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Hi I'm Maddy, and I need some advice!

MaddyMaddy

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I've been a lurker here for quite a while now...just decided to start posting today and create an account :). I'm Maddy and I'm a junior in highschool.
So my dilemma is I finally got my first piggy for my birthday this past September. Unknowingly, we assumed she was a boy (her name is Noodle)(because that's what the pet store told us!) So, for xmas, I convinced my parents to get me another one, so my pig will have a partner in crime. They got me another male pig, as we thought that Noodle was a boy as well!
Figures, I notice that this male has much more noticeable 'male parts' than Noodle, and I started getting suspicious. So I've been keeping them separate (I let them visit when I'm watching, still getting them used to each other.)
I took Noodle to a piggy expert today, and she verified my thoughts that Noodle is a girl.
I don't know what to do...should I keep them separate forever? Now whenever I put them together, the new guy keeps trying to mate with Noodle (and Noodle always runs from him!). Should I just let them be and risk the fact Noodle might get pregnant (which is fine, I can bring the babies to a local pet place, they're very nice there) but won't they keep having babies?
& ONE MORE THING: Is it fairly easy to sneak piggies into colleges? I'm thinking of staying local because of my pigs ): I'd be heart broken having to give them away (knowing my parents won't care for them when I'm gone....)

SORRY SO MUCH CONCERNS! AHH!
 

pinky

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Have you male neutered so they can live together.
 

bpatters

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Welcome to the forum! Sorry about the missexed pigs, but they often come that way from pet stores.

Please do NOT put them together. Don't even let them play together. It takes only seconds for guinea pigs to mate. It isn't fine for Noodle to get pregnant. If she does, she has a 1 in 5 chance of dying while giving birth, and the mortality rate for pups is high also. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to take those chances with my sows.

Also, if either of your pigs carry the roan or dalmatian gene, the pups can be lethal whites -- usually blind and deaf, with misshapen teeth or none at all, immature GI systems, and other problems. They require lifelong intensive care, including expensive tooth trimmings. There have been a rash of posts both here and at Guinea Lynx about newborn lethals recently, and not one is still alive.

Additionally, there are literally thousands of guinea pigs in shelters around the country, waiting for good homes. Please don't add to that number.

No, it's not particularly easy to sneak pigs into colleges. If you live off campus, all you'd have to do is find a landlord that didn't object to caged pets, and most don't.
 

MaddyMaddy

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Oh gosh ): I'd never give my new pig away, but now hearing I shouldn't let them see eachother is terrible. I feel like I'm teasing them. My little brown guy cries and cries for Noodle's attention. I'm not risking Noodle dying either!
Is neutering a expensive/dangerous procedure?
 

MaddyMaddy

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....Now I'm freaking out. I've let them visit each other, I've seen Atticus (the brown one) try to mount Noodle but it usually amounts to her running away....Dear god I hope she isn't pregnant ):....
 

SpazNMeos momma

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Neutering is a lot less of a risk for your boar, than pregnancy for your sow. Prices vary in different parts of the country. Im sure someone here can reccomend a good cavy savvy vet. Welcome to the forum. Love to see some pigtures!
 

MaddyMaddy

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Neutering is a lot less of a risk for your boar, than pregnancy for your sow. Prices vary in different parts of the country. Im sure someone here can reccomend a good cavy savvy vet. Welcome to the forum. Love to see some pigtures!

Talked it over with the folks and we're getting little Atticus neutered. I know of a small animal hospital close to home and have heard good things about the place. I'm going to check it out this week and see if they commonly work with guinea pigs there. Thanks so much everyone for your responses, such a kind community to be a part of! :heart:
 

ellisa

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@MaddyMaddy, that is excellent news! Just be sure to keep them separated for, I think it's 3 weeks (?) after the neuter to ensure that any sperm will die and works it's way out of his system!
 

Candi Brown

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Yay!! Here is more tags so I can reach 10 characters yay!!!
 

MaddyMaddy

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I will make sure to keep them separate until then! :) Thanks everyone for the help.
 

suzilovespiggie

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Welcome to the forum. Good news. Keep us posted on how Atticus does.
Looking forward to pictures and sharing.
 

trexgorawrrrrr

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Thank you for being responsible and getting Atticus neutered! Please though remember not to put them together until after the three weeks. I know of someone who put their boar in with her sows after two weeks from another forum, and she ended up with about eight babies from two different sows.

Please also keep in mind that your girl IS on pregnancy watch. They were together several times, and it's very possible she is already pregnant. The only way to really tell is to play the waiting game. You could take her to the vet, but I suggest waiting. I suggest you start to weigh her weekly using a small kitchen scale to see how much weight she is gaining. Guinea pigs are pregnant for about 59-73 days, so she will start to show within a month or so if she is pregnant. Here is a link on pregnancy & labor just in case.
https://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/labor.html
 

MaddyMaddy

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Thank you for being responsible and getting Atticus neutered! Please though remember not to put them together until after the three weeks. I know of someone who put their boar in with her sows after two weeks from another forum, and she ended up with about eight babies from two different sows.

Please also keep in mind that your girl IS on pregnancy watch. They were together several times, and it's very possible she is already pregnant. The only way to really tell is to play the waiting game. You could take her to the vet, but I suggest waiting. I suggest you start to weigh her weekly using a small kitchen scale to see how much weight she is gaining. Guinea pigs are pregnant for about 59-73 days, so she will start to show within a month or so if she is pregnant. Here is a link on pregnancy & labor just in case.
https://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/labor.html


I'm keeping a close eye on her. Wish I would've known how easily she could get pregnant, I feel so irresponsible :sad:. I'm crossing my fingers and am going to monitor her weight and probably bring her into a vet (since I'm going anyways) to take a look at her. Better safe than sorry!
Thanks or the links, really helpful.
 
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