hello! rescued a pregnant guinea pig :) housed with fixed male, questions!

[tattoogal13]

Hey!
I rescued a young female guinea pig from a litter where she was the only female with her 4 brothers! Having the space and time I agreed to take the sow knowing that she is likely pregnant, because every one else were first time cavy owners. She had a mange like condition, I always treat naturally first before going to medications. Turns out it was caused by stress. So a few calm weeks and gentle herbal spot treatment her skin is back to pink and smooth, and her fur is silky and shiney. Her mental health and physical health sky rocketed when I introduced her to a fixed male a little bit older that had just finished his quarantine too.

He flirts with her, but ive never seen him mount her. He does some things like rub her and give her kisses or they sleep together, but any time he tries to get fresh she chirps at him and he goes off popcorning away to a pile of hay. He obviously doesn't bug her, and the one time I had them seperated she tried to force her head through the grid so I know she wants to be with him.
Should I leave him in with her during pregnancy? I have no idea when she's due but its soon, but I don't want to stress her out. The cage is very big, and she has her seperate hut she uses when she dosnt want to be around him. Its just over 13 sq feet.

Thanks!

[CritterLuvva]

I'm no expert and haven't come across this question before in my research (so please correct me if I'm wrong here, somebody!), but I wouldn't separate her from him. It would only stress her out and accomplish nothing. He's fixed, so he can't get her pregnant, and that's why males and females are kept seperate. I think they'll be fine, better off even, left alone together. That couple sounds too cute for words! How'd she get prego?

[Mastershroom]

How'd she get prego?

I'm no expert, but I'm assuming a male pig had sex with her. Isn't that how these things usually work?

Also, the OP said she was living with 4 brothers, which would provide plenty of opportunity.

[kananaka]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I know little about pregnancy so I can offer no advice, but plenty of people on the site do know about it and I am sure will post advice soon. For now I would leave them together, but separating them when she is close to giving birth may be necessary; but wait for an expert to enlighten us .

[Tunundary]

I think you would only need to worry about separating them if he weren't neutered. Sows can go into heat very soon after giving birth. You will need to check the genders of the babies though because being neutered isn't genetic and rodents can have Oedipus complexes.

[CritterLuvva]

I'm no expert, but I'm assuming a male pig had sex with her. Isn't that how these things usually work?

Also, the OP said she was living with 4 brothers, which would provide plenty of opportunity.

Hahaha! Very funny.

I was wondering how she could get pregnant living with a fixed male. I'm assuming that, if you didn't have him fixed yourself, you checked his vet records? Living with her brothers definitely would have done it.

@Tunundary "being neutered isn't genetic". LOL. Wouldn't it be cool if it was though? Less piggy pregnancies!

Note on what @Tunundary said. You will need to check the genders of her babies, to make sure one of them isn't a boy, but males aren't separated from Mom and any sisters until 21 days (3 weeks) of age, when they become sexually mature.

@kananaka Why do you think Mom should be separated from her partner if he can't impregnate her? The reason males are removed before birth is because you don't want back-to-back pregnancies. (I'm talking about with misgendered piggies, not intentional breeding, for any one confused in what I'm saying. Of course you should never house unfixed males and females together intentionally either.) Considering separation just causes anxiety, and anxiety can lead to premature labor, it seems like it would be riskier to separate them then leave them together.

[Tunundary]

@CritterLuvva I think it would be very difficult to pass on the gene if it was.

[CritterLuvva]

@Tunundary ROFL. What are we talking about?

[Tunundary]

@CritterLuvva How could something neutered pass on a neutered gene?

[CritterLuvva]

@Tunundary That was rhetorical. We're joking around about the strangest stuff! LOL.

[Tunundary]

@CritterLuvva It's because we don't have any guinea pigs to distract us.

[madelineelaine]

the male wouldn't injure the babies would he? like try to eat them? I don't think so :/ I know with some animals it's like that though.

[cibrown]

I think she is worried about how the male will treat the the babies.

[CritterLuvva]

@Tunundary LOL. That's right we don't, but now I have news that is very distracting.

@madelineelaine I don't think so. In the wild, a male will have a harem of females and defend their territory. I can't imagine him attacking "his" kingdom. The real concern is if the male is not neutered he can immediately impregnate the female, which is not your situation. However, if she has males, it's very important that you remove them at 21 days. In the wild, the ruling boar chases off other boars as they become sexually mature. That'd be the time to look out for, I would think.

[xXMaggieXx]

Hi welcome to the forum! If you need any pregnancy advice let me know! When I got my piggy, she turned out to be pregnant, so ive gone through it

[kananaka]

Hahaha! Very funny.

I was wondering how she could get pregnant living with a fixed male. I'm assuming that, if you didn't have him fixed yourself, you checked his vet records? Living with her brothers definitely would have done it.

@Tunundary "being neutered isn't genetic". LOL. Wouldn't it be cool if it was though? Less piggy pregnancies!

Note on what @Tunundary said. You will need to check the genders of her babies, to make sure one of them isn't a boy, but males aren't separated from Mom and any sisters until 21 days (3 weeks) of age, when they become sexually mature.

@kananaka Why do you think Mom should be separated from her partner if he can't impregnate her? The reason males are removed before birth is because you don't want back-to-back pregnancies. (I'm talking about with misgendered piggies, not intentional breeding, for any one confused in what I'm saying. Of course you should never house unfixed males and females together intentionally either.) Considering separation just causes anxiety, and anxiety can lead to premature labor, it seems like it would be riskier to separate them then leave them together.

That is why I said "may be necessary" , just to be prepared if it has to happen. Was not/am not sure if a male could be or should be housed with a birthing female.