Post by Bean on May 27, 2006 13:09:08 GMT
Yodelpig has kindly written an article on pregnancy, labour and care of your guinea pigs after the birth which you will find below. At the end of the article there are links providing further information on the risks of breeding your pet or for help with accidental litters.
Here at Wheekers, we do not recommended breeding your guinea pigs. Any discussions about intentional breeding should be held at other forums.
Pregnancy:
At which age can guinea pigs conceive or father babies?
- Guinea pig boars can father babies from 3 weeks onwards or in rare cases even a bit earlier. They need to be separated from any sows at that age.
- Sows can become pregnant from 4 weeks onwards. Any sow above that age that has been with a boar (even a brother or son over 3 weeks weeks old) can be potentially pregnant.
Sadly, many shop guinea pigs are thrown together either during transport or when on display in the shop. That means that you need to keep in mind that a sow could be pregnant even though she has been separated in the shop – this is what happened to me with my first guinea pigs! Please be aware that not everybody is always forthcoming about the presence of boars.
There is still a lot of misinformation around as to the correct age for separating baby boars. I have heard anything from 6 weeks to 1 year old!!! Not all babies become fertile straight away at the first possible moment, but you do not want to play statistics with something as vital as this. Sadly, too many pregnancies are already the result of misinformation, ignorance and neglicence.
www.guinealynx.info/reproduction_faq.html
Unfortunately, there are still people and shops who sell guinea pigs without being able to sex them properly; it can sometimes be quite tricky in young piggies. Please check the gender of your guinea pigs again as soon you have brought them home. Not all general vets can be relied on being able to sex guinea pigs properly, either. If still in doubt after consulting the following link, post as clear a picture of the privates as you can on this forum.
www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm
What I should know about the risks of pregnancy?
One in five pregnancies runs into trouble – that is as much as it was in humans before we developed better diagnostic and neonatal care.
Even the best of care cannot prevent things going wrong. Mummy sows can die in late pregnancy, during labor and from complications afterwards.
Dead born babies, babies born with deformities (external as well as internal), babies that will only live for a few days can and do happen – do not assume that it won’t be you!
Big babies in small litters can get stuck during birth. Big litters, especially in later pregnancies, mean a high chance of some pups being born dead and a much increased probability of getting runts that need round the clock nursing.
Sows can have between 1-10 pups; the norm is 2-4. First litters tend to be smaller than later ones, but there can be up to 6 pups in a first litter and up to 7 surviving pups in a later litter.
The chances of things going wrong are even higher if proper care is not provided. A good diet and clean, neither too cold nor too hot and preferably stress free surroundings are paramount. Make sure that you set enough money aside to be able to see a good, preferably an exotics vet in case you run into complications - and that could include a caesarian section!
Early pregnancies and back-to-back pregnancies are very hard on mums, especially those that still have to grow quite a bit themselves; it can stunt their own development and lives. Vital nutrients are withheld or withdrawn from their body at a crucial time and for a long period. This can cause severe deficiencies (scurvy=lack of vitamin C) as well as hair loss in cases when a good quality diet is not provided. Mites are also not uncommon in pregnant sows under stress from less than optimal conditions.
Keep in mind that a guinea pig mum does not suffer any less physically and emotionally from a failed pregnancy and birth than a human woman would, just because she doesn’t scream and cry!
PLEASE DO NOT BREED YOUR SOWS INTENTIONALLY !
www.guinealynx.info/breeding.html
www.cavyspirit.com/breeding.htm
Any sow conceiving after 8 months old is at an increasing risk of having problems with birth because the ligaments that connect the pelvic bones are getting less elastic and the contractions weaker. The older a sow giving birth for the first time is the greater the risk for serious complications during birth.
The older a sow is (even if she has had babies before) the greater the danger of miscarriage, dead born/impaired babies and death for the mum.
Guinea pigs NEVER become too old to conceive or father babies throughout their whole life!!!
Signs of pregnancy
A pregnancy takes on average 10 weeks (58-73 days). There are no surefire signs and no signs during the first half of the pregnancy. You have to rely on a combination of indicators.
- The first signs are usually increased thirst and weight gain. Make sure that you weigh your guinea pigs weekly anyway. Any weight gain over 60 g/2 oz in one week is suspect, but can have other reasons (recovery from illness/malnutrition).
A pregnant sow will show an increasing gain of weight over the weeks as opposed to the steady one of normally growing piggy.
- At one point, a sow’s nipples will elongate and swell; however, this can sometimes happen as late as shortly before birth/lactating or can be a sign of hormonal imbalances or mammary problems.
- From 5-6 weeks onwards you can feel hard balls developing in a sow’s belly. Just hold your hand underneath and NEVER SQUEEZE as you could severely injure or even kill an embryo!
- From about 7 weeks onwards, the balls are starting to stick out to the sides in front of the back legs. This is best visible from above. Some sows have naturally a pear shape with hard bits, so this is not necessarily conclusive. It also depends on how many pups a sow carries – some pregnancies with only one baby barely show whereas a sow with multiple pups can grow so big that she is hardly able to move!
- You should be able to feel or see movement about two weeks before the birth. In the very last days, you can hear the pups grinding their teeth if you know what to listen for.
- In the days before the birth, the pelvic bones will start to part. Preferably try it first in a non-pregnant sow, so you can appreciate the difference. The pelvic bones open right in front of the sow’s bits. However, even with the pelvic bones parted fully, it can still take up to two weeks until birth, so it is by no means the surefire timing device it is made out to be.
www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html
www.oginet.com/pgurney/pregnancy.htm
What should I do if I suspect pregnancy?
- Remove any boars immediately as soon as you suspect a pregnancy!
Sows come into season within hours of giving birth, and any randy boar (neutered or not) will cause havoc and disrupt the bonding process between mothers and pups. You do not want to put any sow through the hardship of a back-to-back pregnancy through sheer carelessness! Your boar will be quite vocal when he is being separated, but it is the silent suffering of your sow you should be concerned about - it is her life and health that is at stake here!!!
Any full boar should not join the sow (and any daughters) unless he has been neutered and has had his 4-6 weeks’ wait after the operation. As an alternative, you can wait and see whether there are any male pups you could pair him up with.
- If you are in doubt, see an experienced exotics vet in the 3rd quarter of a sow’s pregnancy. You do not want to stress out a highly pregnant sow with an unnecessary trip too close to birth. Seeing a vet during the very early stages won’t usually get you a result you can rely on; a wrong prediction can only confuse rather than help.
What diet does a pregnant sow need?
- Pregnant sows need plenty of daily changed fresh water to drink, double the normal amount of vitamin C as well as extra calcium and protein. No other changes in foods or amounts are necessary if your guinea pig is on a good quality diet, i.e. plenty of good quality hay (up to 80% of the daily food intake), about 40g good quality pellets and 50g/1 cupful of mixed veg per day. If necessary, rather increase the amount of veg sightly than the amount of pellets, even - and especially - for very young pregnant sows!
Vitamin C: One extra slice of bell pepper or some extra chunks of broccoli every day will do for the increased need of vitamin C. Some people have pointed out that parsley contains a compound that may trigger early labour; I have not found proof for this, but if in doubt leave it out. Please do not add anything to the water. Additives have a habit of going off very quickly without you being able to control the intake. If you prefer to give artificial vitamin C, dissolve a 1/8 of a tablet in a bit of water and syringe the fluid.
Some people also recommend giving raspberry leaves (fresh or dried) for their high mineral and vitamin content, although a small pinch may be sufficient for a guinea pig.
Calcium: Adding calcium rich alfalfa/lucerne hay (which is actually not a grass, but a legume) to your normal hay will help with forming the pups’ bones; this should be continued for the pups until the end of the nursing period and then phased out, as a regular supply of good quality pellets will be enough until the youngsters have done most of their growing. Please refill the youngsters' bowl from scratch rather than just top it up - they may have peed in it.
Protein: Again, alfalfa is the best source!
Do not be tempted to feed much more than normal because a small litter of big pups can cause real problems during birth, especially in small, stunted and very young sows. Most of the extra nutrition will go towards the pups and not towards the sow’s body during the later stages of pregnancy and the nursing period. You are aiming for an ideal birth weight, not a high birth weight for the pups. However, mums can certainly do with some rest and special pampering afterwards!
Here at Wheekers, we do not recommended breeding your guinea pigs. Any discussions about intentional breeding should be held at other forums.
Pregnancy:
At which age can guinea pigs conceive or father babies?
- Guinea pig boars can father babies from 3 weeks onwards or in rare cases even a bit earlier. They need to be separated from any sows at that age.
- Sows can become pregnant from 4 weeks onwards. Any sow above that age that has been with a boar (even a brother or son over 3 weeks weeks old) can be potentially pregnant.
Sadly, many shop guinea pigs are thrown together either during transport or when on display in the shop. That means that you need to keep in mind that a sow could be pregnant even though she has been separated in the shop – this is what happened to me with my first guinea pigs! Please be aware that not everybody is always forthcoming about the presence of boars.
There is still a lot of misinformation around as to the correct age for separating baby boars. I have heard anything from 6 weeks to 1 year old!!! Not all babies become fertile straight away at the first possible moment, but you do not want to play statistics with something as vital as this. Sadly, too many pregnancies are already the result of misinformation, ignorance and neglicence.
www.guinealynx.info/reproduction_faq.html
Unfortunately, there are still people and shops who sell guinea pigs without being able to sex them properly; it can sometimes be quite tricky in young piggies. Please check the gender of your guinea pigs again as soon you have brought them home. Not all general vets can be relied on being able to sex guinea pigs properly, either. If still in doubt after consulting the following link, post as clear a picture of the privates as you can on this forum.
www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm
What I should know about the risks of pregnancy?
One in five pregnancies runs into trouble – that is as much as it was in humans before we developed better diagnostic and neonatal care.
Even the best of care cannot prevent things going wrong. Mummy sows can die in late pregnancy, during labor and from complications afterwards.
Dead born babies, babies born with deformities (external as well as internal), babies that will only live for a few days can and do happen – do not assume that it won’t be you!
Big babies in small litters can get stuck during birth. Big litters, especially in later pregnancies, mean a high chance of some pups being born dead and a much increased probability of getting runts that need round the clock nursing.
Sows can have between 1-10 pups; the norm is 2-4. First litters tend to be smaller than later ones, but there can be up to 6 pups in a first litter and up to 7 surviving pups in a later litter.
The chances of things going wrong are even higher if proper care is not provided. A good diet and clean, neither too cold nor too hot and preferably stress free surroundings are paramount. Make sure that you set enough money aside to be able to see a good, preferably an exotics vet in case you run into complications - and that could include a caesarian section!
Early pregnancies and back-to-back pregnancies are very hard on mums, especially those that still have to grow quite a bit themselves; it can stunt their own development and lives. Vital nutrients are withheld or withdrawn from their body at a crucial time and for a long period. This can cause severe deficiencies (scurvy=lack of vitamin C) as well as hair loss in cases when a good quality diet is not provided. Mites are also not uncommon in pregnant sows under stress from less than optimal conditions.
Keep in mind that a guinea pig mum does not suffer any less physically and emotionally from a failed pregnancy and birth than a human woman would, just because she doesn’t scream and cry!
PLEASE DO NOT BREED YOUR SOWS INTENTIONALLY !
www.guinealynx.info/breeding.html
www.cavyspirit.com/breeding.htm
Any sow conceiving after 8 months old is at an increasing risk of having problems with birth because the ligaments that connect the pelvic bones are getting less elastic and the contractions weaker. The older a sow giving birth for the first time is the greater the risk for serious complications during birth.
The older a sow is (even if she has had babies before) the greater the danger of miscarriage, dead born/impaired babies and death for the mum.
Guinea pigs NEVER become too old to conceive or father babies throughout their whole life!!!
Signs of pregnancy
A pregnancy takes on average 10 weeks (58-73 days). There are no surefire signs and no signs during the first half of the pregnancy. You have to rely on a combination of indicators.
- The first signs are usually increased thirst and weight gain. Make sure that you weigh your guinea pigs weekly anyway. Any weight gain over 60 g/2 oz in one week is suspect, but can have other reasons (recovery from illness/malnutrition).
A pregnant sow will show an increasing gain of weight over the weeks as opposed to the steady one of normally growing piggy.
- At one point, a sow’s nipples will elongate and swell; however, this can sometimes happen as late as shortly before birth/lactating or can be a sign of hormonal imbalances or mammary problems.
- From 5-6 weeks onwards you can feel hard balls developing in a sow’s belly. Just hold your hand underneath and NEVER SQUEEZE as you could severely injure or even kill an embryo!
- From about 7 weeks onwards, the balls are starting to stick out to the sides in front of the back legs. This is best visible from above. Some sows have naturally a pear shape with hard bits, so this is not necessarily conclusive. It also depends on how many pups a sow carries – some pregnancies with only one baby barely show whereas a sow with multiple pups can grow so big that she is hardly able to move!
- You should be able to feel or see movement about two weeks before the birth. In the very last days, you can hear the pups grinding their teeth if you know what to listen for.
- In the days before the birth, the pelvic bones will start to part. Preferably try it first in a non-pregnant sow, so you can appreciate the difference. The pelvic bones open right in front of the sow’s bits. However, even with the pelvic bones parted fully, it can still take up to two weeks until birth, so it is by no means the surefire timing device it is made out to be.
www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html
www.oginet.com/pgurney/pregnancy.htm
What should I do if I suspect pregnancy?
- Remove any boars immediately as soon as you suspect a pregnancy!
Sows come into season within hours of giving birth, and any randy boar (neutered or not) will cause havoc and disrupt the bonding process between mothers and pups. You do not want to put any sow through the hardship of a back-to-back pregnancy through sheer carelessness! Your boar will be quite vocal when he is being separated, but it is the silent suffering of your sow you should be concerned about - it is her life and health that is at stake here!!!
Any full boar should not join the sow (and any daughters) unless he has been neutered and has had his 4-6 weeks’ wait after the operation. As an alternative, you can wait and see whether there are any male pups you could pair him up with.
- If you are in doubt, see an experienced exotics vet in the 3rd quarter of a sow’s pregnancy. You do not want to stress out a highly pregnant sow with an unnecessary trip too close to birth. Seeing a vet during the very early stages won’t usually get you a result you can rely on; a wrong prediction can only confuse rather than help.
What diet does a pregnant sow need?
- Pregnant sows need plenty of daily changed fresh water to drink, double the normal amount of vitamin C as well as extra calcium and protein. No other changes in foods or amounts are necessary if your guinea pig is on a good quality diet, i.e. plenty of good quality hay (up to 80% of the daily food intake), about 40g good quality pellets and 50g/1 cupful of mixed veg per day. If necessary, rather increase the amount of veg sightly than the amount of pellets, even - and especially - for very young pregnant sows!
Vitamin C: One extra slice of bell pepper or some extra chunks of broccoli every day will do for the increased need of vitamin C. Some people have pointed out that parsley contains a compound that may trigger early labour; I have not found proof for this, but if in doubt leave it out. Please do not add anything to the water. Additives have a habit of going off very quickly without you being able to control the intake. If you prefer to give artificial vitamin C, dissolve a 1/8 of a tablet in a bit of water and syringe the fluid.
Some people also recommend giving raspberry leaves (fresh or dried) for their high mineral and vitamin content, although a small pinch may be sufficient for a guinea pig.
Calcium: Adding calcium rich alfalfa/lucerne hay (which is actually not a grass, but a legume) to your normal hay will help with forming the pups’ bones; this should be continued for the pups until the end of the nursing period and then phased out, as a regular supply of good quality pellets will be enough until the youngsters have done most of their growing. Please refill the youngsters' bowl from scratch rather than just top it up - they may have peed in it.
Protein: Again, alfalfa is the best source!
Do not be tempted to feed much more than normal because a small litter of big pups can cause real problems during birth, especially in small, stunted and very young sows. Most of the extra nutrition will go towards the pups and not towards the sow’s body during the later stages of pregnancy and the nursing period. You are aiming for an ideal birth weight, not a high birth weight for the pups. However, mums can certainly do with some rest and special pampering afterwards!