently pick him up with two hands. Do everything you can to fulfill the wants and needs of the pregnant female, to make her feel safe and comfortable. Of course, every guinea pig is different, and some individual animals may indeed experience some sadness or loneliness after being separated from their babies if you are concerned that your guinea pig may miss its young, it. Breeding of guinea pigs is strongly discouraged. Guinea pigs are different from many other species; they are born with teeth and fur, and almost immediately they can see and walk around. The surprising truth is that it happens more often than youd think. This can be startling and upsetting. Or at least make it a less dangerous one, for you, the guinea pig mother, and the baby piggies. Housing your guinea pig is not particularly difficult, as there are a large variety of hutches and cages commercially available. You can do a few things to help your guinea pig cope when youre not around. I didnt know how we would handle it if Theo rejected her babies or even worse ate her young! Equally, male guinea pigs shouldnt eat their babies because they dont eat meat. However, both males and females can mature and be fertile even earlier. Guinea pig babies are actually called pups. Its important to know what signs to look out for so you can keep your piggies happy and healthy. So, its possible for their mother (especially if shes inexperienced with babies) to kill them with too much force. The sow eating her pups may be starving. However, this would put a huge amount of strain on her body and her mental stamina. Just keep your little friend with other females only. If one or two guinea pig pups seem to suddenly vanish from their cage, it doesnt necessarily mean theyve been eaten. Many living creatures eat other members of their species when necessary for survival. RSPCA Knowledgebase Let Australias most trusted animal welfare charity help you answer the big questions. 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. Baby guinea pigs are much smaller than their parents, so they can escape from the cage. Bear in mind this doesnt necessarily mean she is dangerously thin. Make sure to feed your guinea pig hay of high quality. We placed an additional water bottle in the cage so that we could position it low enough for the babies to reach it. Thankfully, its only done when the mother feels she doesnt have any other option. 10. 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. We knew for sure that we had one male and two females, but it was still hard for us to tell with the fourth guinea pig. Although, some green beans and always bring us back together. We hope you found this article helpful about what to expect when expecting newborn baby guinea pigs! Sometimes it happens accidentally. Significantly, this is the age when pups will start to reach sexual maturity. Although they spring out with open eyes and fully furred, piggie pups are still small and fragile at first. Find The Best Deals on Your Favorite guinea pig Products and Save! This is where they learn how to bond and behave in a herd. (n.d.). A particular substance comes from the eyes of a guinea pig; they rub it on their hair when they are grooming. Raising an orphaned guinea pig is not very difficult because mothers feed guinea pig pups only a few times per day and then leave them alone. The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common.A female can give birth to up to 5 litters per year. If you want some more information on guinea pig interactions, check out these posts: The Truth About Single Guinea Pigs (Is It Okay To Just Have One?) Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? They are born precocial, which means they already have teeth and fur, and from their earliest moments they can see, hear, and move about. See Also: Care Show details ClickHEREfor a peek at my disclosure. The average guinea pig litter is 2 to 4 pups. Wanna read something more boring than watching paint dry? This should reduce their spatial and jealous tendency. If your sow is in a very small enclosure, this could cause her unnecessary stress. A cage with a deep pan will make it more difficult for your guinea pigs to escape, but its not necessary. Guinea pig babies are born very quickly. As a whole, guinea pigs do not eat their offspring, but it can happen. Do Guinea Pigs Remember Their Siblings, Names, Owners & More A female guinea pig usually wont eat a baby guinea pig deliberately. Your guinea pig wont eat its babies if you touch them. There is a chance that your sow will only partially eat her offspring, particularly if she killed them by accident. Any sudden movement or noise can scare them. A pregnant guinea pig requires a lot of extra nutrition. Almost the only reason why a female guinea pig can kill her babies is that she is so stressed that her mind cannot handle the strain. Most guinea pigs cages are designed for adult guinea pigs with a one inch space between the bars. For example, guinea pigs are born with their eyes open, and their ears which look huge at the moment can already hear. It is okay for you to handle the pups during the nursing period. Guinea pigs weigh between 700 and 1200g. An inexperienced sow might accidentally damage her young with her teeth whilst trying to clean them up after the birth. Baby boars must be separated from mama at three weeks. Guinea pigs can typically handle labor and delivery without intervention; however, guinea pigs can die during the birthing process. When you pick them up secure one hand beneath the stomach and one under the bottom and hold close to your chest. Now, lets begin at the beginning. How many babies do guinea pigs have in their first litter? We read that the bedding needs to be changed daily. If guinea, Read More What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Eat? Baby guinea pigs are capable of digesting solid food very soon after birth (within hours). A typical guinea pig pup weighs between 60 and 115 grams and measures close to 3 to 5 inches long. Be quiet and move slowly around baby guinea pigs. Baby guinea pigs are called pups. The female pups can be weaned the following week at four weeks of age. Theyre filled with Vitamin C and other essential nutrients that guinea pigs need. But usually, mom will begin to discourage her babies from nursing at about the 3rd week. Individuals will be starting to show their own distinct personalities too. Guinea pigs definitely can eat clementines. When baby guinea pigs grow up the males are called boars and the females are called sows. Guinea Pig Facts | Live Science 9. Youre gonna want to read this. Some of the cutest animals kill and devour their offspring. (2010, July 22). Why Do Guinea Pigs Lick You or Other Guinea Pigs? How do you tell if a baby guinea pig is a boy or girl? Extreme Stress -. Certainly not, they only remember their parents for a particular period. Keeping your guinea pig healthy and happy is an ongoing process that will require lots of dedication and effort from you. Cute Guinea Pig Names 200 Unique Names To Choose From, Cow Names Over 400 Amazing Names For Your Cattle, Giving your litter the best start begins before your sow is even pregnant make sure she has a clean bill of health from a vet before she is mated, and buy a. If it is found that they experience sadness after their young have been weaned, it would suggest that we take extra care in handling this process. One of which is probably: Will your guinea pig eat her babies? 2 3 cups mostly green, leafy vegetables, Occasional fruit too much sugar can lead to obesity. Guinea pigs are cute and quite intelligent pets. 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.