I need some help :(

[BruinFan1008]

Hey guys, My girlfriend and I got a guinea pig about a month and a half ago (Cupcake, all black american) and we fell in love. We built a C&C cage (2x6) and she had been living there happily ever since. About a half a month after getting cupcake we adopted another guinea pig(Twinkie) and then another half and month after that we adopted our last guinea pig (Oatmeal). Unfortunately, I found this resource after our adoptions. We give them an unlimited amount of hay(Oxbow timothy) and pellets(Oxbow as well). We feed them veggies in the AM and PM every day as well. Anyway, when we introduced oatmeal to twinky and cupcake we noticed that she was in heat....(rumble strutting...mounting)

Long story short, they have been together in the C&C cage for about 15 days, and while I had double checked the sex for cupcake and twinky, I had not double checked the sex for oatmeal. Yesterday, I flipped oatmeal over and noticed a protrusion, which looked like a penis. I'm sure now that oatmeal is actually a male. I just recently read that you guys discourage from purchasing from pet stores, and I purchased all of my pigs from pet stores. You are completely correct in that aspect. I'm not sure what to do now. I'm afraid that twinky and cupcake might be pregnant, and for the record oatmeal pays a lot of attention to twinky and completely ignores cupcake.

I put oatmeal into a separate cage, and currently cupcake and twinky are together in the 2x6. I don't know what to do, I don't think we can handle 2 pregnant sows, and obviously we are not the most experienced people when it comes to guinea pig care. I wish I would have adopted at a rescue...any advice would be appreciated.

[Ly&Pigs]

Flip Oatmeal over again and see if you can get the penis to pop out of it's sheath. All you have to do is press gently but firmly right above the genital area.

You did good in separating them for the time being until you find out if Oatmeal is indeed a sow or boar.

As far as pregnancy, you won't know until they are about 6 weeks into their pregnancy if they are pregnant or not unless you take them to a vet. Sows come into heat about every 16 days so there is a chance that one or both of your sows could be pregnant.

[Ziggy&Herald]

So sorry to hear this, unfortunately it happens all the time. I agree with Ly, definitely try to get the penis to express. It's really easy to do. You should be able to feel the shaft under the skin. If you haven't looked already, here is an excellent link to try and help. http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

I'm afraid I can't help you with the decisions you have at hand if they both turn out to be pregnant. Only you know what you can handle, but you do also need to think about what you are going to do with oatmeal. Are you willing to have him neutered so he can be with the girls, or is there a chance maybe if one of the babies are male, that they can have a cage of their own as well?

[GPluv]

I've been through this too. Except I had one female and one male (which I thought were both males), also from the Pet Store.

My female had 5 babies. When she was gaining a lot of weight, I just thought that she was under-fed at the Pet Store since she was housed with 2 other Guinea Pigs there. After 4 weeks of becoming pregnant, you will notice the weight gain begin.

These 2 links have great info regarding pregnancy:

Guinea Lynx :: Reproduction

Guinea Lynx :: Reproduction Links

Hope this helps!

[BruinFan1008]

Originally Posted by GPluv

I've been through this too. Except I had one female and one male (which I thought were both males), also from the Pet Store.

My female had 5 babies. When she was gaining a lot of weight, I just thought that she was under-fed at the Pet Store since she was housed with 2 other Guinea Pigs there. After 4 weeks of becoming pregnant, you will notice the weight gain begin.

These 2 links have great info regarding pregnancy:

Guinea Lynx :: Reproduction

Guinea Lynx :: Reproduction Links

Hope this helps!

Thanks a bunch for the links. If you don't mind me asking...how did everything turn out for you? What happened to the babies? Were there any complications?

Also, here is a picture...I flipped oatmeal again and even though he didn't like it we managed to snap a picture. What do you guys think?

[GPluv]

You're welcome.

Don't mind at all! There weren't any complications. I awoke and the babies were chilling in the hidey house, and the mom and dad were eating food. I was so shocked and scared. I didn't know what to do. We separated the dad immediately after speaking to a Vet technician, but I think it was too late, as they go into heat quickly after giving birth. I think they mated sometime after the birth and before we woke up. She is gaining weight and acting different. I am really hoping all goes well, since back-to-back pregnancies are risky and hard on the sow's body.

We have 4 females and 3 males total. It was very stressful finding someone who could sex the babies for us. We took the babies to the Vet at 3 weeks old, but the Vet wasn't definite and recommended bringing them back in another 3 weeks!! Since they can be sexually mature at 3-4 weeks old, I took the babies to a Guinea Pig Rescue to sex them. I didn't feel comfortable sexing them myself or waiting for the Vet.

We ended up keeping all of the them. But I am debating on finding a home for 1 of the males, since the cage isn't big enough for 3.

Good Luck!

[salana]

I can't see details on the maybe-penis, but Oatmeal does look to have moderately large testicles. Guinea pig testicles do not hang down like some other mammals, they form a "donut" around the penis and anal area.

[auburnmare5]

If you rellay need to know, (and I suggest you do this), go to a vet ASAP! Have them checked, and sexxed. Make sure you go to a cabvy savvy vet!