Newborn Pups: can I seperate now?

[MOMof3Kidz]

I was all set to separate my male pups from there mama on the 10th (21 days!) Then today I saw my boy pups running around making ooh laa laa sounds! So now even though they are 16 days old I would like to take them out of there moms cage. They both eat pellets and romaine lettuce little carrot bits, And hay! They still nurse every chance they get but the mama also try's to run from them a lot! Do you think they are ok to leave mama?

[Ly&Pigs]

Please don't bump threads. Just have patience and someone will come along and answer.

The male pups shouldn't be separated until they are 21 days old.

[MOMof3Kidz]

I bumped this thread because it was an emergency! I know I was told NO LATER then 21 days. And I had less then a week left but the male piggers were already making mating noises and chasing the female pups around. It's beside the point now because nobody answered me and I did what I thought was best. I let him visit mama with me watching a couple times a day for nursing but the boys pretty much eat all the regular food now. They are big (bigger then the other pups) and really healthy looking. They popcorn all over. And my baby Elvis has been introduced to Gizzy my adult boar and they get along fine. Pretty fast too! Now I only have 1 lonely pig! The one that got Tink preggers in the first place. I am doing some research on trying to get all 3 of my males to get along so my little guy isn't lonely. After all he had a roommate from the beginning then had to be removed because we found out she was a he! (poor little boy alone and saddled with the name pixie!)

[akstrohm]

Put all the pups back with their mom until 21 days. They cannot get her pregnant until then. They need to be with their mother.

[Paula]

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

I bumped this thread because it was an emergency!

Ugh, no, this is most certainly not an emergency and if you really felt that it was, you should have sought the advice of a veterinarian and not an internet forum. There are many experienced members here but it's no substitute for veterinary care, so in the future that's the route you need to go if you really feel you've got a truly urgent situation that needs immediate attention.

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

It's beside the point now because nobody answered me and I did what I thought was best. I let him visit mama with me watching a couple times a day for nursing but the boys pretty much eat all the regular food now. They are big (bigger then the other pups) and really healthy looking. They popcorn all over. And my baby Elvis has been introduced to Gizzy my adult boar and they get along fine. Pretty fast too!

The male pups really need to be with their mother until 21 days. To give them the best and healthiest start in life, it's better for them. Male pigs will make "mating sounds" as soon as they know how, but that doesn't mean that they are able to impregnate females at that point.

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

Now I only have 1 lonely pig! The one that got Tink preggers in the first place. I am doing some research on trying to get all 3 of my males to get along so my little guy isn't lonely. After all he had a roommate from the beginning then had to be removed because we found out she was a he! (poor little boy alone and saddled with the name pixie!)

I've said this before, but with proper introductions, some patience, and ample space, you should have no problem having three males live together.

[piggiewiggies]

I would go ahead and take them out now. Just supervise them to make sure they are getting along ok on their own.

[MOMof3Kidz]

Originally Posted by Paula

Ugh, no, this is most certainly not an emergency and if you really felt that it was, you should have sought the advice of a veterinarian and not an internet forum. There are many experienced members here but it's no substitute for veterinary care, so in the future that's the route you need to go if you really feel you've got a truly urgent situation that needs immediate attention.

Never mind then this has to be the absolute rudest forum I have ever been in! With a few exceptions and actual help I have received from some members here and the fact that there is good information on the main page. I wouldn't have come here at all. I have seen so many people get jumped all over for there piggies accidentally getting pregnant! And now when I come here with the best intentions to make sure my tink or the female pups dont get pregnant I get attitude!

I wont go to a vet and pay someone to tell me how long a guinea pig HAS to stay with it's mother when there are loads of people online who have been there and could help me out. So I can spend my money on more important things like veggies and hay and bigger cages to insure there happiness.

The reason I referred to this as an emergency is I was trying to make sure the pup would survive if they left there mother a few days early. And the fact that my sister in law was coming that night to pick up the pup she chose to give a home too!

As for introducing the males I already got one male pup happy in a cage with my adult bore. I was just not sure how to introduce a 3rd cavy to the mix? He's an adult like Gizzy. And I didn't know if I was supposed to introduce him to the pup and the adult at the same time? Like all 3 of them sniffing each other and chattering or if I should introduce the 2 older cavys by themselves first?

This forum is filled with such great info and some really nice people. I just wish that some members wouldn't snap so unnecessarily at me!

[rabbitsncavyluv]

The males are just practicing so to speak. They can't really do anything until 21 days. Removing them too early at 16 days is a bad idea.

[MOMof3Kidz]

practicing! Well practice makes perfect.

Unfortunately I had two males and one is already with my sister in law. She's been in touch with me and said hes doing great. Uses the water bottle, eats his veggies and pellets and hasn't been whining just talking when he knows he's getting food!

She is bringing him over for a visit when she comes for dinner tomorrow though.

I do need to add though that the mama hasn't been nursing as much anymore. I rarely see it. They run around the cage and eat the pellets and hay but when there not doing that there napping the little boogers.

I think Tink is already weaning them. I personally cant believe how big they all are already and they were quite big when they were born too considering there's 5 of them! Tomorrow im getting more material to expand there cages I cant wait!

[Paula]

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

Never mind then this has to be the absolute rudest forum I have ever been in! With a few exceptions and actual help I have received from some members here and the fact that there is good information on the main page. I wouldn't have come here at all. I have seen so many people get jumped all over for there piggies accidentally getting pregnant! And now when I come here with the best intentions to make sure my tink or the female pups dont get pregnant I get attitude!

No one has said anything about your pigs getting pregnant in this thread, so please lose the drama. You "bumped" a thread for something that has been answered numerous times previously and most absolutely could have been answered with a simple forum search. Calling it an emergency doesn't make it so.

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

I wont go to a vet and pay someone to tell me how long a guinea pig HAS to stay with it's mother when there are loads of people online who have been there and could help me out. So I can spend my money on more important things like veggies and hay and bigger cages to insure there happiness.

You don't have to spend money to place a simple phone call to an exotics vet. The receptionist or tech would no doubt gladly answer this question for you.

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

I was just not sure how to introduce a 3rd cavy to the mix? He's an adult like Gizzy. And I didn't know if I was supposed to introduce him to the pup and the adult at the same time? Like all 3 of them sniffing each other and chattering or if I should introduce the 2 older cavys by themselves first?

Introduce a third the same way you'd introduce two pigs to each other - on neutral territory with ample space and hopefully lots of time to let them work it out and make sure they'll be okay together unsupervised.

[MOMof3Kidz]

Im not trying to cause drama! I didn't say the snapping about pregnant pigs happened in this thread. Im talking about past experience on the forum with me and others. Besides there would have been no drama if when you replied to me you simply said it's better to keep them with there mother for at least 21 days. Without being mean and snappy and telling me I should have consulted a vet. Im just looking for friendly advise and maybe make some friends.

I bumped the thread because I tried the search first and couldn't find anything. I always have trouble with searches on these kind of forums. And even though other people may have asked that question before my situation could have been different. Like the fact that im just a few days away from 21 days and the fact that the mother isn't really nursing that often anymore and seems to be weaning them.

In any case thank you for the info on introducing them. I think they will be happier if they are together.

[MOMof3Kidz]

Originally Posted by piggiewiggies

I would go ahead and take them out now. Just supervise them to make sure they are getting along ok on their own.

ty they do seem to be getting along really well. He's eating and drinking and growing. He's a big boy! His sisters are smaller.

[Paula]

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

Im not trying to cause drama! I didn't say the snapping about pregnant pigs happened in this thread. Im talking about past experience on the forum with me and others. Besides there would have been no drama if when you replied to me you simply said it's better to keep them with there mother for at least 21 days. Without being mean and snappy and telling me I should have consulted a vet. Im just looking for friendly advise and maybe make some friends.

First of all, this is not the place for you to be citing all the awful "past experience" that you "and others" have had on this awful forum. If you wish to do so, please start a new thread in the appropriate section. Bumping threads is not acceptable, especially when you did so for a question that's been covered in countless places previously. Particularly when you were going to go ahead and separate anyway. You said you did it because it was an emergency and I pointed out that it is, in fact, not, and if it were the thing to do would be to consult a veterinarian instead of waiting for replies here.

Originally Posted by MOMof3Kidz

In any case thank you for the info on introducing them. I think they will be happier if they are together.

I completely agree and hope it all works out.

[akstrohm]

The best thing for your pigs is to put them back with their mother until they are 21 days old. Even if they aren't nursing that much, they may still nurse some. Plus she will be able to comfort them and teach them other things. Regardless of whether or not they seem okay, please put them back. They will not get the mother pregnant.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

They usually stop nursing at this point but they still need to stay with mom for socialization.

They can eat hard food from birth. Doesn't mean you want to remove the babies when they are days old.

[Paula]

Originally Posted by akstrohm

The best thing for your pigs is to put them back with their mother until they are 21 days old.

I agree with this, but it sounds like one of the boys has already been removed from the mother pig and from the house altogether, so that being the case, it's best to just make sure both boys are getting adequate nutrition in the situations they're in now.

For the pig your SIL has, please encourage her to feed him veggies higher in protein and calcium and possibly some alfalfa hay in addition to grass hay. And please do the same with the remaining male pup you still have if you don't want to put him back in with momma pig since he's seeming to do okay with your older boar.