Gemma375
Active Member
Cavy Slave
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2009
- Posts
- 35
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2009
- Messages
- 35
When I got my two Guinea Pigs (my first two) just about a month ago, I didn't know they were already pregnant. They were both quite young, and last week the smallest became quite ill. I took her to the vet and was told it was just the pregnancy, but the next morning she unfortunately passed away. It was only then that the vet told us that our other sow was pregnant. Thankfully, she gave birth to two little pups early this morning and so far both mother and the pups are doing well. However, I am a little concerned that she may not be nursing them correctly.
They seem to have bonded quite well, if I look in their little house, they are always lying together cuddled up and the mother definitely seems more skittish if I come near her or the pups than she used to be around me. One has also begun eating little bits of lettuce already. However, she doesn't seem to be giving them very much milk. This morning I saw her letting the other one suckle, but I haven't seen her do it for the other. Also, multiple times I've seen the pups following her around trying to get under her to suckle, but she will not sit to allow them to do so, she just continues to lay on her stomach as normal.
Also, if they are all walking around the cage and something scares them, the mother will often just dart back into the house nearly running over the top of the pups.
Is this normal, healthy behaviour, or should I be worried?
As my parents have said, it is possible they nurse in the house when I don't see them but multiple times I have checked on them and the mother is always lying on her stomach with one pup either side of her.
Should I consider taking them to a vet or getting some kind of alternative to try help hand-rear them?
Sorry about the questions, or if this is completely normal behaviour, but after losing our other sow just 3 days ago, we are on edge at the moment and don't want to miss out on any signs that we need to help them.
If you have any ideas, please help as I have been looking for more information everywhere and can't seem to find any. All cases I've read about mothers 'rejecting' and not feeding pups includes the mother not cuddling up to them either, so I'm a little confused about how worried I should be, exactly.
They seem to have bonded quite well, if I look in their little house, they are always lying together cuddled up and the mother definitely seems more skittish if I come near her or the pups than she used to be around me. One has also begun eating little bits of lettuce already. However, she doesn't seem to be giving them very much milk. This morning I saw her letting the other one suckle, but I haven't seen her do it for the other. Also, multiple times I've seen the pups following her around trying to get under her to suckle, but she will not sit to allow them to do so, she just continues to lay on her stomach as normal.
Also, if they are all walking around the cage and something scares them, the mother will often just dart back into the house nearly running over the top of the pups.
Is this normal, healthy behaviour, or should I be worried?
As my parents have said, it is possible they nurse in the house when I don't see them but multiple times I have checked on them and the mother is always lying on her stomach with one pup either side of her.
Should I consider taking them to a vet or getting some kind of alternative to try help hand-rear them?
Sorry about the questions, or if this is completely normal behaviour, but after losing our other sow just 3 days ago, we are on edge at the moment and don't want to miss out on any signs that we need to help them.
If you have any ideas, please help as I have been looking for more information everywhere and can't seem to find any. All cases I've read about mothers 'rejecting' and not feeding pups includes the mother not cuddling up to them either, so I'm a little confused about how worried I should be, exactly.
