Boy broke into cage

[TheGuineaPigGal]

I am very nervous as I am writing this, Oreo broke into the girls side, and may have impregnated Reese's. My brother caught him mating with her, There was something white inside her vagina, Reese's is old enough to be fertile, but still so small. WHY OREO WHY!! First you bite S more's ear in half, now you get Reese's pregnant!

 

[bpatters]

Because you didn't have him well secured. You need a lid on the girls' side. A determined male can push up the lid on his own cage, but he can't lift the lid on another cage.

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

They share a large c and c cage with a barrier in the middle. He climbed the barrier. Anyways, do you think reeces is pregnant, and what should I do since she is so little, half the size of oreo, and oreo is not even full grown!!!

 

[Kelsie]

It's impossible to say if Reese is pregnant. If she is, there's nothing you can do but wait it out. Female guinea pigs come into heat about every 16 days. The time that they can become pregnant normally lasts a few hours. Female guinea pigs have a mucus plug that stays in place until they go into heat. When they come into heat the plug dissolves. The white that you saw may be her mucus plug.

As you found out a barrier isn't enough to stop a determined male. You may or may not have gotten lucky this time but you need to make a different cage arrangement if you have an intact male and unspayed female near each other.

I certainly hope that Reese isn't pregnant. I know you said that she is small but if she is young that will be on your side. You will soon know if she is pregnant because she will start to gain weight. Please start weighing her now so you have a base line of her current weight. If she starts to gain rapidly then you can be most assured that she is pregnant. You should be weighing your guinea pigs anyway to keep aware of their health. I have a book where I write my pig's weight every time I weigh them. Unless I'm concerned about a weight loss I usually weigh them weekly.

Please keep us informed as to how Reese is doing.

 

[bpatters]

You MUST either separate the cages, or put a lid on her side. He CAN climb, and he WILL climb, every time she's in heat. And if she's pregnant and miscarries or gives birth and he can get to her, she'll be pregnant again immediately. That's terribly hard on the sow and especially the second litter of pups.

See https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...inea-pig-is-pregnant-And-how-far-along-is-she for how you can monitor pregnancy progress.

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

It's impossible to say if Reese is pregnant. If she is, there's nothing you can do but wait it out. Female guinea pigs come into heat about every 16 days. The time that they can become pregnant normally lasts a few hours. Female guinea pigs have a mucus plug that stays in place until they go into heat. When they come into heat the plug dissolves. The white that you saw may be her mucus plug.

As you found out a barrier isn't enough to stop a determined male. You may or may not have gotten lucky this time but you need to make a different cage arrangement if you have an intact male and unspayed female near each other.

I certainly hope that Reese isn't pregnant. I know you said that she is small but if she is young that will be on your side. You will soon know if she is pregnant because she will start to gain weight. Please start weighing her now so you have a base line of her current weight. If she starts to gain rapidly then you can be most assured that she is pregnant. You should be weighing your guinea pigs anyway to keep aware of their health. I have a book where I write my pig's weight every time I weigh them. Unless I'm concerned about a weight loss I usually weigh them weekly.

Please keep us informed as to how Reese is doing.

She must be in heat, as smores was trying to hump her too. (Smores is neutered) I hope she isn't, because she is so small. Her rump was crusty. I made the idiot mistake of believing my dad when he said guinea pigs cannot climb. He is convinced he knows more about guinea pigs then you guys do, and we are first-time piggy owners. When S'mores got his ear injured, my dad refused to take him to a cavy-savvy vet, and said a normal vet will be fine. He actually wasn't going to take him to the vet until I begged him that I would pay for it. My dad is ignorant. His life motto is "Cheaper is better"

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

An update: Brownie may be pregnant also, taking the advice that I was given by [MENTION=17564]Kelsie[/MENTION], both have been gaining weight rapidly, but as [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] said in this reference thread, https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...inea-pig-is-pregnant-And-how-far-along-is-she... ¨Most sows are still young¨, but brownie is almost a year and a half old, would it be normal for her to still be gaining weight rapidly, and I am VERY concerned, considering this would be her third litter if she is pregnant. Reece´s I am less concerned about, because she is under 6 months, and still growing. I want to follow up with the vet, it just feels right, considering Brownie´s age, and this is her third litter, (all her pregnancies have been accidental). Should I take her to the vet? She means the world to me, and I don't want to loose her.

 

[Smileandnod]

This is an unfortunate situation... especially since it was preventable with a little follow through on your part when I asked you to post a picture of your cage after Mr. Smores was injured. Many people on here could offer you suggestions that would easily help you when you described your cage with males & females side by side that resulted in the males fighting. It was at that point it was suggested not to have them right next to each other.

Are you going to finally post a picture of your cage so that we may offer suggestions to you to prevent more challenging situations with your pigs?

We are here to help, but you must be willing to follow through.

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

This is an unfortunate situation... especially since it was preventable with a little follow through on your part when I asked you to post a picture of your cage after Mr. Smores was injured. Many people on here could offer you suggestions that would easily help you when you described your cage with males & females side by side that resulted in the males fighting. It was at that point it was suggested not to have them right next to each other.

Are you going to finally post a picture of your cage so that we may offer suggestions to you to prevent more challenging situations with your pigs?

We are here to help, but you must be willing to follow through.

Oh, yes, when I get home from school.

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

the one on the right is oreo's and the one on the left is the girls and mr. smores, I managed to put a lid on oreos, and he is unable to push it up because it is securely fashioned with hook screws. Brownie is the one I am concerned about now, she is comparable to a squash, I can feel small things, but I'm not sure if it is a organ or a fetus. Reeces does not look like a squash, speaking of squash, can you feed squash to guinea pigs?

 

[Smileandnod]

Nice space!! I would like to make some suggestions for the health of your pigs and as you prepare for your pregnant pig(s) to give birth.

I would suggest that you build a simple base to get them off that cement floor. I made mine with grids. Guinea pigs are very susceptible to drafts and being directly on the floor puts them at risk for URI.

I would also suggest you put pads down or some other absorbent layer because that layer (looks like a moving blanket pad?) over the plastic tarp is going to become dirty & wet fairly quickly. Without regular access to a commercial washer you won't be able to wash that large layer easily. If they don't have a dry, clean area you change out frequently they are at risk for fungus and bumble foot. Both of which can be difficult and time consuming to treat. Also you will want an easy way to change out bloody pads after they give birth.

For my 6x6 cage, I put 3 2x6 pads down, then a large fleece layer over that (2 pieces of 3 yard length fleece that I sewed together) which I clip to the coroplast along the sides. Then I layer 2x2 and 2x4 smaller pads on top. Lastly I put a bunch of smaller pads in favorite spots, in cuddle cups & hidey huts. This allows for layers for quick changes & removals daily and maintains a clean & dry environment without killing my washer & dryer. Once a week everything is removed, cage is scrubbed down and all pads replaced. I know others who use wood pellets under fleece which is also a fantastic option.

I can see why your boys probably fought to begin with. You only have one water bottle, one bowl and one hay rack per side with multiple pigs who must share. I would definitely add more...one per pig at least. You also need more hideys and beds so they don't have to compete for the single one entry option. Fleece forests are an inexpensive but effective option, just make sure you have a pad that can be changed out daily under it because it will become a favorite spot.

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

There are 3 options for hideys in each cage, four on oreos side if you count the wood lid. The towel on the corner is a favorite spot for smores, the house is a favorite spot for brownie, probably where she would give birth, considering the large space, we have a pad under the houses on both sides, because that is their favorite poo spot, and the enjoy peeing on the and the blue cylinder thing is a favorite spot for Reeces, if I took a picture of both sows from a birds-eye view, could you maybe tell me if you think they are pregnant, or just chubby?

 

[bpatters]

https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...inea-pig-is-pregnant-And-how-far-along-is-she

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

Hello. Giving an update. Reeses is definitely pregnant, as for brownie, I just think shes on the chunky side. I was able to feel a baby forming, I can feel the head shape, Once it is born, I would like to give everybody the honor of choosing names for him/her. or multiple little piggies.... We are trying to follow a sweet treat theme with our piggies, I was thinking maybe Fudge, or Mocha, what do you guys think? By the way, there is already a Coco in the house, so that name cannot be used lol. Coco the lab would not like his name taken...

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

Hello. Giving an update. Reeses is definitely pregnant, as for brownie, I just think shes on the chunky side. I was able to feel a baby forming, I can feel the head shape, Once it is born, I would like to give everybody the honor of choosing names for him/her. or multiple little piggies.... We are trying to follow a sweet treat theme with our piggies, I was thinking maybe Fudge, or Mocha, what do you guys think? By the way, there is already a Coco in the house, so that name cannot be used lol. Coco the lab would not like his name taken...

Also, Do I have to separate Reeses from Brownie? Brownie and her share a mother daughter bond.

 

[bpatters]

No, you don't have to separate them. Most guinea pig sows make great aunties, and will help raise the pups. Do watch carefully to make sure you don't have one of those one-in-a-thousand sows that doesn't like pups.

Also, make sure the cage is large enough for all of them. Overcrowding will get the pups' ears eaten.

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

No, you don't have to separate them. Most guinea pig sows make great aunties, and will help raise the pups. Do watch carefully to make sure you don't have one of those one-in-a-thousand sows that doesn't like pups.

Also, make sure the cage is large enough for all of them. Overcrowding will get the pups' ears eaten.

Oh no, Brownie did a great job raising Reeses and Oreo. That wont be a problem.

 

[peanny77]

You can also read my past thread about Peanut and Chocolate becoming pregnant for more info about taking care of pregnant sows & their pups

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

Thank you [MENTION=45795]peanny77[/MENTION]

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

Reeces had her pup 10 minutes ago. I will get a picture in about a hour