Newbie Here

Lucie · Jan 24, 2007

Hi everyone;
I thought I would introduce myself and say what a great informative forum, I have learned so much.

I am Sue, the Momma to 4. We recently picked up 2 Guinea Pigs from freecycle. The kids and I have been researching them and learning about them before we were going to buy 2. Well when I saw them on freecycle I knew it was meant to be, I wanted to adopt them before someone else would and maybe not have good intentions.

Well, when we went to pick them up they told me that the Momma is pregnant. She wasn't sure how far along. :eye-poppi

My question is I know they can get pregnant really soon after giving birth but if I put a grid between them they still can't somehow mate through the holes can they? I know probably a stupid question but there are enough unwanted pets out there I don't need to add to the problem.

Thanks, and wish me luck, I don't know much about g.p. babies but I have a feeling I am going to learn pretty soon.

Tulip · Jan 24, 2007

Hi and welcome!

They need to seperated into completely seperate cages ~ Not just in the same cage with a grid between them. The mom will be able to get pregnant again right after giving birth, so you will want to seperate them ASAP as the birthing can be quite quick and often missed by owners. Also be preparing to baby-proof your cage.

What are you planning on doing with the babies? I know that probably depends on how many she has. Depending on your space and what you want to take on you could just have 2 seperate cages ~ one for the boys and one for the girls. But you'll have to wait and see what she has before all that can be figured out.

Remember to seperate your male and female now ~ just in case she isn't pregnant and to prevent more babies. What kind of cage are they in?

How are you enjoying them so far? Aren't they so much fun?! Please keep us posted as to how things are going ~

fourbwabbys · Jan 24, 2007

They need to seperated into completely seperate cages ~ Not just in the same cage with a grid between them.

No, this is not true. They will not breed through the bars. I have 3 boys next to two girls in my cage with just a grid divider. You can have a grid divider, but just be sure that the whole cage is baby proofed.

This is an excellent page to read up on: Guinea Lynx :: Reproduction

standuprookie · Jan 24, 2007

Yes you can separate them by grids, but if you do you need to have a top over the males cage where they connect, because when a sow goes into heat males have been known to jump/climb unto the other side.
Good luck with the pregnancy and congrats for adopting, especially a pregnant sow.

Ly&Pigs · Jan 24, 2007

Yes you can separate them by grids, but if you do you need to have a top over the males cage where they connect, because when a sow goes into heat males have been known to jump/climb unto the other side.

This is a must.

fourbwabbys · Jan 24, 2007

Not all boars will, but it's safe to have it anyway. My boys have never gotten over the divider in the past 3 years. And Trixie is all testosterone, so he has tried. I started out with a 2-grid-high divider. He did attempy a measly hop, but his nose didnt even get to the top of the grid. After realising he couldn't make it even if he tried, I kept the divider to one grid. I put up some coro on the divider to calm him down when moved into the C&C cage and he basically spent his days like this lol

rabbitsncavyluv · Jan 24, 2007

They only need to be in separate cages in different rooms if you're quarantining them. These pigs were together, no?

Have you looked over Guinea Lynx :: A Medical and Care Guide for Your Guinea Pig ? The diet and reproduction pages there are helpful.

Separate any baby males at 3 weeks and they can go with Dad.

Lucie · Jan 24, 2007

Tulip said:
Hi and welcome!

What are you planning on doing with the babies? I know that probably depends on how many she has. Depending on your space and what you want to take on you could just have 2 seperate cages ~ one for the boys and one for the girls. But you'll have to wait and see what she has before all that can be figured out.

Remember to seperate your male and female now ~ just in case she isn't pregnant and to prevent more babies. What kind of cage are they in?

How are you enjoying them so far? Aren't they so much fun?! Please keep us posted as to how things are going ~

Ok for the first week I had them we had them in a pet store cage that they gave me when I picked them up and let them run around for 2-3 hours a day. Then I finally found the grids and now I have them in a big ole cage I made. That's why I am just going to add a few grids and seperate the two and wait for Momma to give birth.

I cannot believe the difference since I moved them into a big cage, they play, run around and talk all the time. In the little cage they looked so depressed and they just sat there.

I am not totally sure what I am planning on doing with the babies. I know my girlfriend said she would take one - theirs just died not to long ago :sorry: so she was going to get a new one and she figured she would just wait until mine were born. If she has 2 or three I would probably keep one and give the third away.

Somebody told me to sell them to the pet store

and I am so glad I came to this forum and read lots. There is no way any of my bebes are going to go to a pet store. If I don't find homes I will keep trying and keep them and love them until. I really don't mind, I have 4 kids and lots of help, they love them. I just need to prevent them from reproducing again!!!

Lucie · Jan 24, 2007

rabbitsncavyluv said:
They only need to be in separate cages in different rooms if you're quarantining them. These pigs were together, no?

Have you looked over Guinea Lynx :: A Medical and Care Guide for Your Guinea Pig ? The diet and reproduction pages there are helpful.

Separate any baby males at 3 weeks and they can go with Dad.

The owners kept them seperate but said the one kept climbing in the other's cage and getting her pregnant. Typical man.

standuprookie · Jan 24, 2007

Guinea pigs are very social and need at least one friend.

this_lil_piggy · Jan 25, 2007

If your friend is willing to take one, try to talk her into taking two. Pigs are social animals and do better in pairs or more

If you do put a divider in the cage, just be sure that when you move the boy babies over with dad that you double grid the divider between them. The boy babies will easily be able to squeeze through those grids to get to mom (and breed her) for at least 2-3 months. I have 3 sows and 4 boars and what I did was stacked two cages--put boars on bottom and sows on top, so there isn't a problem of anyone climbing out or through to get to the other. You might can consider doing something like this too, rather than having to put in a divider, cage top, and what not.
Heres a pic of the two stacked cages I have built (broken link removed)

I would suggest separating them before the birth rather than afterwards. Sows are quite private and fast at delivery so you may not know it is about to happen, nor catch it when it does, then dad will be there to impregnate her again. I watched my sow like a hawk waiting on her babies, and darn if she didn't pop them out, clean them up, and hide them under a pile of hay all in a 20 minute time frame that I wasn't watching her! hehe I was in and out of the same room she was in and never knew it was happening, because she never uttered a peep.

Lucie · Jan 26, 2007

OH I forgot to introduce my piggies.

The bigger one is Chipper and the baby is Glitter (Ok, my 5 year old named her)
(broken link removed)

Lucie · Jan 26, 2007

this_lil_piggy said:
If your friend is willing to take one, try to talk her into taking two. Pigs are social animals and do better in pairs or more

If you do put a divider in the cage, just be sure that when you move the boy babies over with dad that you double grid the divider between them. The boy babies will easily be able to squeeze through those grids to get to mom (and breed her) for at least 2-3 months. I have 3 sows and 4 boars and what I did was stacked two cages--put boars on bottom and sows on top, so there isn't a problem of anyone climbing out or through to get to the other. You might can consider doing something like this too, rather than having to put in a divider, cage top, and what not.
Heres a pic of the two stacked cages I have built (broken link removed)

I would suggest separating them before the birth rather than afterwards. Sows are quite private and fast at delivery so you may not know it is about to happen, nor catch it when it does, then dad will be there to impregnate her again. I watched my sow like a hawk waiting on her babies, and darn if she didn't pop them out, clean them up, and hide them under a pile of hay all in a 20 minute time frame that I wasn't watching her! hehe I was in and out of the same room she was in and never knew it was happening, because she never uttered a peep.

Those are great cages!! I need to seperate them, I just need one more cage, or divide the big one. THey just love each other so much, and she is still very small so I don't think she will deliver soon.

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