Guinea Pig sows can have litters that contain only one baby or up to eight, although most pregnancies only result in one or two babies. Guinea Pig gestation is 58 to 73 days, with an average of 63 days. Sows should be over four months old, and under seven months old for their first pregnancy. Dalmatian and Roan Guinea Pigs (see Guinea Pig Breeds page) carry a lethal gene recessively. If one parent is of these breeds, for each pup there is a 25% chance it will be born lethal. These two breeds should never be bred together!!
Determining Pregnancy:
Physical signs of pregnancy are hard to detect, and often only become apparent towards the end of pregnancy. Nevertheless, you may notice your Guinea Pig begin to eat and drink more, and their belly begin to grow. Please note that a young Guinea Pig will eat and drink more when going through a growth spurt anyway. If the pregnancy is unexpected, determine where the sow became pregnant from. Either the sow was already pregnant when you purchased her or one of the other guinea pigs she has had contact with was a boar and has been mis-sexed. When your Guinea Pig is about half way through her pregnancy, you will start to notice her stomach bulging. This is more noticeable while she is walking and stretched out.
Care During Pregnancy:
Generally, Guinea Pigs don't need any extra care if they have been well cared for before pregnancy. Make sure the sow has access to unlimited grass and hay and unlimited access to water. Feed as usual and a little extra with fresh vegetables and leafy greens. Be careful not to overfeed though, as too much weight gain will make life difficult for the sow later in the pregnancy. Do not remove the pregnant sow from her hutch or away from her hutch mates unless she has been aggressive. If this happens, remove the Guinea Pigs she has trouble with. Removing her from her normal place of residence can cause stress and may result in a miscarriage. Males can stay in the cage up until a few days before the birth and should not be left in there as sows can become pregnant again straight after birth has taken place.
Labour:
Guinea Pigs do not "nest" and so you need to watch for other signs that birth is on its way. When a Guinea Pig is starting labour, she might make it apparent to you by staying seated and nearly motionless, all the while making a conspicuous hiccup-like action. Contractions might accompany this, too. When a sow is experiencing contractions, she might crouch down and then actually extract a newborn youngster from below her body. Sows tend to be extremely self-sufficient when it comes to birthing and generally don't need any help. Other Guinea Pigs sometimes act differently around pregnant sows. If boars are in the vicinity, you might see them congregating around a pregnant female just prior to labour. This behaviour serves as an attempt not only to soon breed with the sow, but also to guard her from danger. It is important that any boars in the hutch with the mother is removed as she can be mated with again after 12 hours from birth. Labour lasts about 10-30 minutes with 5-10 minutes between each birth. The sow gives birth by sitting up and hunching over or squatting. The mother will clean the pups on her own and the placenta and membranes are eaten by the mother or other guinea pigs in the cage. Do Not disturb the mother until all pups have been cleaned and dry before changing the bedding so you can be sure that she has finished birthing. Watch and alert a vet if the sow:
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Sow straining for more than 10 minutes and not producing a baby
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Sow bleeding
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Sow squealing loudly with each contraction
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Sow getting exhausted and just giving up from trying
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No placenta being produced with the babies
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Sow smelling like nail polish remover, or acetone. This can occur from 2 weeks before until 2 weeks after the birth
Caring For the Pups:
Babies are adorable miniature versions of their parents. The pups are born with hair, eyes wide open, a full set of teeth and the ability to run around. They will rely on their parents for warmth and food until they are weaned at 14-21 days of age.
Guinea Pigs are not protective of their young, boars do not participate in rearing the pups, and sows pay little attention to them. Unlike other rodents, they rarely eat their young. Any boar pups must be separated from their mother and any sisters at 4 weeks of age to prevent inbreeding. Female pups should not have any contact with boars until after they are 4 months of age. Regular handling of the pups is tolerated by the parents and encouraged. It is important in helping them socialize as pets. Once weaned, the babies can be treated just like adults.
Sexing the Babies:
Pups can be difficult to sex. Waiting until two or three weeks of age may allow the pig to mature enough to make a determination easier. Boars have a doughnut shape to their rectum, totally round or slightly oval, and at the top of this doughnut, a little dot (sometimes described as an "i"). Some people find they can feel the ridge of the penis under the skin just above the genitals. Sows have a Y shaped opening which is usually sealed with a vaginal closure membrane
