This was the most surprising thing to me! However, male guinea pigs shouldnt eat their young at all because guinea pigs are herbivores. Continue to give milk to puppies for 21 days even when they start eating solid food. Guinea pigs eating babies is a rare but possible occurrence. Once they are one to two finger-widths apart, it wont be long untilbirth.. This is extremely taxing on the body of the female guinea pig and dangerous to her. The answer to this question is not entirely clear. They have learned quite a few life skills from their mother and are ready to go to their new homes. We were stressed out during this time because we did not want to have another unexpected guinea pig pregnancy. On average, baby guinea pigs come in litters of 2-4, and weigh 70-115g. If one or two guinea pig pups suddenly vanish from their cage, it doesnt necessarily mean theyve been eaten, especially if its been more than twenty four hours. Witkowska, A. et al, The Effects of Diet on Anatomy, Physiology and Health in the Guinea Pig, Journal of Animal Health and Behavioural Science, 2017. Yes, guinea pigs sometimes eat their babies. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/140328-sloth-bear-zoo-infanticide-chimps-bonobos-animals, Your Guinea Pigs Pregnancy: The Stages of Pregnancy. Female guinea pigs have a Y-shaped opening close to their anus. https://amzn.to/3iYcPHPAs well as the new Pigg. https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheUniverseReflected The all natural Piggies Choice Hay Racks are available finally! No matter how cute baby guinea pigs are, one litter at a time should be plenty for most people to think about. If a typical guinea pig male suspects that the babies are not his own (whether or not this is the case in reality), he may kill and eat them. Baby guinea pigs are capable of digesting solid food very soon after birth (within hours). Guinea pigs are social animals and do best when kept in pairs or groups. Your pregnant and lactating guinea pigs should have access to alfalfa hay in the last weeks of their pregnancy. When you decide to introduce baby guinea pigs to an adult guinea pig, follow their behavior (monitor them for aggression) and respond quickly. i've been keeping this a secret for over a week now!! So, its possible for their mother (especially if shes inexperienced with babies) to kill them with too much force. How long do baby guinea pigs stay with Mom? It is okay for you to handle the pups during the nursing period. Unlike many other animals in the animal kingdom, guinea pigs are not self-sufficient. Do guinea pigs get attached to their babies? The average guinea pig gestation is 59 72 days. You can take some precautions to lower the risk of a guinea pig baby being eaten. (Find Out Now). Since males can get any female guinea pig pregnant once they reach maturity - including their mothers - they're weaned and taken from their mother at three weeks old. It can therefore be tempting to pick up and cuddle the little babies right away! Here you'll find the juicy goods to care for your little friends WITHOUT making your brain short-circuit. B., Auditory spatial responses of young guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) during and after ear blocking, Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1978. She checked each one of them and licked them clean immediately following their birth. Regarding animal parents, there is no greater love than that of a mother for her young. 2 3 cups mostly green, leafy vegetables, Occasional fruit too much sugar can lead to obesity. In situations where one of your guinea pigs crosses the rainbow bridge leaving one behind, the guinea pig left behind might not be so receptive to a new cage mate. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). You might even have witnessed them start to join in with social grooming by this point. Here are some of our top baby guinea pig name lists to help you feel inspired! On the other hand, if it turns out that they don't form any attachment to their young, then we can . This served a purpose in the wild to prevent predators from finding the newborn baby guinea pigs. However, you should err on the side of caution. A single guinea pig living by themselves often become gloomy, confused, and spiritless. And guinea pigs are quite fertile little creatures too! The larger the litter, the smaller the pups will likely be. Caring for baby guinea pigs can be a rewarding experience if you know what to expect. In this article weve answered some frequently asked questions about newborn baby guinea pigs like: Whether you have a surprise guinea pig pregnancy or a planned one, there are a few things you will want to prepare in advance to make sure you are ready when your newborn baby guinea pigs arrive. If you are a new guinea pig parent or have an unexpected pregnancy like we did, you too may have lots of questions about newborn baby guinea pigs. That is a common myth and is not true. Also, they should have unlimited amounts of timothy hay and water all the time. Most species clean their offspring with their tongue and so do your little friends. Any sudden movement or noise can scare them. Many time, the pup gets killed accidentally and the mother eats it because she has a survival instinct. Do guinea pigs miss their babies? Guinea pigs may miss their parents, but more research must confirm this. Theyre filled with Vitamin C and other essential nutrients that guinea pigs need. However, dont keep them in the same cage for long. Also, male guinea pig may kill the babies if he doesnt recognize them as his own offspring. This can be very misleading especially when it comes to motherhood as many animals eat their offspring in certain circumstances. The extra calories should be provided until she stops nursing her newborn babies. Make sure that your guinea pig babies are able to reach the water bottle sipper. These small pets need a lot of food and nutrition. [9] They will still need to nurse, though, for three weeks before they are ready to be removed from their mother. This blog will give you some helpful tips on how to make this a wonderful experience. But do all animals miss their babies as much as we do? Berryman, J. C., Guineapig Vocalizations: Their Structure, Causation and Function, Ethology, 1976. Significantly, this is the age when pups will start to reach sexual maturity. Hey there, I'm Angela. https://www.npvet.co.nz/pets/animal-info-pets/bird-rabbit-turtle-articles/care-pregnant-guinea-pigs/, Guinea lynx :: Reproduction. The two main reasons why Guinea pigs may eat their babies is a result of hunger, or insufficient feeding. 5 Common Cat Behaviours And What They Mean. Now, if you have a dog or even a cat, you are sure it misses you when you have to go to work but do guinea pigs miss their owners? Approach them face-on, so they can see you coming. I also enjoy doing things outdoors, like hiking and camping. While it might not be anything to worry about, sometimes it can be a sign of sickness. But, only serve them as an occasional treat, because the high sugar and water content can cause health problems like obesity and diarrhea. (Find Out Now), Filial Cannibalism (and 7 Reasons Why Some Animal Moms Dine On Their Babies). We will help you to raise your baby guinea pigs to become healthy, happy pets. We knew for sure that we had one male and two females, but it was still hard for us to tell with the fourth guinea pig. By the time theyre a month old, baby guinea pigs body shape rather resembles that of a syrian hamster. Normally, they could be 3-6 inches long. Once labor is established, all the pups usually arrive within half an hour. This is necessary to prevent pregnancy. Try brushing your pets coats regularly as this can create soothing and pleasant connecting experiences. Also, after delivery, the mother guinea pig can eat babies accidentally, while eating the placenta. When they dont have enough food and are at risk of starvation. Guinea pigs are social animals who rely on their families for support. https://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html, I think my Guinea pig might be pregnant, what should I do? They Talk to You A.K.A. It can be a little surprising to witness, but its completely normal and nothing to be alarmed about. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? mypetguineapig.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. At the end of the day we removed the fleece bedding, washed it and replaced it with a fresh fleece liner. In the next section weve assembled some of the most commonly asked questions our readers have about their baby guinea pigs. How many babies do guinea pigs have in their first litter? What is a Group of Guinea Pigs Called? My first piggy some years ago did a big dance of joy each time I came back home after some days of being away. More research must be conducted to determine whether or not guinea pigs truly miss their babies when they are apart. Here are some things we had to think about when we found out our guinea pig was pregnant: We adhered to the following recommended feeding guidelines for pregnant guinea pigs: RELATED: CLICK HERE to read about our unexpected guinea pig pregnancy and how to tell if your guinea pig is pregnant. Although piggies are so cute, you cant always be there to have a staring contest with them. (And How? We know that guinea pigs typically stay with their baby for about three weeks. Although guinea pigs need the presence of other guinea pigs, attention from human beings is also essential for their well-being. Donnelly, T. M. and Brown, C. J., Guinea Pig and Chinchilla Care and Husbandry, Veterinary Clinics Exotic Animal Practice, 2004. Since their gestation lasts just 59-73 days, a female guinea pig is capable in theory of bearing five or even six litters a year. And of course, when you run a finger over the area, you wont feel a penis! Other causes of hair loss due to underlying medical conditions such as ovarian cysts may occur as a result of hormonal distress. How Few Is Too Few? During our research we learned that there are two possible reasons why: Malnourished - not getting enough to eat of the right kinds of food Back to back pregnancies - due to nutrient deficiencies This was one question that had me really worried. For example, guinea pigs are born with their eyes open, and their ears which look huge at the moment can already hear. Secondly, even an experienced guinea pig mom might resort to eating her young if she is severely malnourished. Your guinea pig wont eat its babies if you touch them. Female cavies are called sows and males are called boars. The act of cannibalism in guinea pigs is usually the mother trying to protect the rest of her litter from predators. These colorful, chore charts will help you keep track of when to feed your fuzz butts, clean their cages, and much more. During pregnancy your sow will need lots of energy and vitamin C, so make sure her hay doesnt run out, and offer a larger helping of fresh fruit and veg every day. Give the orphaned puppy the same amount of water and evaporated guinea pig milk. If her diet doesnt contain enough vital vitamins and nutrients, she can still be malnourished whilst receiving enough calories to maintain her body weight. When female guinea pigs eat their babies, they can do so because they are excessively hungry and because they are under a lot of stress that they cannot handle. Some of the cutest animals kill and devour their offspring. Guinea pigs are fragile animals at any age but especially during their early days of life. https://lakeshorepethospital.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Guinea_Pig_Pregnancy.pdf, If you know anything about guinea pigs, you know they love to play. Yes, guinea pigs eat their babies albeit very rarely, mostly by accident. Hi there! Try to provide your pet with the extra company as much as you can, even if only for a short period of time. After three weeks, baby guinea pigs can be separated from their mother and placed with other guinea pigs or their owner. Foreign bodies in the eye of a guinea pig result in tearing, and corneal ulcers, which, in some cases, form a translucent film over the eyes.