However, if its weak it might put up little resistance and be eaten entirely. 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. Almost the only reason why a female guinea pig can kill her babies is that she is so stressed that her mind cannot handle the strain. The extra calories should be provided until she stops nursing her newborn babies. Guinea pig litters can contain up to eight pups, but two, three or four is more usual. 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. Many people believe that guinea pigs get attached to their owners and that they miss their parents when they are separated. 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. Compared to other rodents, guinea pigs (both in captivity and in the wild) will very rarely choose to eat their offspring. The mother may eat her babies if one or more of her litter dies, or she is under a lot of stress. That is a common myth and is not true. 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). It's often the result of starvation, stress, inexperience, or trauma. Housing your guinea pig is not particularly difficult, as there are a large variety of hutches and cages commercially available. Female guinea pigs dont intentionally eat their babies nor do they kill them to eat them. They're all grown now, but they keep me busy! They have small bodies and big eyes. Whining is typically a noise made by the more passive guinea pig to communicate to a guinea pig that is more pushy or dominant. This usually happens when pups are stillborn, or born to ill to survive. Baby guinea pigs are unique in that they are born with their eyes open! Of course, every guinea pig is different, and some individual animals may indeed experience some sadness or loneliness after being separated from their babies if you are concerned that your guinea pig may miss its young, it. Guinea pigs make the best mothers and give puppies the best chance of survival. The importance of understanding whether or not guinea pigs miss their babies cannot be overstated. Theyve learned all the skills they need for independence, and theyre ready to leave the nest. male guinea pig staying with the mother and babies, guinea pigs can get attached to their owners. Guinea pigs are peaceful creatures. They will continue to nurse from mom for somewhere between three and six weeks. (And Other Key Terms), How Often Should You Clean a Guinea Pigs Cage? Just like with taming older guinea pigs be patient and consistent. Thankfully, she had an uneventful pregnancy and birth and did not eat her babies. A female needs to give birth for the first time before the age of 7 months. Also, female guinea pigs eat their young if they are overstressed and afraid because they cannot handle the situation. How many babies do guinea pigs have in their first litter? We know that guinea pigs typically stay with their baby for about three weeks. Their compact, cylindrical bodies range from 8 to 10 inches . Male baby guinea pigs have a donut-shaped genital opening in front of their anus. New guinea pig breeds are formalised by the American Cavy Breeders Association, who also oversee breed standards and competitions in the United States. My name is Tim Rhodes and I'm a guinea pig enthusiast through thick and thin. When they dont respond to her attention, she tries cleaning them more and more vigorously, until eventually she ends up damaging them. This was the most surprising thing to me! This little interaction will enable him warm to the introduction of a new cage mate better. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? (700 to 1,100 grams), according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW). A baby guinea pig is called a pup. Yes, guinea pigs eat their babies albeit very rarely, mostly by accident. Female cavies are called sows and males are called boars. 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. If that happens in captivity, its a rare exception. Now, lets begin at the beginning. (n.d.). Plus, good breeders and rescues tend to handle their guinea pigs regularly, which helps to keep them tame. Aggression between two newly introduced guinea pigs is very common and If your guinea pig is finding it hard to deal with the change of a new cage mate, try engaging him in more interaction with you than ever before. Be quiet and move slowly around baby guinea pigs. Hold your guinea pig securely and gently turn him / her over. We hope you found this article helpful about what to expect when expecting newborn baby guinea pigs! They are not cannibalistic because they are starving. 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. You don't have to be a professional breeder . After three weeks, the baby guinea pig can be separated from its mother and placed with other guinea pigs or its owner. RSPCA Knowledgebase Let Australias most trusted animal welfare charity help you answer the big questions. How To Stop Guinea Pigs Chewing On Cage Bars, Baby Chicken What To Expect From Egg To 8 Weeks Old, Effects of early environment on field CA2 pyramidal neurons in the guinea-pig, Cardiovascular and renal disease in the adolescent guinea pig after chronic placental insufficiency, The effect of maternal undernutrition on the growth and development of the guinea pig placenta, Chronic maternal feed restriction impairs growth but increases adiposity of the fetal guinea pig, Guineapig Vocalizations: Their Structure, Causation and Function, Attachment and Separation Distress in the Infant Guinea Pig, An ecologically relevant guinea pig model of fetal behavior, Auditory spatial responses of young guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) during and after ear blocking, The Effects of Diet on Anatomy, Physiology and Health in the Guinea Pig, Guinea Pig and Chinchilla Care and Husbandry. Newborn guinea pigs can open their eyes after they are born. She will naturally clean up the area around her: lick the babies clean, bite off the umbilical cord and eat the placenta. Keep the male guinea pig separate from his female partner to keep her safe and reduce the stress. Signs of Guinea pig loneliness, depression, and boredom include hair chewing, hiding, refusing to be handled, and general irritability. On average, baby guinea pigs come in litters of 2-4, and weigh 70-115g. Within twenty-four hours they can start to eat grass, produce, hay, and pellet feed just like adults. 3 hours ago WebBaby Guinea Pig Diet The first week of life is critical. The female pups can be weaned the following week at four weeks of age. Ask your vet for advice if this isnt the case. Yes, guinea pigs sometimes eat their babies. They can impregnate mom and sisters! A baby guinea pig is called a pup. (Find Out Now), 10 Reliable Cage Liners for Guinea Pigs (What You Need to Know), Do Guinea Pigs Hibernate? Giving birth is very stressful for the guinea pig mother and the babies. Unlike many other animals in the animal kingdom, guinea pigs are not self-sufficient. How long do baby guinea pigs stay with Mom? You can also ask your vet for advice and support. 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. We knew for sure that we had one male and two females, but it was still hard for us to tell with the fourth guinea pig. But if you have a tiny little guinea pig with a noteworthy squeak, this name is pretty darn adorable. (Find Out Now), Can A Father Guinea Pig Be With The Babies? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com and other affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Since males can get any female guinea pig pregnant once they reach maturity - including their mothers - they're weaned and taken from their mother at three weeks old. Guinea Pigs make excellent pets due to their playful, social nature. The size of the pups is often relative to how many pups there are in the litter. In fact, loneliness reduces the life expectancy of a guinea pig. Where can I find baby guinea pigs for sale? Your guinea pig can definitely use more interplay with the loss of its buddy. This is especially true if pet parents have not given their pregnant sow enough food. Once they are one to two finger-widths apart, it wont be long untilbirth.. Breeding of guinea pigs is strongly discouraged. Normally, they could be 3-6 inches long. If it has not happened within the first 24 hours, it is very unlikely she will attempt to do it later on. There's nothing quite like getting away from it all in nature. It is essential for guinea pigs to have social contact with other guinea pigs. She checked each one of them and licked them clean immediately following their birth. On the other hand if youll be helping a sow to raise a litter of pups from birth, theres rather more to think about. Just like big farmyard pigs! My first piggy some years ago did a big dance of joy each time I came back home after some days of being away. Although they are able to conceive year-round, springtime is the peak window for baby guineas appearing on the scene. Guinea pigs love to communicate. So, what do you put on the bottom of a guinea pig cage? Wed love to hear about your experiences in the comment section below! 4. (What You Need To Know), Can Guinea Pigs Eat Clementines? Thankfully, its only done when the mother feels she doesnt have any other option. This is called precociality. Theres no fixed moment when a guinea pig stops being a pup and becomes an adult. To understand why a guinea pig mother killing and gobbling up her offspring is so rare and why its still a possibility (although it is a long shot), you need to know a little bit about the dynamics of. Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. They need it in unlimited amounts, as it helps them keep their teeth trimmed and ensures the proper functioning of their sensitive digestive system. This is an essential process as it helps to ensure that the young guinea pigs can develop properly. There is a chance that your sow will only partially eat her offspring, particularly if she killed them by accident. If you push gently on their lower abdomen the penis may appear. What is a Group of Guinea Pigs Called? Each birth is spaced out every 3 5 minutes. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Do guinea pigs get attached to their owners? We were stressed out during this time because we did not want to have another unexpected guinea pig pregnancy. I didnt know how we would handle it if Theo rejected her babies or even worse ate her young! 2 3 cups mostly green, leafy vegetables, Occasional fruit too much sugar can lead to obesity. This is extremely taxing on the body of the female guinea pig and dangerous to her. Some guinea pigs even put up great resistance to this. If that happens in captivity, thats extremely rare. If your guinea pig is hanging out near you while . More research must be conducted to determine whether or not guinea pigs truly miss their babies when they are apart. Lets explain why guinea pigs may eat their babies. Wiki User 2008-10-08 02:35:56 This. Our goal is to make Guinea Pig Den the ultimate resource for learning about your new guinea pig and helpful information before you bring one home as a pet. As noted above; Guinea Pigs are highly vocal and use their voice to express their personality. Well be discussing more about this in todays article. Guinea pig pups are essentially born ready to go: their eyes are open, they have hair and a full set of teeth, and they can run around on their own. It may take some time for him to become comfortable with you. An inexperienced sow might accidentally damage her young with her teeth whilst trying to clean them up after the birth. 9. (Keep that food bowl appropriately full!) B., Auditory spatial responses of young guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) during and after ear blocking, Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1978. You can take some precautions to lower the risk of a guinea pig baby being eaten. Pregnancy is very difficult for guinea pigs, with at least 1 out of 5 of the mothers dying during birth. However, you should err on the side of caution. (Find Out Now)Continue. They will nurse every two hours for the first three weeks. Guinea pigs can recognize their owners and other people they know and trust. In general, the color of Abyssinian guinea pigs is associated with congenital eye defects and digestive problems. However, we always recommend having more than one guinea pig because these small animals are social creatures and they need company. On the other hand, if it turns out that they don't form any attachment to their young, then we can . Ahhhh, clementines. We found the following cage on Amazon that worked really well. The more factors that are present, the higher likelihood shell eat her pups. If you have decided youre ready to take the plunge and welcome a new baby guinea pig into your life, take a look at our article Where To Buy Guinea Pigs to start your journey. 15 Best Pet Freshwater Fish For Beginners. (Find Out Now), Filial Cannibalism (and 7 Reasons Why Some Animal Moms Dine On Their Babies). Its just as important that your baby guinea pig also spends most of their time with other guinea pigs. It was fascinating to watch our new mom clean up after her newborn baby guinea pigs. 10. They are able to see, hear and move around once they are born. What Should I Do if My Guinea Pig Eats (Or Kills) Her Babies? At three weeks of age it was still hard for us to tell the difference between the males and females. The surprising truth is that it happens more often than youd think. Pets. Piglet Okay, so it's not that clever. Yes, it is okay to touch your new baby guinea pigs. 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. They are born precocial, which means they already have teeth and fur, and from their earliest moments they can see, hear, and move about. Use the tips in this post to understand why piggies eat their babies and to prevent it from happening. I've always been an animal lover, and I've worked in the pet industry. We hope youve enjoyed this in depth article about cute baby guinea pigs!Guinea pig pups are quite unlike most other baby animals. Its unwise to create more. Make sure to feed your guinea pig hay of high quality. You can also give them a comfortable place to sleep, like a bed or hammock. Read More Can Guinea Pigs Eat Clementines? Guinea Pig Lifespan How Long Do Guinea Pigs Live? Let's hear it for the boys. Firstly, please provide them with plenty of toys and treats to keep them occupied. 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. When your guinea pig is pregnant her Vitamin C requirements double to around 20mg per day. This is why you should do everything in your power to make your female piggy feel at ease. When I'm not writing, I enjoy kickboxing and work as an animal trainer. This is a question that has long been debated when it comes to guinea pigs. Guinea pigs are social animals who rely on their families for support. It is okay for you to handle the pups during the nursing period. You need to make the entire environment guinea pig-friendly. Bellinger, S. A. et al, An ecologically relevant guinea pig model of fetal behavior, Behavioral Brain Research, 2015. Ive wondered it myself. If this happens, pop them back in with her, and visit again later. She needs more food and more nutrients to prepare her for the process of giving birth and nursing her babies. Place the cage in a quiet, draft-free area your home that is out of direct sunlight. If a stillborn is not removed from the cage promptly, it might be eaten fairly quickly by the mother. I love animals, and I have three beautiful boys. So, its possible for their mother (especially if shes inexperienced with babies) to kill them with too much force. Start offering them shredded lettuce from the day their born. As a whole, guinea pigs do not eat their offspring, but it can happen. However, they can seriously injure them when they recognize that the babies are not theirs, also because they are intimidated and territorial. The good news is that its unlikely for your pregnant pet to eat her offspring. Guinea pigs are cute and quite intelligent pets. At first your guinea pig baby may seem afraid when you pick him up. The earlier and more regularly you handle them, the more likely they are to accept you. One under his chest and one under his bottom. Or at least make it a less dangerous one, for you, the guinea pig mother, and the baby piggies. Sows must also have a constant supply of hay (alfalfa for the extra calories) and pellets. But many experts recommend that pups be weaned as late as 6 weeks. Also, male guinea pig may kill the babies if he doesn't recognize them as his own offspring. (Find Out Now), https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets/guinea-pigs/breeding-and-reproduction-of-guinea-pigs, https://www.npvet.co.nz/pets/animal-info-pets/bird-rabbit-turtle-articles/care-pregnant-guinea-pigs/, https://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html, https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/i-think-my-guinea-pig-might-be-pregnant-what-should-i-do/, https://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/reproductive/c_ex_gp_pregnancy_toxemia, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/140328-sloth-bear-zoo-infanticide-chimps-bonobos-animals, https://lakeshorepethospital.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Guinea_Pig_Pregnancy.pdf, Removing the male guinea pig(s) will also.
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