Answer (1 of 16): Unfortunately, it is very difficult to determine when a guinea pig is about to give birth. The first baby should appear after 5 minutes of labor. Guinea pigs also get abscesses (accumulations of pus and bacteria) in lymph nodes, skin, muscles, teeth, bones, … Knowing when not to interfere can be the hardest part of witnessing a birth or having a litter of young pups to care for. In the pregnant female, the pelvic canal relaxes and stretches in response to hormonal secretion. Guinea pig pups tend to be quite large when born and birthing problems can easily occur. The entire process should not … Sometimes only 1 will be born and on the rare occasion a Guinea Pig may have up to 8. If the labor extends longer, be prepared to rush her to the Vet. The time between the birth of each of the babies is between 3 and 5 minutes. Guinea pigs are generally hardy, healthy animals but are susceptible to certain diseases. But if diet, environmental changes, poor care, stress or neglect occurs, sick guinea pigs are not easy to cure. Let’s be clear, a newborn guinea pig should not leave its mother’s side for at least 3 weeks. While your sow might bear from one to six pups or even more, the average litter size is 3. A guinea pig’s pregnancy lasts about 9 or 10 weeks. During the birth there are several things that may go wrong, In fact it is one of the most difficult animals to accurately predict. It's the first time for us as a family to be part off something so special. Hoping this is normal. As the guinea pig grows, the pelvic canal fuses to become a permanent bony bridge in males and unbred females. They cannot make their own vitamin C and require supplementation or they may develop scurvy. This results in a normal sized pelvis that isn't particularly flexible. Not only are the signs not very obvious, but in addition the gestation period is long and a nest isn't built to house the babies. If you are wondering how long it takes for guinea pigs to give birth, it usually lasts around 10 minutes to half an hour. I can feel there is a little bump at her side. When to Get a Baby Guinea Pig. Failure … It is the first time she is giving birth. Monitor the mother guinea pig for pregnancy complications. Infectious diseases caused by certain viruses and bacteria usually occur only in guinea pigs that live with other guinea pigs. If you start out with a healthy guinea pig and pay attention to simple but important care guidelines, piggies usually remain free of disease. As delivery approaches and your guinea pig increases in size, handle her very carefully or not at all. For example, the mother guinea pig may experience a difficult birth and end up with a prolapsed uterus. Interesting fact – The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! In this crucial period after birth, the baby cavy needs to be nursed in a safe environment with the mother. Once the birth begins, the guinea pig will stay immobile and the pups (name for baby guinea pigs) will be birthed quickly. Your pet guinea pig will live 5–7 years, on average. Guinea pigs get various tumors, particularly skin and mammary tumors. Health problems among guinea pigs that live alone are usually related to aging, dental disease, reproductive disorders, injury, or improper care. Large pups that try to pass through this fused pelvis can have problems. I noticed today their generals seemed swollen for a while and then by the eve they were fine. Pregnant guinea pigs can develop serious medical problems like pregnancy toxemia and hypocalcemia. The birth canal of the female guinea pig (also known as a sow) is relatively narrow. Since baby guinea pigs are born fully furred and ready to go, the mother guinea pig is at increased risk of experiencing health problems during and after pregnancy. 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