New Babies!

[GPDaisy]

My new adoptee had her babies this morning! I'd so hoped she'd do it while I was around, but I was surprised to see that in the 2 hours I was gone this morning, she brought 2 new sweeties into the world! They are the most precious things I've ever seen!

Now, questions...should I hold them or leave them alone? If I should leave them alone, when can I hold them? Is there anything I should be doing for mom other than making sure she gets plenty of pellets, veggies, hay, and water? Should I take them to the vet now or wait a couple of weeks? I know sexing them is difficult at this point, but don't want to risk any more pregnancies - when are they safely weaned and when can sex be determined, generally?

I'm so excited here, I can't even believe it. I am so in love with them already, and I haven't even touched them. One is brown with soft, slick hair like mom. The other is a dark gray with strange, wool like hair. I'll get pics up asap so you can all see how adorable they are.

 

[ChadWPB]

You can pick them up as soon as they're dry and they have their footing. This takes only an hour or two. They'll get used to being picked up more easily that way.

 

[ChadWPB]

You can pick them up as soon as they're dry and they have their footing. This takes only an hour or two. They'll get used to being picked up more easily that way.

Males must be separated at 3 weeks of age - no later! OItherwise, they will become fertile and impregnate the mother. Females can live with mom indefinitely.

Cavy Spirit has an informative sexing page. Use it! Sexing baby pigs can be difficult.

https://cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I would wait to take them to the vet unless you think they have medical issues. It's often hard to sex them this young, unless your a pro at it. You will be able to tell better at a couple of weeks of age. You will have to separate any baby boars from mom at 3 weeks. NO later than that or he could impregnate mom. If you see any mounting behavior from a baby boar earlier than three weeks, then it might be best to separate before that.

I would give both mom and babies some alfalfa hay if you haven't already. How is mom doing? The babies should start trying to eat hay, veggies and pellets on their own by tonight or tomorrow. And mom will show them how to drink from the water bottle.

 

[GPDaisy]

Thanks for the advice, guys! Keep it coming.

Mom seems to be doing very well. She's ventured out of the tent to munch on hay and veggies and is drinking a lot. I assume she's nursing them, I've seen her standing sort of on top of them, but I can't see what they're doing under there.

The cutest thing...the little brown one was brave and peeked out of the tent, then scurried over to the center of the cage. It started kind of sniffing the air, then mom ran out and corralled it back to the tent.

I just can't give them up, I love them already. I had planned on adopting the babies out after they were weaned, but I just can't do it! My husband, who isn't really a cavy guy, immediately upon seeing them said, "Oh yeah, we're keeping them." I've gone from no guinea pigs to 6 in under three months...yep, I'm a slave.

Edited to add: Chad, thanks for that link. However, I'm definitely not going to risk trying to sex them myself. I made an appointment a few minutes ago to see the vet in three weeks - I'd much rather let a pro do it.

 

[GPDaisy]

Okay, pictures...I shot these as I was cleaning the cage. The first one is Mom with babies in tow as auntie nibbles from the hayrack.

And here they are checking out what Auntie's up to.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

They are adorable! I love your yellow coroplast and the rose pattern fleece. But how do the babies reach the water bottle?

 

[Poohbear]

The babies are probally getting milk. The mom does not need to sit or roll over to milk her babies they just go under her while she stands up. They are so cute.

 

[GPDaisy]

The babies were born yesterday, and I'm completely clueless as to when they'll start drinking water from the water bottles. Should I move them? I have a brick under one of them - couldn't they hop on that and drink?

 

[Poohbear]

I think they could. I think they don't need water for a little while becuase they drink their mothers milk.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Being as they're a day old, I doubt they know that they can hop on the brick like mom and find the water bottle. I would move one down lower for them to reach it. Even though they are drinking mom's milk they still need to learn how to drink from the water bottle.

 

[GPDaisy]

Gotcha. I can do that.

 

[Poohbear]

Good luck Daisy.