Guinea Pig Babies Facts - Caring For All Pets Most guinea pigs cages are designed for adult guinea pigs with a one inch space between the bars. the babies are doing so well and are so healthy.#guineapig #babies #cuteSong: Sapphe. The average guinea pig gestation is 59 72 days. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. 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. Also, they should have unlimited amounts of timothy hay and water all the time. Lots of small animals (think rats and rabbits) have reputations for being prolific breeders. However, they will continue to feed on their mothers milk as well. 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. So, its possible for their mother (especially if shes inexperienced with babies) to kill them with too much force. (And yes, its one of the more gruesome animal interactions in the wild.). Many living creatures eat other members of their species when necessary for survival. Berryman, J. C., Guineapig Vocalizations: Their Structure, Causation and Function, Ethology, 1976. 3 hours ago WebBaby Guinea Pig Diet The first week of life is critical. When you decide to introduce baby guinea pigs to an adult guinea pig, follow their behavior (monitor them for aggression) and respond quickly. They're all grown now, but they keep me busy! Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. This can be very misleading especially when it comes to motherhood as many animals eat their offspring in certain circumstances. They might surprise you with how busy and outgoing they are too. That way she doesnt have to deal with the stress of more pregnancies. Some guinea pigs are more likely to nuzzle or groom people or other guinea pigs. Each birth is spaced out every 3 5 minutes. It is important to consider the space between the bars of your guinea pig cage. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made by my readers, but it doesn't cost you anything at all. 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. Always consult your vet if you think a baby guinea pig overly small, or failing to thrive. However, you shouldnt touch the babies right after they are born. 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. Other guinea pig owners would like to breed their piggies. If you look after the guinea pig mother regularly, she will allow you to touch her baby guinea pigs. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies - And How To Prevent It! (And How? This can happen if the guinea pig is not being fed enough timothy hay, pellets, vitamin C supplements, etc. Veterinarians and Animal Hospital in Pasadena, MD | Lake Shore Pet Hospital. If you keep a male guinea pig with the mother and babies, introduce them slowly, so there is no aggression between the two adults. How long does it take for guinea pigs to be born? Guinea pigs are fragile animals at any age but especially during their early days of life. The larger the litter, the smaller the pups will likely be. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? Having a guinea pig as a pet is a wonderful experience. View our privacy policy and our disclosure policy for more information. Guinea pigs dont hibernate, but they will slow down their metabolism and activity in order to stay warm, Read More Do Guinea Pigs Hibernate? A cage with a deep pan will make it more difficult for your guinea pigs to escape, but its not necessary. Giving birth is very stressful for the guinea pig mother and the babies. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","a865a53297bca918d5b51d234266ee3f");document.getElementById("e1b86b387e").setAttribute("id","comment"); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. This can harm the guinea pigs health, as they may become stressed or depressed. So, if youve been wanting to know if guinea pigs usually miss their owners, we hope you have the answer now. And, when it happens, it is usually an accident, not a rule, and intentional behavior. Once they die, she might eat them. So, what is the answer? 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. Newborn guinea pigs can open their eyes after they are born. If you are considering getting a guinea pig, ensure you can provide them with the social interaction they need. If this is the case, you obviously dont need to take these steps. New Plymouth Vet Group. Do Guinea Pigs Miss Their Owners? The sow needs this time to focus on nursing her living babies, and you need to create an environment that will allow her to do this. By their second week, you wont be able to miss how much your baby guinea pigs have grown already. 9. Do Guinea Pigs Recognize Their Owners?: 10 Tips You Need Now Guinea Pig Facts | Live Science They will understand. Theres no fixed moment when a guinea pig stops being a pup and becomes an adult. If that happens in captivity, thats extremely rare. This often happens when owners of female guinea pigs discover an unplanned pregnancy and arent able to care for all the babies. Guinea pigs diet rests on grasses, herbs, hay, and raw fruits and vegetables. Under normal circumstances, the sow will give birth and have a healthy litter of pups. 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. Sometimes it happens accidentally. The above is important because it allows the mother to continue feeding and grooming her young. As noted above; Guinea Pigs are highly vocal and use their voice to express their personality. Sometimes it happens accidentally. The first twenty four hours are when the babies are at greatest risk for being eaten, so remain close during this period. They Talk to You A.K.A. They are born precocial, which means they already have teeth and fur, and from their earliest moments they can see, hear, and move about. The babies shouldn't be separated from their mothers for at least a month. Or house her with a neutered male to prevent future pregnancies. Guinea pigs and other rodents do not eat their babies because they are hungry. The standard litter can range from one to six little pups, with an avg. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies if You Touch Them? As mentioned already, increased stress will make it much more likely that your guinea pig will eat her offspring. If a baby guinea pig is orphaned, it is essential to find a surrogate mom as soon as possible. When they dont respond to her attention, she tries cleaning them more and more vigorously, until eventually she ends up damaging them. A male guinea pig eats the babies only by a strange occurrence. When you do approach the a baby guinea pig, be careful to move slowly and gently. If you have an affectionate male guinea pig, you can introduce the babies when they are in the same cage. The Best Pet Health & Care Advice from Real Vets | PetMD. Even their own children. [9] They will still need to nurse, though, for three weeks before they are ready to be removed from their mother. On the other hand, if it turns out that they don't form any attachment to their young, then we can . Having your guinea pig give birth to a litter should be an exciting time. And all the behaviors theyll need to carry out for themselves instead of having performed for them by mom like grooming will be well established. 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. So it is not good practice by caring breeders. My name is Tim Rhodes and I'm a guinea pig enthusiast through thick and thin. Guinea pigs definitely can eat clementines. This is pretty rare. A mother guinea pig needs to clean the babies and eat the afterbirth to chemically generate the mammary glands to start producing milk. But, only serve them as an occasional treat, because the high sugar and water content can cause health problems like obesity and diarrhea. If the litter is too large, the mama . How Do Guinea Pigs Reproduce? (Breeding, Complications & More) Make sure to separate your male guinea pigs from females in their litter too. This can be startling and upsetting. And make sure that the guinea pig mother is not present. For guinea pigs to reproduce, a male guinea pig needs to fertilize the female. They have learned quite a few life skills from their mother and are ready to go to their new homes. To pick up your guinea pig move slowly and gently pick him up with two hands. At first your guinea pig baby may seem afraid when you pick him up. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets/guinea-pigs/breeding-and-reproduction-of-guinea-pigs, Care of pregnant Guinea pigs. Never again hear the dreaded sounds of your guinea pigs angry squeaks because you forgot to clean out their cage or feed them on timefor the fourth day in a row. What Are Common Health Problems in Guinea Pigs? Hamsters and rats are famous for such practice. So your guinea pig is pregnant. The gestation period is about 59 to 72 days or about two months. Once the mother gives birth to her babies to the nest, she won't be paying much heed to the nest anymore. They will nurse every two hours for the first three weeks. If your guinea pig becomes acquainted with someone they don't trust, they may become quiet or hide when that person is nearby. It is essential for guinea pigs to have social contact with other guinea pigs. When they dont have enough food and are at risk of starvation. Do Guinea Pigs Recognize Their Name? (How to Teach Them) How to Take Care of a Female Guinea Pig With Babies - wikiHow This is especially true if pet parents have not given their pregnant sow enough food. The importance of understanding whether or not guinea pigs miss their babies cannot be overstated. However, both males and females can mature and be fertile even earlier. Newborn Baby Guinea Pig Care - family-medical.net After birth, Guinea pig sows can become pregnant again within hours. 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. However, male guinea pigs shouldnt eat their young at all because guinea pigs are herbivores. Try brushing your pets coats regularly as this can create soothing and pleasant connecting experiences. It is rare, but it does happen. Guinea pigs cannot survive alone. Its better to have a cage that is much larger than a cage that is too small. National Geographic. Newborn Guinea Pigs - What You Should Avoid - Guinea Pig Site The next thing you need to take care of is that make sure that their cages are heavy, comfortable, and not escapable. Do Chickens Get Lonely? For example, they can eat blueberries, strawberries, tangerines, watermelon, passion fruit, melons, bananas, and many more. Also, after delivery, the mother guinea pig can eat babies accidentally, while eating the placenta. Once they are one to two finger-widths apart, it wont be long untilbirth.. Guinea pigs are peaceful creatures. When they grow up, male guinea pigs are called boars, and females are called sows. Bear in mind this doesnt necessarily mean she is dangerously thin. They are not cannibalistic because they are starving. Im guessing you probably have a lot of questions about guinea pig pregnancies. They will begin to wriggle and move about as soon as theyve been licked clean by their mom. 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. You have to remember that these babies are coming out of the womb ready to run around the cage and have fun very quickly. It may take some time for him to become comfortable with you. As a whole, guinea pigs do not eat their offspring, but it can happen. I'm here to help you smash the EASY button on pet parenting. Sometimes adults will do this with each other too. Their paws and head are comically outsized in proportion to their body, and they already have a full coat of fur. Guinea pigs can eat a lot of different types of fruit. When we discovered that our guinea pig was pregnant we had so many questions about newborn baby guinea pigs and what to expect once they were born. 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. If a typical guinea pig male suspects that the babies are not his own (whether or not this is the case in reality), he may kill and eat them. This will stop the mother from continuing to feed on them, and it will prevent the risk of diseases through decomposition. Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. Let's hear it for the boys. Your guinea pig wont eat its babies if you touch them. From the moment they are born they are unusually mature and capable of looking after themselves. Guinea pigs can recognize their owners and other people they know and trust. Wanna read something more boring than watching paint dry? 15 Best Pet Freshwater Fish For Beginners. Another challenge that people face is that they may not be able to tell if the guinea pig is sick or not. And guinea pigs are quite fertile little creatures too! More research must be conducted to determine whether or not guinea pigs truly miss their babies when they are apart. A female needs to give birth for the first time before the age of 7 months. Piglet Okay, so it's not that clever. One reason why a guinea pig mother might eat one of her pups is that she is extremely malnourished. MY GUINEA PIG HAD BABIES - YouTube Try to provide your pet with the extra company as much as you can, even if only for a short period of time. Female guinea pigs have a Y-shaped opening close to their anus. By doing this you can prevent accidental killings, as well as promptly remove any still born pups from the cage. You might also notice they squeak in distress when you take them away from their mom. Increase the protein content in your pregnant guinea pigs diet. At worst, it can cause her to reject them. A male guinea pig might seriously injure his babies because he is territorial and feels intimidated. 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. The advantage of choosing the Midwest Habitat Plus is that it offers up to 8 square feet of space, its very affordable, and you can transfer your male guinea pig to a different section early. Equally, male guinea pigs shouldnt eat their babies because they dont eat meat. You just have to note that bringing mature guinea pigs together can sometimes be difficult, even if it is done in a slow and measured manner. Be quiet and move slowly around baby guinea pigs. Kind, K.L., Chronic maternal feed restriction impairs growth but increases adiposity of the fetal guinea pig, American Journal of Physiology, 2005. You can expect your pup to wander curiously about their world during this time, but their legs are still a bit clumsy and theyre apt to suddenly plop down as they explore their environs. As a whole, guinea pigs do not eat their offspring, but it can happen. Guinea pigs eating babies is a rare but possible occurrence. This article has been extensively revised for 2019. (Fun Facts). It is important to make sure that the pups begin nursing within the first few hours of birth. 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). Most people find guinea pig babies sweet and beautiful. Its understandable to feel that way. What is a Group of Guinea Pigs Called? Guinea pigs may be Darwinian in their process toward motherhood, meaning only strong individuals can survive and reproduce more, To eliminate competition, guinea pigs are reluctant to share their enclave, especially when other male guinea pigs are around. In general, the color of Abyssinian guinea pigs is associated with congenital eye defects and digestive problems. Guinea pigs do not share a similar parent-child bond like that of their siblings with their parents. Lets take a closer look at this exciting topic. Male baby guinea pigs have a donut-shaped genital opening in front of their anus. For the first 2-3 weeks , they will rely on their mother for milk. They reach their adult size very quickly. Calcium is very important for baby piggies as they are growing and developing. Once all the serious aspects of baby guinea pig care are in hand, you can turn your mind to more fun tasks, like picking their names. Youre gonna want to read this. Copyright 2021 - 2023 Guinea Pig Den | Jennifer Franklin Media LLCThis site does not constitute pet medical advice, please consult a licensed veterinarian in your area for pet medical advice. 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. Sadly yes, guinea pig mothers do sometimes eat their newborn young. 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. An average sized pup measures around 3 to 5 inches at birth, and very cylindrical roughly the size of a tangerine in fact! Your pregnant and lactating guinea pigs should have access to alfalfa hay in the last weeks of their pregnancy. And that means that in a mixed litter of boys and girls, its time for the boys to be relocated to a new home, to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The mother may eat her babies if one or more of her litter dies, or she is under a lot of stress. Check out these most popular guinea pig products on the market: Last update on 2023-02-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. Some have lengthy, silky hair, and others have brief, tough coats. Guinea pigs need fresh water daily. (Find Out Now), 10 Reliable Cage Liners for Guinea Pigs (What You Need to Know), Do Guinea Pigs Hibernate? Usually, the mother will eat the baby right after it's born. However, we always recommend having more than one guinea pig because these small animals are social creatures and they need company. Make sure she always has enough food. GuineaPigDen.com is a participant in theAmazon 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. To avoid the risk of your guinea pig, eating her babies, take these safety steps. You have entered an incorrect email address! But, can guinea pigs eat them? *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Guinea pigs weigh between 700 and 1200g.