Looking for some info.

[newpiggiemommy]

We just found out that our suspicions(sp?) were correct. Our little girl is pregnant. We felt the babies move last night. Up until now we didn't know for sure if she was prego or if she was just a healthy eater.

My first question is does this require a trip to the vet or will she be all right on her own? She seems healthy and happy!

Second question is now that I can feel them move, about how long before she delivers?

At what age can you tell the difference between the males and the females. I know they need to be seperated (males and females) by 3 weeks, but can they be sexed earlier than that?

[banjosnotbombs]

I'm not really experienced in pregnancy, but I have some links and info that could be helpful.
I'm not sure when it would it would be wise to see the vet, but they might be able to make a more accurate estimate of how far into her gestation she is.
These links on GuineaLynx explains reproduction:
Guinea Lynx :: Reproduction
Sexing pups:
Guinea Lynx :: Sexing Pups
And another great sexing guide, on Cavy Spirit:
http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm
Goodluck, I hope all goes well.

[clotho]

Hi there! Where did you get your piggies from? Do you have any idea how old she is?

If you are feeling movement, then she is probably about 7 weeks along - you have approx 3 weeks to go.

If she is healthy and all is well, there really is no need to go to the vet - unless you want to confirm the pregnancy. However, you DO need to line a good vet up so you have someone to go to if there are any problems. You need to find someone who knows about guinea pigs. It's always best to already have a vet rather than scrambling to find one in an emergency. You should check out after-hours clinics too because emergencies usually don't happen during office hours and many emergency clinics don't know much about guinea pigs.

I sexed the babies our foster piggie had - the very day they were born. However, I wasn't 100% positive until they were a couple weeks old. You should check and double check and triple check until you are positive. It will be easier to tell as they get a little older - a couple weeks to three weeks old. I never believe a male is a male until I manage to get a penis to pop out. You definitely have to have the males separated by the time they are 3 weeks old because they are old enough to reproduce by then.

As for the moma, make sure you give her plenty of plain, high quality pellets and unlimited grass hay. You may want to add in some alfalfa for extra calcium. Giving her lots of good veggies high in Vitamin C and calcium would be advised. Kale, collard greens, parsley, green yellow and red peppers are all great choices.

You do not need to separate the mom from the other female (as long as you are POSITIVE it's a female!!!).

Babies are born fully furred and ready to run. They will start eating solid foods pretty much from birth, but they will also nurse from mom.

You will need a good digital scale to keep track of your piggies' weights. You can track mom's weight gain during her pregnancy, and you will need to weigh the pups frequently to make sure they are thriving. Weighing weekly should be a part of your routine. Piggies hide their illnesses incredibly well, and weight loss is usually your first sign that something is wrong.

You should take a look at this link and familiarize yourself with how to hand feed young pups just in case:

Guinea Lynx :: Hand Feeding

[newpiggiemommy]

Thank you for all of you great help and advice. I will be checking out all of the web links you sent me tonight.

In response to your question of where I got my piggies...

After 6 months of searching and not being able to find a rescue center near or even with in 2 hours of me I did go to a pet store. I bought the two very young females that were there, both which I suspected were pregnant. The store owner said she leaves the males and females together so when the piggies have babies then they have more to sell. I new immediately that I had to take both of them home. They had no veggies, poor quality food, and the pen they were in was so over crowded. My heart broke for those piggies and even more for the two young babies that were about to become mommies.

One of them, Abby, already gave birth to two stillborns. They were not even fully developed. And the other, Nibbler is doing very well and is, according to you, about to deliver in 3 weeks or so.

[clotho]

I will not give you a lecture - I know your heart was in the right place. Just remember that pet store will now order in more piggies and continue the cycle.

I will ask you to please do a simple search on petstores and read some of the threads so you will have a better idea why we are so against buying from pet stores. It was a real eye opener for me.

If you ever want to get more piggies - I'm positive people on here can help you find some to adopt.

[newpiggiemommy]

I appreciate all the help I have gotten on here. If I would have found you all about a month earlier I would have been able to rescue instead of buy my guinea pigs.

If any one knows of a good guinea pig rescue close to Terre Haute, Indiana I would love to know where it is. The closest one I found was in Brownsburg, IN (an hour away) and I never recieved a return e-mail, even now 6 weeks after my LAST e-mail. They obviously don't want to get rid of their piggies!

One last question about my piggies... When Nibbler is ready to have her babies, do I need to take Abby (her cage mate) out of the cage for a while? If so, how long does she need to be seperated?

[clotho]

No need to separate the other female from your pregnant one at all - even when the babies are born. Most females are just fine with the babies and will even act like an "auntie" to them.

There are other ways to find piggies to adopt - like petfinder, putting up ads, checking with local vets for people who have had accidental litters, etc. If pet stores are selling piggies in your area - there are plenty out there to adopt if you get creative and are patient.

[newpiggiemommy]

I did use petfinder, but I was unable to find any shelter or foster parent that was willing to do a leg transport for up to 1.5 to 2 hours. The closest shelters that responded to my inquiries were 3-4 hours away and unwilling to help with the transport!

I never thought of checking with the vets, but I did check with the local humane society. My sisters in laws are the ones that do the petfinder for our location and she was unable to find any piggies in our area either.

I did check the local papers, and the papers in Indy as well, but found nothing.

Next time I will be more patient! Thank you

And thank you for your knowledge of piggies. You seem to be able to answer all of my question. And for that I thank you!!!

[clotho]

I have been through three pregnancies - two with my own piggie and one with a foster piggie who had 6 babies. Any knowledge I have gained through these experiences, I am happy to pass on if I can.

Ask any questions as they come up - and they will!!

Keep track of her weight to make sure she is gaining. Feed her well. And get ready to be a nervous bundle for at least a week near the end of her pregnancy because it drives you crazy waiting for it to happen and worrying over whether it will all be ok.

I will be thinking of you and hoping for the best with her pregnancy.

Oh, one other thing if I didn't mention it already - make sure you babyproof the C&C cage when you build it. Babyproof before the babies come. I simply used 10" tall cardboard between the grids and coroplast all the way around the cage. That way you can avoid any accidents.