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The single most important breeding consideration is that female guinea pigs should be first bred before 7 months of age. If the first breeding is delayed beyond this time, serious (sometimes life-threatening) problems with delivery are encountered. Females should be first bred between 3 and 7 months of age.
Can a 4 week old guinea pig get pregnant?
Guinea pigs reach sexual maturity early. Females can reach sexual maturity as early as approximately 4-6 weeks of age and males as early as approximately 8-9 weeks of age so the different sexes should be separated before they are able to reproduce with each other.
What age can I breed my guinea pig?
Male guinea pigs (boars) usually mature sexually and can mate as young as 2-3 months of age. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). However, both males and females can mature and be fertile even earlier.
How long do guinea pigs have to be together to breed?
Breeding guinea pigs is usually straightforward, but the results aren’t quick. The sow (female) and boar (male) need to be together for at least 17 days, and the gestation period is then around nine weeks. There is also quite a small window for safely breeding your female guinea pig.
How many babies can a guinea pig have at one time?
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. 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.
Do guinea pigs eat their babies?
Guinea pigs in captivity and in the wild eat their own babies if there is a shortage of food. Guinea pigs need to eat much more food than many people realize. If a mother Guinea pig is fed enough, and the right diet, to eat whilst pregnant, she is less likely to eat her babies.
How long are guinea pigs pregnant?
Are guinea pigs easy to breed?
Breeding guinea pigs is not difficult but knowing when to breed them is crucial to the survival of the sow and the piglets.
Can 2 female guinea pigs mate?
They are social creatures, and need the company of their own kind. As pets they are usually kept in pairs or trios of the same sex. Two females (sows) will live happily together, as will two males (boars), particularly if they are siblings.
What is the best age to breed a female guinea pig?
The single most important breeding consideration is that female guinea pigs should be first bred before 7 months of age. If the first breeding is delayed beyond this time, serious (sometimes life-threatening) problems with delivery are encountered. Females should be first bred between 3 and 7 months of age.
When can you separate baby guinea pigs from their mother?
Male and female baby guinea pigs should be separated from each other at 3-4 weeks of age to prevent any early pregnancies. Guinea pigs can then be sterilised from 16 weeks.
Can you cross breed guinea pigs?
If your guinea pigs don’t match up with any breed and seem to combine characteristics of two or more breeds, you likely have mixed breed guinea pigs.Making A Guess About Breed. Shorthaired Longhaired Smooth Abyssinian Peruvian Satin Silkie Abyssinian Satin Silkie Silkie Satin Teddy Silkie Satin Teddy Satin Texel.
How long are guinea pigs in Labour for?
Have the details of a small animal vet handy – Be prepared. Most guinea pigs give birth in the daytime hours. She will give out a cry just as she goes into labor, and it will take about five minutes to birth a pup.
Can guinea pigs fart?
But, can guinea pigs also fart? Well, sadly yes! This phenomenon is completely normal and natural but did you know that too much gas can become dangerous? Even though their digestive system is broadly similar to ours, guinea pigs are unable to pass large quantity of gas through their intestines.
Can I touch a newborn guinea pig?
They will be feeling a bit tender and very protective of their babies after the birth, so it’s best to leave them alone for a month afterwards too. Baby guinea pigs should not be held at all for at least one week after birth, and must always be handled very gently.
Why do guinea pigs poop so much?
Guinea pigs seem to go by one rule: Eat a lot, poop a lot. Their poop production increases when they overeat or when they’re nervous. What’s more, when the guinea pig moves to a new cage, the excitement can stimulate bowel movements. In most cases, it’s not the frequency of the poop that you need to worry about.
Can the father guinea pig be with the babies?
As a general rule, male guinea pigs are allowed to meet their babies briefly, but since the babies are with the mother most of the time, you must put the father into a different enclosure.
Do guinea pigs miss their babies?
In most cases, guinea pigs won’t miss you if you decide to leave them in the home instead of taking them with you for camping. A mother guinea pig needs to clean the babies and eat the afterbirth to chemically generate the mammary glands to start producing milk. Sometimes adults will do this with each other too.
How do I know if my guinea pigs are mating?
You can tell if a female is going to like a male by holding him up next to the bars of her cage and seeing if she comes over and acts friendly. This can be easier on both of them than placing them in the same cage. Mismatches and rejections are traumatic for everyone involved.
Can you breed sibling guinea pigs?
Not only can male siblings mate with their siblings, the males can even do so with their mothers. Prevent breeding from occurring by putting guinea pigs in separate “male” and “female” designated enclosures. Always keep an eye on guinea pigs living together to make sure they’re getting along well.
