Breeding
This section is intended to provide you with basic information on guinea
pig mating, pregnancies, birth and babies. In that sense, we are using
the word "breeding" to mean guinea pig reproduction, and not raising
guinea pigs and breeding them to achieve certain breeds, varieties or
show stock. It is not my intent to teach people how to raise and breed
guinea pigs, but rather familiarize you with guinea pig pregnancies and
babies, in case you choose to mate your pets.
If you are interested in raising guinea pigs, you should consider joining
your local cavy breeder's club, and talk with experienced breeders before
starting. It is also recommended that you make sure that your area is not
already overflowing with guinea pig breeders, as you shouldn't contribute
to a guinea pig population that may already be bursting at the seams.
Ground rules for breeding
It's best to not breed your guinea pigs unless you are willing to
keep all of the babies yourself, or you have found some responsible people
who would like one or more of the your offsprings as a pet. Given the
rapid breeding rate of guinea pigs, animal shelters constantly receive
unwanted guinea pigs from irresponsible owners who allow their guinea
pigs to breed over and over. Many of these animals are put to sleep, since
owners can not be found for all of them. Several guinea pig "rescue"
operations around the country do their best to find homes for all of these
cavies, but it's simply not possible to find new owners for all of them.
Pet stores aren't much better, as many stores mistreat their animals, or
fail to give them proper care. You don't want to bring guinea pigs into a
situation where they will be unwanted or abused.
That being said, females should not be bred until they weigh at least
500 g (just over 1 pound), which usually works out to 4 to 5 months of
age. Younger sows can be too small to successfully deliver their
babies, and may not have matured enough to properly care for their
young. Also, no older female should have a first litter; somewhere
between 9 and 12 months of age, the hip bones of a childless sow can
start to fuse together. A litter after this happens will require a
caesarean section, which is an extremely risky surgery that could
threaten the life of the sow and her babies. If you are going to breed
your sow, you should probably arrange for her first litter between the
ages of 5 and 9 months. Otherwise, you might want to consider having
your sow spayed for her own safety after nine months, if there is ever
any chance that she may get pregnant.
For health reasons, many breeders will recommend that you not mate your
boars until they are eight months old.
Mating
Male guinea pigs can mate at any time and, in fact, are very easily
aroused: the mere scent of a female is enough to engage their instincts.
However, females can only mate when they are in season. The vagina of
a sow is actually blocked by a mucus plug when she is not in season. A
sow's estrus cycle is typically 18 days, and when she goes into heat,
this mucus plug clears so that she can accept the male. During this
time, which can last for up to 24 hours, she and the male will mate
several times.
When the male is aroused, which is pretty much several times an hour,
he will lower his head and start walking around the females with slow,
deliberate steps. He will make a rumbling sound as he does this, and
wag his bottom from side to side. Sometimes, he will perch his front
legs on something (like the side of the cage or a brick or whatever is
handy), so that he can "dance" like this in order to attract the
attention of the female. As he gets close to the female's behind, he
may sniff her bottom and then try to mount; sometimes, if sufficiently
aroused, hey may mount the female from the sides or the front, and
might even try to mount another male (if present). In fact, if mixed
with another species, such as rabbits, the male may even try to mount
them, too.
As the male starts his mating dance, the females may start to squeak
with anxiety, becoming louder as the male approaches. If the female is
not ready to accept mating, either because she is not in season or she
doesn't want to mate, and the male tries to advance, she may snap at him,
bite at him or just run away. If the male is particularly persistent, she
will let out a small spray of urine, usually in his face, to deter him.
If, however, she is in season, she may respond in kind. In fact, some
females will even advertise their readiness to mate even if the male is not
aroused. The female will lower her head and rumble just like the male
does, and will raise her bottom slightly into the air. She may even wag
her bottom slightly to attract the male's attention. The male may circle
her a few times before positioning himself behind her to mount.
Copulation lasts only a few seconds. They may mate several times each
hour, sometimes as frequently as a few minutes apart.
Pregnancy
The gestation period for guinea pigs is typically between 60 and 70 days.
Longer gestation times tend towards smaller litters, whereas shorter times
tend towards large litters. The average litter size is 2 to 4, though they
can carry as many as 8 or as few as 1.
During her pregnancy, your sow's vitamin C requirement will double, at
least, to 20 mg/day. She may also demand more pellets and fresh
vegetables, to aid in lactation and in providing for her developing
babies. This, and a little bit of sugar (from fruits or clear fruit juice)
will help prevent toxemia, which is an ailment that is most
commonly seen in pregnant sows.
It is not necessary to remove the male during the pregnancy, though it
is generally a good idea to do so in the last week before birth, since
the female will come into season again within an hour after having her
litter. Sometimes, however, the male can be considered a stressor in
the final days of pregnancy, and you may need to separate them if he and
the sow are not getting along. If you have multiple, pregnant sows
housed together, then it is extremely important that they be separated
during their gestation. The birth of one sow's litter can actually
induce labor in the other sow, which can lead to a premature birth even
if they were impregnated at roughly the same time.
Last, it is important that you make sure your sow's stress level stays low.
Stress can cause abortions, premature births and stillbirths in guinea
pigs, so don't make any radical changes in her environment throughout this
time.
If your sow becomes ill, you should see a competent vet immediately.
Treating a pregnant sow is always dangerous business, since her babies may
not be able to withstand the shock of certain medications. A vet that is
experienced in treating guinea pigs should be aware of what is, and is not,
safe to do while she is in-pig.
Birth
Early into the second month of her term, the sow will start to become
noticeably plump. As the babies grow in size, you will actually be
able to feel their bodies and even estimate how large of a litter she
will have. When the babies start kicking and moving inside her womb,
she is roughly three weeks away from giving birth, give or take a few
days.
You won't get many warning signs as the birth day approaches. Although
some sows become noticeably "bitchy" in the last week, this is not true of
all females. In short, there's really no way to predict when she will go
into labor. Fortunately, you do not need to do anything for her to prepare
for the babies, other than make sure she has plenty of soft bedding to nest
in.
Most births tend to take place around dawn or dusk, which is when
guinea pigs are most active. If you are fortunate enough to be present
for the birth, you can watch quietly without disrupting the process.
If the male is still with her, and he hasn't been neutered, then you
should remove him immediately, as the sow will come into season within
an hour after birth. Babies are typically born five minutes apart, and
the entire litter should deliver within a half-hour. If it goes on any
longer than this, it could mean that she is having trouble giving
birth, and you will need to get her to a vet right away.
With each contraction, the mother will push the babies out, one at a
time. When they emerge, she will reach down and, with her teeth, break
the sack that covers the baby when it's in her womb. It is very
important that she do this, or the baby will suffocate. After the
entire litter has been delivered, she will pass the placenta, part or
all of which is then eaten. There is very little "mess" left over
after a guinea pig birth; all that will be seen are a few spots of
blood here and there on the bedding.
The mother will then lick the babies clean. If the father is present,
he may assist in this duty. Afterwards, she will direct the babies to
a corner of the hutch, where they will huddle beneath her for
warmth.
As mentioned above, within an hour after birth, the sow will come into
season and will be ready for mating. You should never allow a
sow to become pregnant so soon after giving birth, as it is extremely
hard on her body to go from labor straight into pregnancy again. Most
breeders recommend waiting at least two months to allow the
sow to get back to her normal weight.
Caring for young cavies
Young cavies are almost fully independent of their mother at birth,
requiring only her milk and her warmth. They are born with hair,
teeth, claws and open eyes. They will begin to run around on their own
within hours, and will start eating solid foods within a day. Every two
hours, they will line up under their mother to nurse; though sows only have
two teats, there is no fighting at the milk line since the babies can munch
on hay, pellets and even drink from the water bottle, if it's in reach.
Like other animals that are born precocial, guinea pigs form their social
bonds shortly after birth. It is important that they have human contact
during this time to socialize and bond them to people. Unlike many other
small mammals, the mother will not reject the babies if they are handled
by humans, so the more you hold, pet and interact with them, the more they
will grow up friendly towards, and less afraid of, humans.
The babies will continue to nurse for anywhere from three to four weeks.
During this time, they will follow both the mother and father around the
cage. During exercise time, the guinea pig family will tend to form a
"guinea pig train", with the father or mother at the head, the other parent
at the end and the babies in the middle. This lineup helps ensure that no
young ones get lost while moving about. They will chirp and grunt to each
other often, and if a baby does get separated from the group, he or she
will squeal loudly until one of the parents comes over to lead him or her
back to the family.
As they start to wean during the third week, they will nurse less often
from the mother, and will begin to be more independent. By four weeks of
age, all the babies should be completely weaned, and no longer require
milk from their mother. At this point, you should start separating the
males from the family. Males can become fertile at any point after
weaning, and will be capable of mating with their mother. Females can come
into season any time after one month of age, usually at 5 weeks, and can
then be mated by their brothers or their father. Hence, separation of
virile males and females is extremely important to prevent uncontrolled
inbreeding.
After they have weaned, you may safely give away pets to new homes. For
the first day or two, the baby will probably be somewhat frightened of its
new environment, having lost the security of it's family and it's familiar
hutch. Time, and lots of love and attention from the new owners, will be
needed for the baby to adjust to it's new surroundings.
Complications
Not every pregnancy goes smoothly. If you have problems with your sow or
her litter, you should see a veterinarian that is experienced in the
treatment of guinea pigs. The information provided below is for your
reference only, and is not meant to be a substitute for a visit to a
competent vet.
Young sows
Sows should not be bred until they weigh at least 500 g. However, many
female guinea pigs that are purchased from pet stores are housed with
males, and are already pregnant before they come home. Hence, it is rather
common for a young sow to give birth before she has completely matured. If
your young sow is pregnant, there are
some precautions that you can take to decrease the risks.
Sow fails to break the membranes on newborns
While in the mother's womb, that babies are enveloped in a membrane (or
sack) and are protected by fluid. When the babies are born, the mother is
supposed to reach down with her teeth and break the sack. If she does not
do this, the babies will suffocate; often times, people may think her
babies were stillborn, when in fact she did not break the sack in time. If
you are lucky enough to be present during the birth, you can save any
babies that are not released from their sacks.
Break the membrane over the nose, open the mouth and blow several breaths,
in rapid succession into the babies throat. Move the legs to get
circulation (and the heart) going, and the lungs. If the baby gasps, you
may be able to save it. Keep it warm in your hands and continue to blow
down it's throat until you can find a towel or cloth for drying it's body
(rub gently!).
Once it starts to squeak, you are on the road to recovery. Keep it warm,
but do not give it anything to drink. Cover the baby with a towel and
place it near a source of heat, such as a warm water bottle, or insulate it
well so it will retain it's body heat and not catch a chill. After about
an hour or so, when the baby is able to stand on it's own, you can
reintroduce it to it's mother. Because she hasn't cleaned the baby, she
won't recognize it; put it under her body, and watch her very carefully to
make sure she will accept it. If she rejects the baby, you may try again
later, but if she continues to reject it then you will have to treat it as
an orphaned cavy.
Premature termination of labor
If the sow is having an especially difficult labor, and can not deliver
one or more of her babies, labor may terminate before they are all
born. If you suspect that this is happening or might happen, then you
should get her to a vet right away. If labor terminates with unborn
babies in her womb, they will need to be surgically removed. The
babies will die inside her and will poison her as they decompose if
they are not removed immediately.
Rejected babies
Some sows may, on rare occasions reject one of their litter. She will
refuse to nurse it, and will constantly move away from it if you try to
introduce it to her. In these cases, you will have to treat the baby as an
orphaned cavy.
Terrified mothers
Some sows are actually terrified of their own litter, even if they have
partially cleaned the babies. In these cases, the mother will shriek
wildly and run away from the babies, who will of course, try to follow her
around the cage to be nursed and frighten her more. If left this way, the
babies could die from chills.
In these cases, you should remove the babies and sow from the hutch, and
introduce the babies to her one at a time. Hold the sow and let her smell
each of her babies, then place her in a small space such as a box.
Introduce the babies, one at a time, to the mother, even though she will
probably start shrieking again. After the first has been introduced, wait
and watch to see if she will settle down, and sense what the baby is. If
she accepts the baby, you may slowly introduce the rest. If she continues
to be afraid of them, then you will have to raise them as orphaned
cavies.
Insufficient milk for the litter
If the sow is too young, or if the litter is large, she may not be able
to produce enough milk to nurse all of her babies. If this is the
case, you can either locate another lactating sow (with a litter under
10 days old) that the babies can suckle from, or you can assist the
mother by feeding the babies a formula substitute for their mother's
milk. Some formulas for nursing
babies can be found here.
Orphaned cavies
If babies are rejected, or the mother dies during or shortly after labor,
you will need to make arrangements to raise the babies. If you are
fortunate enough to have another sow that has just given birth within the
last one or two days, you can opt to try and raise the guinea pigs with her
as a foster mother. To do this, remove all but one of the mother's litter,
and rub your orphaned litter against these babies so that they will pick up
their scent. Then introduce the orphans to their foster mother; she will
sniff them, and then accept or reject them. If they are rejected, you'll
have to hand-raise them.
If you have to hand-raise the babies, they will need a milk substitute
formula every two hours during the daytime. Some formulas and feeding tips can be found
here. If you feed them late at night before going to bed, and keep
them very warm, they should be fine until the next morning. After each
feeding, be sure to wash their mouths to remove any spilled milk, as guinea
pigs are miserable if their coat gets sticky. You will need to feed them
this way for the first four days.
You will also need to wipe the anus and genital organs of each cavy with a
clean, damp cloth to induce urination and the passing of feces. If the
father is present with the babies, he may actually perform this duty for
you by licking them, but you should watch closely to make sure he is doing
so.
After the fourth day, they will need to learn how to eat solid foods.
Again, if the father is present, they may learn from him through
observation, and may in fact have already picked it up. If not, any young
cavy placed with the babies can teach them this activity; the babies will
learn from imitation how to pick up pellets and fresh greens and put them
into their mouths.
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