(2014, March 28). Baby guinea pigs are able to digest solid food soon after birth; however, the majority of their required nutrients will come from their mothers milk. All rights reserved. We will help you to raise your baby guinea pigs to become healthy, happy pets. Although its very uncommon, there is still a possibility that a mother guinea pig will engage in filial cannibalism. Place the cage in a quiet, draft-free area your home that is out of direct sunlight. When you decide to introduce baby guinea pigs to an adult guinea pig, follow their behavior (monitor them for aggression) and respond quickly. Even then, they must be handled very gently. 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. Newborn guinea pigs weigh between 60g and 115g. If you handle a baby bird in a nest, the mother will often abandon them because she'll sense something isn't right (i.e. Guinea pigs can eat their babies if they lack nutrition. Wanna Give Your Piggies the 5 STAR Treatment? 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 a question that has long been debated when it comes to guinea pigs. Having your guinea pig give birth to a litter should be an exciting time. 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. Its just as important that your baby guinea pig also spends most of their time with other guinea pigs. A cage with a deep pan will make it more difficult for your guinea pigs to escape, but its not necessary. The female pups can be weaned the following week at four weeks of age. 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. As you find a toy for your little fur baby, you might be asking, do guinea pigs like stuffed animals? Baby guinea pigs are called pups. Do guinea pigs remember their parents? Guinea Pigs do best when living with at least one similar companion, and pets that live without another Guinea pig sometimes become lonely and depressed. My name is Tim Rhodes and I'm a guinea pig enthusiast through thick and thin. Newborn guinea pigs have fur and are born with their eyes open. Guinea pigs are cute and quite intelligent pets. Adult guinea pigs eat timothy hay, orchard hay, or any other hay thats high in fiber. A female guinea pig usually wont eat a baby guinea pig deliberately. They look a little bit awkward as they begin to move around. Baby guinea pigs feed on their mothers milk but soon they will need lots of alfalfa hay thats rich in calcium. You need to be able to provide your guinea pigs with regular ample attention all the time. If it has not happened within the first 24 hours, it is very unlikely she will attempt to do it later on. If you keep a male guinea pig with the mother and babies, introduce them slowly, so there is no aggression between the two adults. The body temperature of a guinea pig is between 101104 F (3840 C), so its ideal ambient air temperature is similar to that of humans, approximately 6575 F (1824 C). Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. 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. Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. It is perfectly fine to handle your new guinea pigs within the first week. Whats your experience with newborn baby guinea pigs? 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?) 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. But, fruit should only be given as an occasional treat. CLICK HERE to check the price. Caring for a guinea pig can be challenging if you are unsure whether it is missing its baby. While guinea pigs are usually docile, friendly and social creatures, adult males should not be around the babies under any circumstances. Guinea pigs are not only kept as family pets, but like dogs, cats and rabbits, they are also bred for show. Guinea pigs should be kept indoors. Secondly, even an experienced guinea pig mom might resort to eating her young if she is severely malnourished. Although piggies are so cute, you cant always be there to have a staring contest with them. As mentioned already, increased stress will make it much more likely that your guinea pig will eat her offspring. Guinea pigs diet rests on grasses, herbs, hay, and raw fruits and vegetables. For example, they can eat blueberries, strawberries, tangerines, watermelon, passion fruit, melons, bananas, and many more. If they are isolated, they may become lonely and sad. Pets. The above is important because it allows the mother to continue feeding and grooming her young. If one or two guinea pig pups suddenly vanish from their cage, it doesnt necessarily mean theyve been eaten, especially if its been more than twenty four hours. On the other hand, female guinea pigs mature sexually at 2 months of age, so make sure to keep them separated from their brothers and father. It can be hard to tell when your pregnant guinea pig is going to deliver her babies because unlike dogs and cats, they do not prepare a nest. i've been keeping this a secret for over a week now!! At first your guinea pig baby may seem afraid when you pick him up. You need to make the entire environment guinea pig-friendly. Garner-Richardson, V., Guinea Pig Nutrition, The Veterinary Nurse, 2013. (Fun Facts). Now, lets begin at the beginning. They need supervised time out of their cages each day to run around and exercise. Its often the result of starvation, stress, inexperience, or trauma. Approach them face-on, so they can see you coming. Its normal to be upset and sad. Male guinea pigs (boars) usually mature sexually and can mate as young as 2-3 months of age. If you look after the guinea pig mother regularly, she will allow you to touch her baby guinea pigs. Guinea pigs definitely can eat clementines. (Find Out Now), Can A Father Guinea Pig Be With The Babies? Equally, male guinea pigs shouldnt eat their babies because they dont eat meat. A pregnant guinea pig requires a lot of extra nutrition. Theyre sweet, juicy, and tasty. If your sow has eaten her own babies, you may want to consider changing her living conditions. They're all grown now, but they keep me busy! Well, your guess is as good as mine guinea pigs sure miss their owners when theyre absent for so long. Caring for baby guinea pigs can be a rewarding experience if you know what to expect. Hold him against your chest to help him feel secure and safe. You can also ask your vet for advice and support. Every baby guinea pig needs its mothers milk, which provides enough nutrition during the first crucial days of their lives. Guinea pigs cannot survive alone. Wanna read something more boring than watching paint dry? 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. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. So, I took some time to do some research on it for you. In the meantime, if you havent seen enough sweet pictures of baby guinea pigs yet, then why not visit our compilation of favorite guinea pig videos. The best time to breed guinea pigs is before the female turns 7 months of age. 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. In almost all species, males are inherently territorial. No matter how cute baby guinea pigs are, one litter at a time should be plenty for most people to think about. You can take some precautions to lower the risk of a guinea pig baby being eaten. A male guinea pig might seriously injure his babies because he is territorial and feels intimidated. How To Prevent a New Mother from Eating Her Babies? Wheek: The shrill noise a guinea pig or other small rodent makes. Individuals will be starting to show their own distinct personalities too. This little interaction will enable him warm to the introduction of a new cage mate better. Can a Guinea Pig Baby Live Without the Mother? Yes, guinea pigs do eat their babies. First of all, dont be too hard on yourself. So, if youve been wanting to know if guinea pigs usually miss their owners, we hope you have the answer now. Domestic guinea pigs originated in South America but today these vocal, sociable creatures thrive in households across the globe. 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. (2010, July 22). Dont be surprised if your pup lets out a little chirp as a means of asking for food! 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 answer to this question is not entirely clear. 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. 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. Female guinea pigs dont intentionally eat their babies nor do they kill them to eat them. Usually, the mother will eat the baby right after it's born. One under his chest and one under his bottom. They are able to express a wide range of emotions using different sounds and gestures. Make sure that your guinea pig babies are able to reach the water bottle sipper. There are several major ideas about why would a guinea pig eat the babies: When they are small and weak, its much easier to keep baby guinea pigs away from male guinea pigs. Be prepared to assess them quickly, because they wont like to be held in that position for long! But usually, mom will begin to discourage her babies from nursing at about the 3rd week. (And How? As a whole, guinea pigs do not eat their offspring, but it can happen. During our research we learned that there are two possible reasons why: Malnourished - not getting enough to eat of the right kinds of food Back to back pregnancies - due to nutrient deficiencies This was one question that had me really worried. If this happens, pop them back in with her, and visit again later. If she is pregnant, her chances of suffering from some illness will also increase, which will tempt her to eat a lot. Thankfully, she had an uneventful pregnancy and birth and did not eat her babies. It is fine to carefully handle your new guinea pig pups during their first week, but be sure to allow them plenty of time with their mother as well. Guinea pigs are peaceful creatures. Guinea pig pregnancies are dangerous and the mortality rate is high both among guinea pig mothers and babies. Newborn guinea pigs should be kept with their mom for at least 3 weeks. Sufficient nutrition, a mixture of alfalfa and timothy grass, keeps female guinea pigs hydrated and can prevent guinea pigs from eating their babies. When a guinea pig is malnourished, it means that the guinea pig is not getting enough of the vitamins and nutrients that its body needs. At three weeks of age it was still hard for us to tell the difference between the males and females. (What Owners Need To Know), What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Eat? Orphans should be fed by an eyedropper or pet nurse within the first 12 to 24 hours of life. She is more likely to eat her babies as she can confuse the placenta and the babies. I've always been an animal lover, and I've worked in the pet industry. However, too much calcium is dangerous for an adult guinea pig. Under normal circumstances, the sow will give birth and have a healthy litter of pups. But do all animals miss their babies as much as we do? This should reduce their spatial and jealous tendency. Talk to him with a soft voice and pet his head. Male baby guinea pigs have a donut-shaped genital opening in front of their anus. Signs of Guinea pig loneliness, depression, and boredom include hair chewing, hiding, refusing to be handled, and general irritability. A human can serve as a surrogate mom if there are no other guinea pigs available, but it is best if the baby can be raised by its kind. When you touch them be soft and gentle. The more factors that are present, the higher likelihood shell eat her pups. Theres a few traits unique to piggies that probably explain why they usually dont feel the need to eat their babies. You cannot do any harm by touching your adult guinea pig or its babies. But most people think of it as being around four weeks old, when they reach sexual maturity. Six or seven weeks old is the age at which most breeders will let their pups go to their new homes. Female guinea pigs take care of the hardest part as much as possible. There's nothing quite like getting away from it all in nature. Guinea pigs have a good sense of hearing, so they will potentially even be able to hear you coming from down the hall. However, some people have asked whether or not guinea pigs miss their babies after they have been separated. Sometimes it happens accidentally. This way they can easily confuse their predator and a group of guinea pigs doing this is known as a stampede.. However, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not this is true. When your guinea pig is pregnant they need more food than usual, and its surprisingly easy to give them less than what they need. This is especially true for mammalian animals, who often form strong attachments with their young. 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. But, can guinea pigs eat them? Berryman, J. C., Guineapig Vocalizations: Their Structure, Causation and Function, Ethology, 1976. Sows must also have a constant supply of hay (alfalfa for the extra calories) and pellets. If you are just considering the idea of owning guinea pigs, ensure that you already have the capacity to take care of them and also provide them with quality interplay. Another challenge that people face is that they may not be able to tell if the guinea pig is sick or not. 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. If the litter is too large, the mama . Hold your guinea pig securely and gently turn him / her over. And within a few hours nursing should be established. Whining is typically a noise made by the more passive guinea pig to communicate to a guinea pig that is more pushy or dominant. If you are unsure, it is best to consult with a veterinarian to help determine the sex of the pups. Try to provide your pet with the extra company as much as you can, even if only for a short period of time. We were stressed out during this time because we did not want to have another unexpected guinea pig pregnancy. You might also notice they squeak in distress when you take them away from their mom. However, in captivity that shouldnt happen at all because responsible pet owners keep them separate from pregnant and lactating sows and their babies. If that happens in captivity, its a rare exception. If your guinea pig becomes acquainted with someone they don't trust, they may become quiet or hide when that person is nearby. Piglet Okay, so it's not that clever. Make sure any seller houses male and female guinea pigs separately, or there could be a chance you'll take home a pregnant female. Guinea pig cannibalism may occur in extreme cases of starvation. However, we always recommend having more than one guinea pig because these small animals are social creatures and they need company. Pregnancy is very difficult for guinea pigs, with at least 1 out of 5 of the mothers dying during birth. Guinea pigs can typically handle labor and delivery without intervention; however, guinea pigs can die during the birthing process. Not only that, but they also have a full body of fur, and even their little claws are developed. https://amzn.to/3iYcPHPAs well as the new Pigg. Many people believe that guinea pigs get attached to their owners and that they miss their parents when they are separated. In the next section weve assembled some of the most commonly asked questions our readers have about their baby guinea pigs. On the other hand, if it turns out that they don't form any attachment to their young, then we can . Some of the cutest animals kill and devour their offspring. If you are considering getting a guinea pig, ensure you can provide them with the social interaction they need. They will nurse every two hours for the first three weeks. 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. Most people find that, when it comes to guinea pigs at least, babies are the cutest. Baby guinea pigs typically stay with their mother for about three weeks, but this can vary depending on the situation. In captivity, they cannot run away, which increases the stress. and Can You Put A Baby Guinea Pig With An Older One? They are cheerful and love to run around, squeak, eat, play, and poop. At six weeks old baby guineas pigs are fully weaned, and have stopped nursing from their mother. We noticed our guinea pig babies began to eat mamas food within a few days of birth. Here are some reasons why animals eat their offspring. (And Other Key Terms), How Often Should You Clean a Guinea Pigs Cage? I'm here to help you smash the EASY button on pet parenting. Your pregnant and lactating guinea pigs should have access to alfalfa hay in the last weeks of their pregnancy. Besides, always separate baby guinea pigs from male guinea pigs. This is one of the biggest reasons why a sow will engage in filial cannibalism. This is pretty rare. 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 sow eating her pups may be starving. Guinea pigs dont hibernate, but they will slow down their metabolism and activity in order to stay warm, Read More Do Guinea Pigs Hibernate? The larger the litter, the smaller the pups will likely be. Neutering is A LOT less risky for males than spaying is for females. It's particularly common when introducing new guinea pigs for the first time. More research must be conducted to determine whether or not guinea pigs truly miss their babies when they are apart. Will the baby guinea pigs be able to escape the enclosure? Guinea Pigs May Lick as a Sign of Affection or Grooming. 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. If her diet doesnt contain enough vital vitamins and nutrients, she can still be malnourished whilst receiving enough calories to maintain her body weight. Cage size Will the baby guinea pigs be able to escape? She needs more food and more nutrients to prepare her for the process of giving birth and nursing her babies. Keep an eye on their weight, and youll be able to observe them steadily gaining ounces until around their first birthday. As a whole, guinea pigs do not eat their offspring, but it can happen. This blog will give you some helpful tips on how to make this a wonderful experience. Some guinea pig moms have their maternity care kicked in as they give birth while others take some time . Begin by holding your guinea pig gently on their back. There are different ways you can give your guinea pigs attention, and one of them is a good, old-fashioned daily petting session. So the remaining milestones left to look for relate to growth, feeding, behavior and sexual maturity. Many living creatures eat other members of their species when necessary for survival. Soak guinea pig pellets in water from the first day of life. https://www.npvet.co.nz/pets/animal-info-pets/bird-rabbit-turtle-articles/care-pregnant-guinea-pigs/, Guinea lynx :: Reproduction. Following delivery, your guinea pig mama will be exhausted and hungry. This article has been extensively revised for 2019. If that happens in captivity, thats extremely rare. How long does it take for guinea pigs to be born? Bartesaghi, R., Severi, S., Effects of early environment on field CA2 pyramidal neurons in the guinea-pig, Neuroscience, 2004. Guinea Pigs make excellent pets due to their playful, social nature. The information on this website should not be take as a substitute for professional advice. Yes, guinea pigs sometimes eat their babies. Some guinea pigs even put up great resistance to this. mypetguineapig.com may be compensated when users click on links and sign-up with their associated offers located in content or anywhere else on the page. 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).

Where Is Shipwrecks Flynn Sea Of Thieves, Articles D