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Is Lulu Pregnant?

citaconnor

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I just adopted Lulu less than a month ago from a family that posted an ad on Craigslist. They never did say why they wanted to give her up, but when I got to the house there were like 5 little girls all clustered around her! Well they said she was 8 months old and not much else, except she doesn't like being kept on the floor and to feed her. I fell in love at first sight and nothing was never the same. I had never cared for a guinea pig before, so at first I was concerned that she was eating sooo much! She went through the zip-lock bag of food they gave me in no time, and she went crazy for the timothy hay. I added a playpen on to the small cage they gave me, and she mostly stayed in her cage and really didn't enjoy being picked up! So I started doing research like crazyness.

Now I think she might be pregnant. At first I shrugged off the idea because the owners had told me she was kept alone, but then she just kept on getting bigger. Is there any particular way of knowing for certain? I'm rather concerned because she is now 9 months old and is very antisocial, it takes her a long time to warm up to a person and when I tried to introduce her to my mouse she bit her! Just in case she is pregnant I've been making sure she has veggies every day and fresh hay, pellets and water at all times, not to mention I clean out her cage almost every day!

So here go the questions:
1. Do you think she is pregnant? Her owners said she was not housed with males, but I don't know them personally, and they only answered me in a one-word email.
2. If she is pregnant, is there anything I can do now? I found I can't afford a single exotic vet right now, or for maybe the next month (college student :sad:) but I want to do all I can for my baby girl!
3. If she has babies, how much would it cost to neuter the boys (if there are any) and could I keep them all in the cage/pen structure with her?
4. Should I upgrade to a C&C cage? Though I lack room or funds, I would be happy to build her the cage if only I could find the materials in the area. They don't have it at Target, and the closest Wal-mart is 20 miles away (I live in Montgomery County, I heard they banned Wal-mart).
5. Is there anything I should do to make her comfortable? I attached the excersise pen to her cage and laid out a rug inside it, I line her cage with newspaper (trying to be econimical and eco-friendly) and fill her litter box with shredded newspaper. She has an igloo and I always keep a pile of Timothy Hay around.

For added measure I took pictures of her (the best I could get she doesn't like being held much especially since a few days ago for some reason!)
 

Smudge & Monkey

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She's so cute!!

1. Can't tell if she's pregnant, she could just be loving her food!
2. If she is pregnant, I don't see why you would need a vet at this stage, she is young enough that she is not a high risk for dystocia/birth problems, so just wait and see what happens.
3. If she was pregnant you mightn't be able to keep all they boys in the same cage as the girls as (even if they are neutered) apparently the boys may still fight in the presence of females. therefore you would need to either rehome them or set up a second cage for the boys
4. yes you should try to upsize Lulu's cage ♥ she will love you for it! Obviously you are on a budget, but I found that my first C&C that i put together on my own cost only $5 more than the original store bought cage that I purchased with my first GP


Good luck ♥
 

wigglesgiggles1

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You actually do need a vet if she is pregnant, in case of complications. You also need a vet for regular check ups. I cant tell if she is pregnant yet. You cant usually tell until they are far along with their pregnancy.
 

Smudge & Monkey

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yes, you should source out a vet in your area just in case, but I don't see the need for a vet visit at this stage unless curiosity gets the better of you...
 

akstrohm

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If she wasn't housed with males in the past few months, there is no chance she is pregnant. I would see if you can get a clear answer to your question.

If she is pregnant, she will need alfalfa based pellets, or alfalfa hay in addition to timothy, or veggies with extra calcium. Could you explain what kind of veggies and pellets you are feeding?

Pigs normally eat a lot so this does not necessarily mean anything. But regardless of whether or not she is pregnant, you should weigh her weekly. A drop in weight is often the first sign of illness. If she gains a lot of weight this could either mean pregnancy or that she now is on a better diet.

Even if she is not pregnant, you should definitely make her a C&C cage. She will really appreciate it. A pet store cage is a miserable environment for a guinea pig. C&C cages are cheap and fun to make and easy to clean.

You need to start a vet fund right now. Vet emergencies can easily be several hundred dollars. If she is pregnant, this is especially important since complications are quite common at any age. You also need to make sure you have a vet experienced with cavies lined up ASAP.

Guinea pigs should not be introduced to mice or any other species. They can harm each other. You should, however, adopt a same-sex buddy for your pig if she does not have babies. (If she does, keep a girl or neutered male with her.)

Guinea pigs are very skittish by nature. They especially don't like being picked up. But if she really seems to hate being petted or has hair loss or scratches a lot, I would treat her for mites/lice.
 
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