I think my sow is pregnant... Opinions?

[cmrange]

Hi everyone!

I recently put a sow in with my boar (25th February) and I think she now may be pregnant.... I didn't weigh her when I first got her, but I have started to record her weight, first time being yesterday. She's 1200g and I have attached a couple of pictures... Does she look pregnant??

I've tried gently feeling her little bulges either side of her abdoment, but I'm clueless! I'm sooo sure I heard little tiny teeth grinding from inside her belly, but from what I've read, she wouldn't be that far along (if she IS pregnant?!)

Would it be too early to tell as it's only been 46 days since I put her in with my boar?

Any help or opinions would be appreciated!!

[Eimear]

its hard to tell from pictures but if she was with a boar its very likely she is pregnant.

[BlueButterfly]

Why did you put her in with your boar?
And she does look very bulgy. Does she show any other signs? excessive drinking? Lot's of peeing? Increased apitite? Irritation?
How old is she? If she's older then 6 months and has never been breed before, her hips will fuse and she won't be able to give birth.

[cmrange]

She does drink a lot, but hard to tell with peeing etc as she is in same cage as my boar. She is just under a year old and has given birth before. I'm planning on putting her in her own cage for a few weeks so I can keep a closer eye on her.. :S

[littlerae]

She does look it.. Did you purposefully do this? If she is under a year old and this could be a second litter then that is really close together and so hard on the sow...Not to mention this is a pro-rescue, anti-breeding forum. Are you planning on keeping the babies? Do you know what to do if the Sow has problems delivering? Are you prepared to pay for possible emergency vet care in the event that she cannot birth them on her own? Have you educated yourself on how to hand feed little ones if heaven forbid something were to go wrong? It is more common then people think for a Cavy to have difficulties during pregnancy and birth, and it is very hard on the Sows body and can even shorten her lifespan.
I am not trying to be rude or anything.. If she is pregnant than I really do hope things go well, and everyone is healthy... but if she is not pregnant I would strongly urge you to not breed her, and you will find that most everyone here on this forum has the same opinion on this.

[littlerae]

Also it looks to me in the pictures that you could possibly have a roan guinea pig on your hands. Roan guinea pigs should not be bred ever under any circumstances as their litters often produce lethal babies... http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...inea-pigs.html <-- that is a good post about roans and lethal babies, and what all of that means.

[CavyMama]

So you have a separate cage for her but chose to purposely put her in with the male, with the hopes of what result, exactly?

[charliespet]

yes, she does look pregnant. If she is, in a bit you should be able to feel the babies move. My sow is also pregnant, and shes going to deliver anytime. You can check out some of my pictures on my profile if you'd like. I THINK she has under a week left. Who knows! It's driving me and my husband insane. Esp because we have no date or anything to go by. GP pregnancies are 72 days or about 10 weeks, if yours is 46 away from being with the boar, that would be around 6 weeks, and she looks it. At around 7 and 8 weeks the kicking should begin, and 9 it will start to slow but you will visiably see them when they do kick. 10 is when delivery happens. Hit me up with PM if you want to! I hope it goes well, and whatever happens, I'd remove the boar permanently by the end of the week if you haven't already.

[littledinobug]

Just a friendly reminder: This forum is against breeding, against pet store purchases, pro Rescue and Pro Adoption. If you are a breeder, you have come to the wrong place.

[foggycreekcavy]

Not all pregnancies are 72 days. The range is 59 to 72 days.

[littledinobug]

Not all pregnancies are 72 days. The range is 59 to 72 days.

^^^ same thing with human pregnancies. it's 37-40 weeks for us, sometimes before that sometimes after that. Baby animals aren't cakes. There's no cement "Done by" date

Sure it's uncomfortable, and the poor piggies look absolutely miserable at the end of their pregnancies...I know *I* felt miserable at the end of both of my pregnancies. . But RESPONSIBLY there should be NO MORE litters..ever from our poor little sows. OP put his sow in with his/her boar...sounds like an on purpose thing.

I know I was miffed when I found out Sugar was pregnant.

[TCTrun]

Thank you, cmrange, for doing your part in making the problem of cavy overpopulation just a little bit worse. Shrug....

[Eimear]

come on now it may have been an accident, we dont know for sure.

[TCTrun]

How does one accidentally place a sow and boar together? The OP says that the sow has been pregnant before, so the pregnancy was not accidental.

[Eimear]

she may not have known it was a boar at the time. It could have been an accident.

[TCTrun]

That accidental situation seems to happen quite often. I know that guinea pigs are not the smartest of animals, but sometimes I wonder if, in some cases, they are more intelligent than their human caretakers.

[Eimear]

Oh I know mine are smarter than me, they've got me wrapped around their little fingers! but you're right, so many people dont seem to realise how fast rodents can multiply.

[suzilovespiggie]

I dont think it was an accident. In the very first post she told of putting the sow in with the boar. Has it right down to the date. That being said.
Yes it is true we are a pro rescue, anti breeding site.
Yes, your pig looks pregnant. Now is the time to make sure she is eating right. Do you have a vet lined up in case she has trouble birthing. Do you know to take out the boar before she delivers so she will not get back bred? Do you know all male babies must be taken out of the cage at 21 days? Is your cage baby proofed? These are the things that matter now. There are many threads here on pregnancy also on guinealynx. Check your search engines.

And with all hope you will not put the boar and sow together again. If you plan to keep the babies. The boys can go in with Papa and the girls with Mama. You are so welcome to stay and talk piggies and ask all the questions you want, if there is no more talking of breeding. Talking of breeding is not allowed on this site.

Please keep us posted on her condition.