Although pet guinea pigs eating their pups is a very rare incident, it does happen sometimes. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets/guinea-pigs/breeding-and-reproduction-of-guinea-pigs, Care of pregnant Guinea pigs. 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. Once the mother gives birth to her babies to the nest, she won't be paying much heed to the nest anymore. (2014, March 28). This served a purpose in the wild to prevent predators from finding the newborn baby guinea pigs. How to Take Care of a Female Guinea Pig With Babies - wikiHow How Few Is Too Few? Guinea pig babies are called "pups" when they are born and are birthed into litters. It is important to consider the space between the bars of your guinea pig cage. This a sound that only domesticated guinea pigs do for their adoring pet parents. In a pet situation, the male may be in the same guinea pig cage as the female and her newborns, and there is no way for the mother to move the pups away from . On average, baby guinea pigs come in litters of 2-4, and weigh 70-115g. Guinea pigs dont hibernate, but they will slow down their metabolism and activity in order to stay warm, Read More Do Guinea Pigs Hibernate? But if you have a tiny little guinea pig with a noteworthy squeak, this name is pretty darn adorable. Yes, guinea pigs sometimes eat their babies. 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. 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. But, stick with me. National Geographic. Dwyer, C.M., et al, The effect of maternal undernutrition on the growth and development of the guinea pig placenta, Journal of Developmental Physiology, 1992. This is extremely taxing on the body of the female guinea pig and dangerous to her. It is famously difficult to sex baby rodents, so the easiest way to be sure which of your pups are girls and which are boys is to ask a more experienced mentor, or a vet, to help you. If you carefully run a finger over the area, you should be able to feel the shaft of their penis under the skin. You cannot do any harm by touching your adult guinea pig or its babies. But, give them time to bond with their mother so they can nurse. 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. Sadly yes, guinea pig mothers do sometimes eat their newborn young. Always consult your vet if you think a baby guinea pig overly small, or failing to thrive. Your pregnant and lactating guinea pigs should have access to alfalfa hay in the last weeks of their pregnancy. Do guinea pigs get in heat? Explained by Sharing Culture They will nurse every two hours for the first three weeks. 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. She checked each one of them and licked them clean immediately following their birth. (And How? Make sure any seller houses male and female guinea pigs separately, or there could be a chance you'll take home a pregnant female. (700 to 1,100 grams), according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW). We spent some time coming up with cute guinea pig names for our babies and decided upon the following; Moose, Aspen, Moon and Finn! Guinea pigs form close bonds with their families and can be very attached to their parents. This way they can easily confuse their predator and a group of guinea pigs doing this is known as a stampede.. A particular substance comes from the eyes of a guinea pig; they rub it on their hair when they are grooming. When a guinea pig is about to give birth, any male guinea pigs near her will gather around and try to become the dominant male in order to both protect the female and mate with her. The earlier and more regularly you handle them, the more likely they are to accept you. Its also the age of the youngest baby guinea pigs in pet stores. It may take some time for him to become comfortable with you. A mother guinea pig needs to clean the babies and eat the afterbirth to chemically generate the mammary glands to start producing milk. Once the baby guinea pigs turn 3 to 4 weeks, separate them from their mother, especially male guinea pigs. Honestly, I dont feel like its worth the risk. Hamsters and rats are famous for such practice. If youre not looking for a specific breed or sex of guinea pig, rescuing one from a shelter is a great way to meet your new pet. New Plymouth Vet Group. 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. You have to remember that these babies are coming out of the womb ready to run around the cage and have fun very quickly. Guinea Pig Lifespan How Long Do Guinea Pigs Live? However, separate male guinea pig babies from their mothers when they turn about two months old. The best thing you can do is provide adequate and proper nutrition to the new guinea pig mother. Provide a pregnant guinea pig with extra food, water, and nutrients. To avoid the risk of your guinea pig, eating her babies, take these safety steps. Just being near their most preferred people can give guinea pigs a lot of comfort. When a guinea pig mom is caring for her babies, she teaches them the necessary skills they need to survive in the world. Before making this assumption, consider the following possibilities: Unfortunately, the evidence of your sow eating her babies might be obvious. Wed love to hear about your experiences in the comment section below! Yes, guinea pigs miss their owners. They might surprise you with how busy and outgoing they are too. So, consider getting a cage large enough for them to play around. (What You Need To Know), Can Guinea Pigs Eat Clementines? Spaying a female guinea pig can be a risky procedure that not all veterinarians are willing to attempt. Now, lets begin at the beginning. A female guinea pig usually wont eat a baby guinea pig deliberately. Well be discussing more about this in todays article. On the other hand, if it turns out that they don't form any attachment to their young, then we can . Do not disturb your guinea pigs when they are sleeping or nursing. 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. Briscoe, T.A., et al, Cardiovascular and renal disease in the adolescent guinea pig after chronic placental insufficiency, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2004. Male guinea pigs have a donut-shaped opening. You should increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables given daily and also consider pet-friendly supplements. If a baby guinea pig is orphaned, it is essential to find a surrogate mom as soon as possible. Medical Disclaimer. If you have a pregnant guinea pig, consider giving the her cage an upgrade, so she can take care of her pups comfortably. This is just enough space to allow the guinea pigs to escape. If it does occur, the reasons will probably differ slightly from that of other species, and its important to understand these reasons in order to try to prevent it from happening: Most female guinea pigs will never eat their live young on purpose. It will also well as putting her at risk for developing diseases like toxaemia. Some guinea pigs even put up great resistance to 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. Guinea pigs diet rests on grasses, herbs, hay, and raw fruits and vegetables. How do you tell if a baby guinea pig is a boy or girl? 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. So, what do you put on the bottom of a guinea pig cage? One under his chest and one under his bottom. And within a few hours nursing should be established. Can Guinea Pigs Eat Turnip Greens? 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On the other hand if youll be helping a sow to raise a litter of pups from birth, theres rather more to think about. While guinea pigs are usually docile, friendly and social creatures, adult males should not be around the babies under any circumstances. Watch carefully for signs of stress or discomfort. This is especially true for mammalian animals, who often form strong attachments with their young. When you pick them up secure one hand beneath the stomach and one under the bottom and hold close to your chest. Many living creatures eat other members of their species when necessary for survival. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? From there you can jump straight to the answers you need, or join us for a complete overview of baby guinea pig development, week by week. This is especially important in guinea pigs, as they are highly social animals. If you bring home your baby guinea pig at seven weeks old, youll find all the information you need to raise them in our guide to guinea pigs as pets. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . However, too much calcium is dangerous for an adult guinea pig. The good news is that its unlikely for your pregnant pet to eat her offspring. The larger the litter, the smaller the pups will likely be. One of the ways they do this is through "wheeking". Once the pups arrive, monitor them closely to make sure nursing is established within 12 hours. (What Owners Need To Know)Continue, If you notice drool on your guinea pigs face it can be a sign that somethings wrong. Start offering them shredded lettuce from the day their born. A baby guinea pig is called a pup. 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?) Guinea pigs don't wheek in the wild. She is then back to cuddles and snuggles. Do mother guinea pigs miss their babies when they are given away? They Talk to You A.K.A. How long do guinea pig babies stay with mom? If her diet doesnt contain enough vital vitamins and nutrients, she can still be malnourished whilst receiving enough calories to maintain her body weight. They also live for several years, longer than most other rodents, so you can enjoy them longer than other pet rodents. When they grow up, male guinea pigs are called boars, and females are called sows. https://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html, I think my Guinea pig might be pregnant, what should I do? 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. Can Guinea Pigs Eat Spinach Or Is It Bad For Them? Yes, guinea pigs do eat their babies. If your guinea pig becomes acquainted with someone they don't trust, they may become quiet or hide when that person is nearby. Its normal to be upset and sad. 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. A newborn guinea pig might weigh around 3.5 ounces or 100 grams. 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. 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). 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. Their paws and head are comically outsized in proportion to their body, and they already have a full coat of fur. The best items to put on the bottom of a guinea pig cage are absorbent,, Read More 10 Reliable Cage Liners for Guinea Pigs (What You Need to Know)Continue, Pet parents who consider housing their guinea pigs outside often wonder whether or not their pet guinea pigs can hibernate. So, its possible for their mother (especially if shes inexperienced with babies) to kill them with too much force. Coming up with a cute guinea pig name is a lot of fun, but can be tough. Although they are capable of eating almost immediately, baby guineas do still need to nurse and they will seek milk about every two hours. The sow eating her pups may be starving. In situations where one of your guinea pigs crosses the rainbow bridge leaving one behind, the guinea pig left behind might not be so receptive to a new cage mate. Can the male guinea pig stay with the mother and babies? *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. If you are considering getting a guinea pig, ensure you can provide them with the social interaction they need. Guinea pigs can recognize their owners and other people they know and trust. In order to have a peaceful pregnancy and birth, there are some things that you can do: Many people underestimate how much space a guinea pig needs, along with other types of rodents. A cage with a deep pan will make it more difficult for your guinea pigs to escape, but its not necessary. The importance of understanding whether or not guinea pigs miss their babies cannot be overstated. Your guinea pig will be frustrated if their youngsters are upset or stressed. Well, your guess is as good as mine guinea pigs sure miss their owners when theyre absent for so long. Guinea pigs can be aggressive towards each other if they are not adequately trained. If one or two guinea pig pups seem to suddenly vanish from their cage, it doesnt necessarily mean theyve been eaten. If your sow is in a very small enclosure, this could cause her unnecessary stress. We kept a close eye on Theo as her due date approached. 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. This can hurt their health and well-being. Lake Shore Veterinary Hospital offers the following helpful advice: If you touch her belly a couple of centimeters ahead of the anus, you will be able to feel that the pelvic bones have spread apart. Veterinarians and Animal Hospital in Pasadena, MD | Lake Shore Pet Hospital. If you are unsure, it is best to consult with a veterinarian to help determine the sex of the pups. He may also help to nurse the babies. (What Owners Need To Know), What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Eat? For example, they can eat blueberries, strawberries, tangerines, watermelon, passion fruit, melons, bananas, and many more. In this article weve answered some frequently asked questions about newborn baby guinea pigs like: Whether you have a surprise guinea pig pregnancy or a planned one, there are a few things you will want to prepare in advance to make sure you are ready when your newborn baby guinea pigs arrive. You need to make the entire environment guinea pig-friendly. You can find a mentor by asking your local cavy club to put you in touch with suitable experienced breeders. i am so excited!!! When can baby guinea pigs be separated from their mother? Diet What should our pregnant guinea pig eat? Compared to other rodents, guinea pigs (both in captivity and in the wild) will very rarely choose to eat their offspring. A healthy pup will resist and move away from the mother, alerting her of her mistake. All of the babies are usually born within 30 minutes once labor begins. Watch after your guinea pig while she gives birth. Having a guinea pig as a pet is a wonderful experience. 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. Domestic guinea pigs originated in South America but today these vocal, sociable creatures thrive in households across the globe. She is then back to cuddles and snuggles. It is important to note that guinea pigs can get attached to their owners and may experience signs of separation anxiety when they are not around. B., Auditory spatial responses of young guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) during and after ear blocking, Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1978. I make sure to take good care of all the animals that come into my life. However, if its weak it might put up little resistance and be eaten entirely. Equally, male guinea pigs shouldnt eat their babies because they dont eat meat. Signs of Guinea pig loneliness, depression, and boredom include hair chewing, hiding, refusing to be handled, and general irritability. These small pets need a lot of food and nutrition. Guinea pigs eating babies is a rare but possible occurrence. 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