Breeding guinea pigs is not going to be troublesome nonetheless understanding when to breed them is important to the survival of the sow and the piglets.
Table of Contents
When to Breed Guinea Pigs
A female guinea pig have to be sexually mature to breed however moreover not too outdated to supply starting. This permits a very small window of other till you want to have a Cesarean half (C-section) carried out on the sow to get the infants out.
Guinea pigs are sexually mature as youthful as one month of age. Whereas it is a lot much less important for the male pig to be a positive age on the time of breeding, the female have to be decrease than 10 months outdated (on probably the most) to have the flexibility to offer starting naturally. Typically breeding after 5 – 6 months of age is awfully harmful to the sow as a result of the pubic symphysis fuses by 10 months of age, and customarily earlier.
Guinea Pig Gestation
A sow is pregnant for 59–72 days (about two months) and often has three piglets (although 17 has been recorded).
The Piglets
Not like totally different rodents, guinea pig infants are born precocial. This suggests they’ve tooth, fur, squeak, and run spherical much like the adults after they’re born. They nurse all through the primary few days to get colostrum however moreover eat huge pig meals, resembling hay, shortly after starting.
Being pregnant Issues
If bred by 5 to six months of age, you’ve got chance of a conventional being pregnant and birthing course of. However when bred later in life, whether or not or not by different or by likelihood, you will most undoubtedly should have a C-section carried out on the sow since her pubic has fused to retrieve the piglets.
Hypocalcemia (low calcium), toxemia (eclampsia), mastitis, and uterine prolapse are typically seen in pregnant sows. Subsequently, it is extremely vital monitor your pig’s stools, urge for meals, and train and get her checked out by her vet the second you suppose one factor may be fallacious.