Pregnancy questions

[valeriusj]

I have a pregnant female (who was roomed with a male in a C&C cage..I know thats bad...but I swear the pet store -which i know is also bad- told me the boy was a girl)... and shes REAL big in the back, so I'm just preparing.

1. I can only hold so many piggies. I think I'll have to get rid of some of she has more than 3, especially if they're both sexes because I only have so much space... I just now separated the male and female. anyways, what should I do if she has a lot? give them to a shelter, I guess?

2. I'm assuming this is her first pregnancy. is there a high death rate for first pregnancies?? I know there is if she's on like her third, but I'm real scared one of the babies or my precious Karen will die. has anyone ever had a death due to birthing?

3. Is it true that cavies have 2 uteruses/uteri (??)? if so, then how big of a risk is it that she's pregnant..AGAIN??

4. how do I know when the babies are ready to be separated. I want them to have the proper nutrition from their mother...but at the same time, I don't want the males to impregnate the females. I'm not sure which one is more relevant to me, ya know?? Is there any clear cut way tell when theyre DONE being cared for by their mother?

5. Is there any special care guidelines I should follow during her pregnancy?

I think that's it for now. I'd love to hear your stories.

sorry if that was a lot.

 

[Treen]

This page should answer most of your questions https://www.guinealynx.info/breeding.html about the risks, any care she needs and when to separate the bubs (make sure you get someone else - preferably a vet - to sex the babies given that you didn't immediately realise the boy was a girl). There are links from that page for more information on various topics.

Remember it's important to complain to the pet shop, for not only mis-sexing an animal, but also selling a pregnant animal. If no one stands up to them and makes them aware of their mistakes, you can put your money on them doing the same things again and again and not caring one jot. If they don't listen, complain to their head office or an animal welfare charity and report them to whoever governs the pet shops licences in your area.

Hopefully she'll have a small litter and you'll find the room to keep however many babies there are (I got two females, one of whom turned out to be pregnant, and despite me initially feeling that I only wanted the two, I couldn't part with the bubs once they'd arrived!). If not maybe some of your close friends (people you trust to take good care of them for 5-7 years) would be interested in offering them a lovely new home. There are also forums here and at other forums where you can look for good homes for them.

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https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewforum.php?f=12&sid=9cb6ed05369c7dd7b609f1b37da3e512
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Try these resources before taking them to a rescue or shelter. Unfortunately it's so common for pet shops to contribute to the overpopulation of guinea pigs through mis-sexing and other irresponsible behaviour, that many rescues and shelters are already stretched to their limit. Sadly some have to put animals to sleep because they don't have the space or resources to keep them, and can't find them new homes.

So sad (but not surprising) to hear another story about a pet shop being useless, but good luck with it all - hope your little lady does well.