Possibly Pregnant Is she pregnant? - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

Piggie Problems · #1 08-25-09, 03:11 pm

Hello, I am an experienced rodent owner but it is my first time to own a guinea pig.

One week ago i bought two female guinea pigs from a pet shop. I am positive that they are both female. I also have a vets opinion that they are indeed sows.

They are the same age, 9 weeks (2 months approx.) but recently i noticed that Pumpkin had a noticeably bigger and rounder belly than her friend.

She was housed with around seven other guinea pigs in the shop so is it possible for her to be pregnant?

Or is she just fat?

If she is pregnant is it dangerous for her at such a young age?

What will her friend do? Shall i separate them?

Will she make a nest? (she has been hiding herself in the hay)

How many is she likely to have?

Thank you , Piggie Problems.

**momof1kid3piggi** · #2 08-25-09, 03:33 pm

Well If like you said she was housed with other piggers. Then There IS a VERY high chance that she is pregnant. As far as your questions go::
It is better for them to have babies at young age but it is still VERY dangerous and has risks. of many complications here is another website i know you didn't breed your guinea on purpose but here is 2 websites that can help you out Breeding Guinea Pigs
http://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html

if you got them at the same time? and they have been together before you even got them. I would not separate them. The other non pregnant sow can help her out.

I don't think guinea pigs are nesting animals? But I could be wrong. My guinea pig when she was pregnant did not nest.

As far as how many she is likely to have seeing that it is her first litter, Say 2-4 but there are people here that have had up to 8 or more.

I hope this helps you out.

Piggie Problems · #3 08-25-09, 03:36 pm

Thankyou for your advice! I needed some facts and figures!

**rabbitsncavyluv** · #4 08-25-09, 03:46 pm

Pet store pigs are usually sick and pregnant. That is why you should adopt from a shelter or rescue. They can breed at 3 to 4 weeks so highly likely she is pregnant.

Read over www.guinealynx.info there is a reproduction page under breeding.

**akstrohm** · #5 08-25-09, 03:53 pm

No, they do not make nests. Leave the girls together, even for the birth. It's impossible to say exactly how many babies there will be, but 2-4 is likely. A vet can tell you for sure if you really want to know.

They should both be on alfalfa-based pellets or have some other form of extra calcium until 6 months.

Make sure you have a large cage (see the home page for requirements) and be sure to baby proof it (do a forum search for information).

Also make sure you have a cavy savvy vet lined up and know what to do during after hours or in case of emergency. Pregnancy complications are very common. And next time, please adopt instead of buying for a pet store--pregnancy is very common among pet store pigs.

Piggie Problems · #6 08-25-09, 03:56 pm

How do you baby proof a hutch?

**akstrohm** · #7 08-25-09, 04:30 pm

Is your hutch outside? What does it look like/what is it made out of?

**momof1kid3piggi** · #8 08-25-09, 04:30 pm

I'm sorry I don't know how to baby proof a hutch. But a Hutch isn't a proper housing for a guinea pig either.

**rabbitsncavyluv** · #9 08-25-09, 04:37 pm

Sounds like they keep their poor pigs outside.

Piggie Problems · #10 08-25-09, 04:46 pm

yes i do keep my "poor" happy healthy loving pigs outside. i live in england thats what most people do here. they are inside when its too cold. i love my guinea pigs so much i wouldn't have them outside if i didn't think it was bad for them

Piggie Problems · #11 08-25-09, 04:47 pm

The hutch is properly insulated and made out of good wood and has a pen and a hutch with a sheltering sleeping box

**trump_cinnamon** · #12 08-25-09, 06:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piggie Problems

yes i do keep my "poor" happy healthy loving pigs outside. i live in england thats what most people do here. they are inside when its too cold. i love my guinea pigs so much i wouldn't have them outside if i didn't think it was bad for them

So many things wrong with this. If they are outside, you cannot check on them to even see if they are healthy very easily. Just because "most people do it" doesn't make it right. Also this part makes me laugh: i wouldn't have them outside if i didn't think it was bad for them". So you are saying that you think it is bad for them, but you keep them outside because you think it is bad for them??? Oh, great.....

**Emberlyn** · #13 08-26-09, 05:00 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by trump_cinnamon

So many things wrong with this. If they are outside, you cannot check on them to even see if they are healthy very easily. Just because "most people do it" doesn't make it right. Also this part makes me laugh: i wouldn't have them outside if i didn't think it was bad for them". So you are saying that you think it is bad for them, but you keep them outside because you think it is bad for them??? Oh, great.....

That's obviously a typo. -_- Low blow.

**Emberlyn** · #14 08-26-09, 05:02 pm

There are so many ways people could make reccomendations to move the pigs into the house, giving more plausible reasons and explanations, and yet on this forum it seems we are so quick to jump and mock before offering advice.

I also would advise keeps the pigs inside, but if you insist, we cannot make you. We can only offer our advice to help further the wellbeing of the pigs, not isolate the pig parent and ignore the questions at hand.

*sigh*.

**YayPiggies** · #15 08-26-09, 05:34 pm

Ok, Ok, please stop. Let's all remember that we're here to help, not interfere. We can try but catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Really, if she wants to keep her pigs that way, let her. Try your best to help but don't waste your time and hurt her.

**Ly&Pigs** · #16 08-26-09, 06:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by YayPiggies

Ok, Ok, please stop. Let's all remember that we're here to help, not interfere. We can try but catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Really, if she wants to keep her pigs that way, let her. Try your best to help but don't waste your time and hurt her.

Excuse me but you aren't a mod or an admin so you have no business telling people to stop doing anything. It's not your job.

**Paula** · #17 08-26-09, 07:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by YayPiggies

Ok, Ok, please stop. Let's all remember that we're here to help, not interfere.

I'll interfere all day long if it means it might make a person wise up and do the right thing for their animals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by YayPiggies

Really, if she wants to keep her pigs that way, let her.

Excuse me? If she wants to keep her pigs that way she shouldn't have them. It's not safe. Period.

Quote:

Originally Posted by YayPiggies

Try your best to help but don't waste your time and hurt her.

Suggesting a person get their guinea pigs into an environment that's safe and healthy is never going to qualify as a waste of my time. Advocating for an animal that can't speak for itself is not a waste of time, and if you see it as such I find that extremely disappointing. As for "hurting" her ... Let us not forget that she's hurting these animals she claims to care about by banishing them to a hutch outside, left to face a number of predators, weather that can't really be predicted and certainly not controlled, getting what attention she sees fit to dole out as it's convenient. That's the truth, and sometimes it hurts. Way it goes.

**shypaw** · #18 08-27-09, 11:23 am

I know you mean well, but please keep in mind what is actually best for the pigs.

It's well known that pets kept outside unfortunately do not live as long as pets kept indoors. Weather, predators and unexpected random acts of violence can still occur when you're not around.

Now if you wanted to keep your hutch, and let your pigs enjoy some nice fresh air and weather when your out there with them, I think that is really nice. I just can't see keeping them out there without supervision as their permanent cage. Sorry.

**YayPiggies** · #19 08-27-09, 04:00 pm

Ok, I'm very sorry, and I mean it. I just meant to say that what she's doing is wrong but try and re-educate her more gently before you scold her, because your knowledgwe is amazing and she certainly would benefit from it. Sometimes the same valuable info is turned away because of the way it's said. I want her to understand what she's doing wrong, because you're right, but if it's said harshly, they will rebel and the goal that needs to be achieved will be left undone. I didn't mean to say that advising people was a 'waste of time', but rather, don't waste your breath on mean words, nicer words are much more effective anyway and don't leave a negative tension in the air. I didn't want to hurt anybody, which is why I posted that in the first place, but I would take it back because I can see how easily is can be misintrepreted. I am very sorry and I hope that everyone can at least understand what point I am trying to come across. I know now that I am wrong and have learned my lesson.

"Thank you, trump_cinnamon, for this useful post," says:
gooberific (08-26-09)

"Thank you, Emberlyn, for this useful post," says:
YayPiggies (08-27-09)

"Thank you, YayPiggies, for this useful post," say these 2 members:
Pulsepoint129 (08-27-09), SushiBonzai (08-26-09)

"No thank you, YayPiggies. I respectfully disagree," says:
rabbitsncavyluv (08-27-09)

"Thank you, Ly&Pigs, for this useful post," say these 3 members:
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"Thank you, Paula, for this useful post," say these 6 members:
gooberific (08-26-09), katiewilson (08-27-09), momof1kid3piggi (08-26-09), Peggysu (08-26-09), rabbitsncavyluv (08-27-09), SushiBonzai (08-26-09)