Babies! How much more room?

[Funnygpigs]

Oh, brother! My ex-coworker gave me two young female G-pigs. I thought they would make great friend for my neutered male. Turns out, both are pregnant. Well, one for sure, the other is on pregnancy watch. I have the three adults in a now 3X7 cage. Should I make it bigger for the Herd? Or, you think they all be ok in the 3X7 for 4 weeks till all babies done nursing? Ohhhhh brother! I am going to have piggies coming out my ears. I am frustrated that she would allow this to happen. Now, more piggies will be unwanted in the world. I hope I find excellent homes for them all! Any feed back or opinion anyone can give would be much appreciated! Thank you! :0(

 

[Funnygpigs]

Sorry, I ment 2x7 cage size. I accidently typed 3X7. ooops.... :0)

 

[CuteButShyPig]

for 4 weeks till all babies done nursing?(

At exactly the 3rd week you need to remove the boars from the mother and the sows can stay with her. You will want to keep them in a seperate cage with the neutered male for comfort(sp?). I am not sure about the cage size though.

 

[cavycalm]

You also need to watch that the babies don't escape. When my Speckle had babies one of the newborns (about a couple hours after it was born) crawled through a grid and ended up behind my wall unit. I heard it crying and managed to get it out easily, but worse things could have happened (especially if I had been asleep at the time). Make higher sides or figure out some way to make the grid-holes smaller.
And DEFINATLEY remove the male at three weeks. My vet told me that three weeks was too young and that I should wait until the boy was 4-5 weeks, but at 3 1/2 weeks I caught the boy mounting one of his sisters, but thankfully it was an "unsuccessful" mount.

 

[Funnygpigs]

You also need to watch that the babies don't escape. When my Speckle had babies one of the newborns (about a couple hours after it was born) crawled through a grid and ended up behind my wall unit. I heard it crying and managed to get it out easily, but worse things could have happened (especially if I had been asleep at the time). Make higher sides or figure out some way to make the grid-holes smaller.
And DEFINATLEY remove the male at three weeks. My vet told me that three weeks was too young and that I should wait until the boy was 4-5 weeks, but at 3 1/2 weeks I caught the boy mounting one of his sisters, but thankfully it was an "unsuccessful" mount.

thank you for your reply. Good idea about making the sides higher. My cage does not have grids, I used close-woven coated utility shelving instead. I def. would not want a babie to fall out of the cage. Yeah, I am planning on seperating them (at 3 weeks) with the boar for company. Hopefully I will be able to place them all in good homes right away! :0)

 

[cavycalm]

Good luck!

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Put the preggy females with your herd right now, so that it won't be as hard to introduce them to the herd WITH the extra babies. I also found that when the babies are born inside the cage with other piggies who aren't their moms/dads, the other piggies learn to like them easier and accept them easier, and also help out every now and then with the babes. One of my girls was helping the other girl clean off the babies that were just born!

A 2x7 will fit 6 piggers minimum, so if you can extend, you should.

 

[Funnygpigs]

Thank you. I only have three g-pigs total. One a neutered male, the other two are the preg females. They are all sharing the cage right now. I am actually thinking one of the females may not be preg. Of course, only time will tell. Hopefully only the one is. My house is not very big and I really am at my max for square footage. If 6 pigs could live in that many sq. ft. Hopefully three adults/3-4 babies be OK. If she does have just 3-4.:0)
Anyway, I am going to leave the cage 2x7, even when the babies are gone. They love the space! :0)

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Oh sorry, for some reason I thought you had 5/6 cavies as it is right now! That's a very good size then, even if there are 3-4 babies.

 

[Funnygpigs]

Pray not more than that! :0)

 

[laura220]

Are you planning on keeping one or two of the babies?

 

[Funnygpigs]

I am not sure yet. I would like to keep at least one female. The rest I will find homes for. When they are born, I will post pics of them on the Adoption thread. :0)

 

[CuteButShyPig]

I am not sure yet. I would like to keep at least one female. The rest I will find homes for. When they are born, I will post pics of them on the Adoption thread. :0)

My thought is that you should start choosing homes before they are born, you don't have to do all of them before but it would be easier for you.

 

[Funnygpigs]

I would, but what if she is not pregnant (pritty sure, but not possitive)? I would be promising pigs to people who may not get one. PLus, I have the resources to be responsible for them as long as needed. I took the pigs in (the mothers), the babies (if they exsist) are my responsibility too. pLus, some people want pics or to know the sex of them (for pairing purpouses). That is why I am waiting. :0)

 

[Funnygpigs]

Also, what if she is preg, and only has one pup? Then I will keep it if it is female (I already have a male, can not have two males in with females, they will fight). My main concern right now is making sure the mom makes it through delivery ok. I am sure that it will work out. Plus this weekend, I am making there cage two feet longer and I am adding a enclosed second level 20 inch x2 feet. :0) Thank you for your reply, :0)

 

[Guinea_Gal]

good luck with everything! I can't wait to see the babies.

 

[2cavy]

How is everything? Any piglets yet?

 

[zakfoxmom]

Funnypigs - Good luck with everything. I do want to comment on what you said about being frustrated that your ex-coworker let the sows get pregnant. Accidents happen. I just recently had the accident with my girl Coco. I thought my boy was neutered but turns out it was not done correctly so I have 4 babies. I absolutely did not intend to have Coco get pregnant. Maybe something like that happened to your ex-coworker. Of course, I don't know the circumstances though but that is just my thought.