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Original poster

Huge Problem With Guinea Pigs

41 replies

Evenstar · 19/04/2019 22:21

I posted the other week about my problems with ill Guinea pigs I have 7 separated from each other as my vet believes there is a virus. Six are healthy and in another hutch. I realised this week that one appeared to be pregnant, I got her as a baby in the middle of February with another from a different litter. After thinking it over I decided to look at the one that came with her, it turns out it is a boy confirmed by admins on an internet group.

They are all going to be pregnant aren’t they? I cannot believe the mess I am in. I am getting a separate cage tomorrow for the boy but I am really worried how I am going to cope. Any advice?

OP posts:
Loopytiles · 13/05/2019 08:29

OMG OP, what a stress! Shock

Perhaps it’s one of those things you’ll laugh about for many years to come.

Thank you for the supercute pics Flowers

DickieDonkey · 18/05/2019 15:30

If there are 2 x sows and 1 x boar you should be able to pair the dad with the boar and sell the 2 baby sows easily. Very cute piggies OP.

Original poster
Evenstar · 19/05/2019 23:21

Sadly one very large stillborn baby arrived yesterday from one sow, but this evening another sow gave birth to three gorgeous babies , no idea of sex yet but they and mum are looking well.

Huge Problem With Guinea Pigs
OP posts:
pearldeodorant · 19/05/2019 23:23

Sorry to hear about the little one that didn't make it but all others are gorgeous! Beautiful baby piggies

IncrediblySadToo · 20/05/2019 11:23

Very sorry to hear about the SB baby 😢 was she only carrying the one?

Those 3 are gorgeous! 😊

Original poster
Evenstar · 20/05/2019 21:52

Yes just the one for that girl. Sadly two more stillborns this morning and a tiny baby that I am having to hand feed, he is only 61 grams. The poor mum panicked and ran away from him. I have them together indoors and she has licked him and let him sit with her. It’s going to be a long night as I am feeding two hourly as he is so small, he is walking and looking a little stronger tonight

Huge Problem With Guinea Pigs
OP posts:
IncrediblySadToo · 22/05/2019 12:29

Sorry I missed your reply.

That’s very sad about the other two 😢

That one’s a little cutie. How’s he doing? Has he started feeding from the Mum now? (Hope so for everyone’s sake!)

How are the others doing?

Original poster
Evenstar · 22/05/2019 23:27

I am spending a third night on the sofa as he is on 2 hourly feeds, I have put a four week old baby from the first litter in with him, as mum not only rejected him but actually picked him up and threw him across the cage. He should start taking some solids tomorrow. Another litter of 3 arrived this afternoon and I only have one more girl under suspicion now and she was only in a carrying basket briefly with him so crossing everything she isn’t. Picture of today’s litter.

OP posts:
Coronapop · 22/05/2019 23:39

I believe young male guinea pigs become sexually mature at a very young age (a few weeks?). Just recalling the result years ago of acquiring a pregnant female and leaving her and her 6 babies in one hutch. Not much later we were overrun with baby guinea pigs.....clearly incest is not taboo in guinea pigs.

Original poster
Evenstar · 23/05/2019 05:02

It’s 3 weeks for boys, 4 weeks for girls. The only boy from the first litter s in a separate cage with his father. I definitely don’t want this to start again 😱

OP posts:
flumpybear · 23/05/2019 05:19

We bought two 'girl' piggies for my DD, within a year there'd been 13 babies 😱 - rogue boy she made mummy pregnant twice, we literally whipped him out the cage the morning we found 3 babies following mum, but it was too late, then we kept one piggie the vet told us was a fork, he got mum and sister pregnant! Disaster lol 😆

flumpybear · 23/05/2019 05:20

Fork 😳 .... that should say boy 🤪

BumbleBeeWineGlass · 23/05/2019 18:14

@Evenstar - sorry to ask but do you think my girl is pregnant? I can't work out if she is because she's gained a few inches on her belly in about 6 days... I'm not sure if it could be a tumour of bloat or babies. Hopefully the picture posts - right was Saturday, left was this morning

Huge Problem With Guinea Pigs
IncrediblySadToo · 23/05/2019 19:41

Oh Evenstar you must be exhausted!

That’s sad about the little one being rejected by him mum, luckily for him you saw it and could rescue him!

Another 3 little cuties today.

I SO wish I was in a position to adopt a couple of them.

flumpy 😳😖 they’re SO cute, but blimey.

Original poster
Evenstar · 23/05/2019 21:03

BumbleBeeWineGlass the vet advised me to weigh my girls if the weight keeps going up over several days then that does indicate they are probably pregnant. When was she last with a boar? If she doesn’t have babies within 10 weeks of that then it’s likely to be something else.

IncrediblySadToo yes I am absolutely shattered, my babies didn’t disturb me as much as this Guinea baby and they are in their 20’s so I am not used to having such bad nights 😴

The little one is starting to take nibbles of food today so I am hopeful I won’t have to keep going too much longer at this intensity

OP posts:
IncrediblySadToo · 23/05/2019 22:25

That would be good if they start taking actual food, at least you’ll get a bit of a longer gap through the night.

Do you have to go out of the house to work? I can just see you taking them in the bus everyday and feeding them at your desk 🤣 but as you haven’t mentioned it I’m guessing not!

I saw 4 day old kittens going home with the vet nurse the other day...so cute!

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