Some of the cutest animals kill and devour their offspring. Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies? First of all, dont be too hard on yourself. Secondly, even an experienced guinea pig mom might resort to eating her young if she is severely malnourished. Pneumonia can occur with torticollis and can be fatal. Raising an orphaned guinea pig is not very difficult because mothers feed guinea pig pups only a few times per day and then leave them alone. They will begin to wriggle and move about as soon as theyve been licked clean by their mom. 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. They are cheerful and love to run around, squeak, eat, play, and poop. There are, Read More 7 Alarming Reasons Why Guinea Pigs DroolContinue, What fruits can guinea pigs eat? Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. But, only serve them as an occasional treat, because the high sugar and water content can cause health problems like obesity and diarrhea. Honestly, I dont feel like its worth the risk. This little interaction will enable him warm to the introduction of a new cage mate better. 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. New babies are born with teeth, claws, and fur. If your sow is in a very small enclosure, this could cause her unnecessary stress. Merck Veterinary Manual. It is important to make sure that the pups begin nursing within the first few hours of birth. Under normal circumstances, the sow will give birth and have a healthy litter of pups. You have entered an incorrect email address! About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . You just have to note that bringing mature guinea pigs together can sometimes be difficult, even if it is done in a slow and measured manner. Make sure to feed your guinea pig hay of high quality. To avoid the risk of your guinea pig, eating her babies, take these safety steps. What Are Common Health Problems in Guinea Pigs? If youre going to be away for an extended period, you may also want to consider finding a friend or family member to care for your guinea pig in your absence. They need supervised time out of their cages each day to run around and exercise. What about baby guinea pigs for adoption? Yes, guinea pigs miss their owners. Their tiny mouths already manage to contain 20 teeth, which grow continuously. In fact, loneliness reduces the life expectancy of a guinea pig. Following delivery, your guinea pig mama will be exhausted and hungry. Neutering is A LOT less risky for males than spaying is for females. When Do Guinea Pigs Stop Growing and How Big Do They Get? But many experts recommend that pups be weaned as late as 6 weeks. However, in captivity that shouldnt happen at all because responsible pet owners keep them separate from pregnant and lactating sows and their babies. Guinea pigs should be kept indoors. Provide a pregnant guinea pig with extra food, water, and nutrients. Significantly, this is the age when pups will start to reach sexual maturity. The pups will learn a lot from how to form social bonds, to which foods are safe to eat from the adults they live with. 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? Although guinea pigs need the presence of other guinea pigs, attention from human beings is also essential for their well-being. Plus, good breeders and rescues tend to handle their guinea pigs regularly, which helps to keep them tame. If youre not looking for a specific breed or sex of guinea pig, rescuing one from a shelter is a great way to meet your new pet. They are born precocial, which means they already have teeth and fur, and from their earliest moments they can see, hear, and move about. Begin by holding your guinea pig gently on their back. Having your guinea pig give birth to a litter should be an exciting time. Remember to remove any they leave, as it will spoil quickly. RSPCA Knowledgebase Let Australias most trusted animal welfare charity help you answer the big questions. She is more likely to eat her babies as she can confuse the placenta and the babies. Pups from small litters are usually bigger than pups from large litters. Here you'll find the juicy goods to care for your little friends WITHOUT making your brain short-circuit. The extra calories should be provided until she stops nursing her newborn babies. However, if its weak it might put up little resistance and be eaten entirely. For guinea pigs to reproduce, a male guinea pig needs to fertilize the female. This is especially true for mammalian animals, who often form strong attachments with their young. The act of cannibalism in guinea pigs is usually the mother trying to protect the rest of her litter from predators. Hey there, I'm Angela. Can a Guinea Pig Baby Live Without the Mother? In most cases, guinea pigs won't miss you if you decide to leave them in the home instead of taking them with you for camping. Individuals will be starting to show their own distinct personalities too. Use the tips in this post to understand why piggies eat their babies and to prevent it from happening. Clements, M. and Kelly, J. But whether youre raising a litter from birth or buying an older baby guinea pig for sale, getting prepared in advance is the best way to make sure you provide them with the best start in life. They reach their adult size very quickly. She checked each one of them and licked them clean immediately following their birth. My name is Tim Rhodes and I'm a guinea pig enthusiast through thick and thin. Hi there! Why would a pet guinea pig eat its own babies? (Benefits, Risks, Servings & FAQs), Baytril For Guinea Pigs (Side Effects, Efficacy, Dosage & FAQs), Signs Your Guinea Pig Hates You (Top 7 & And How to Fix It). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com and other affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. (And Other Key Terms), How Often Should You Clean a Guinea Pigs Cage? A fully grown guinea pig is between 20 and 25 cm long. Squeaks, Scales and Tails is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC an affiliate advertising program. Its often the result of starvation, stress, inexperience, or trauma. The same goes for males. I make sure to take good care of all the animals that come into my life. Every few hours for the first few days, you should hand-feed the baby guinea pig: mesh pellets or supplement powder, and if you have grown guinea pigs, also add a fecal . A great way to get help raising your first litter successfully, and in recognising potential problems quickly, is by enlisting the support of a mentor. Female guinea pigs dont intentionally eat their babies nor do they kill them to eat them. If you are considering getting a guinea pig, ensure you can provide them with the social interaction they need. Guinea pigs make eleven different call types. If your guinea pig becomes acquainted with someone they don't trust, they may become quiet or hide when that person is nearby. Your guinea pig will be frustrated if their youngsters are upset or stressed. Guinea pigs are also notorious communicators, and they start vocalising from babyhood. Guinea pigs may be Darwinian in their process toward motherhood, meaning only strong individuals can survive and reproduce more, To eliminate competition, guinea pigs are reluctant to share their enclave, especially when other male guinea pigs are around. You can take some precautions to lower the risk of a guinea pig baby being eaten. Wiki User 2008-10-08 02:35:56 This. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made by my readers, but it doesn't cost you anything at all. Now, lets begin at the beginning. Keep your little friend calm. In the meantime, if you havent seen enough sweet pictures of baby guinea pigs yet, then why not visit our compilation of favorite guinea pig videos. 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. Baby guinea pigs are unique in that they are born with their eyes open! These colorful, chore charts will help you keep track of when to feed your fuzz butts, clean their cages, and much more. Guinea pigs can eat their babies if they lack nutrition. Why Guinea Pigs Are Less Likely To Eat Their Babies? Why Do Guinea Pigs Sometimes Eat Their Young? A typical guinea pig pup weighs between 60 and 115 grams and measures close to 3 to 5 inches long. Every baby guinea pig needs its mothers milk, which provides enough nutrition during the first crucial days of their lives. We hope you found this article helpful about what to expect when expecting newborn baby guinea pigs! If you have an affectionate male guinea pig, you can introduce the babies when they are in the same cage. 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. Guinea pigs can typically handle labor and delivery without intervention; however, guinea pigs can die during the birthing process. It is also quite normal for baby guinea pigs to whine when approached by a much bigger and older guinea pig. Read More Can Guinea Pigs Eat Clementines? The litter size ranges from 1 to 8 pups, but a litter of 2 to 4 is more common.A female can give birth to up to 5 litters per year. If you handle a baby bird in a nest, the mother will often abandon them because she'll sense something isn't right (i.e. Stress can cause guinea pigs to eat their babies, and stress-induced cannibalism is also very common in guinea pigs, and unfortunately, quite unavoidable at times.Do your best to keep them well fed and give them plenty of rest so they can stay calm. Many living creatures eat other members of their species when necessary for survival. Approach them face-on, so they can see you coming. (What Owners Need To Know), What Fruits Can Guinea Pigs Eat? They will nurse every two hours for the first three weeks. National Geographic. Its natural for you and me to humanize the behavior of animals. Its important to know what signs to look out for so you can keep your piggies happy and healthy. They are not cannibalistic because they are starving. View our privacy policy and our disclosure policy for more information. I'm here to help you smash the EASY button on pet parenting. The information on this website should not be take as a substitute for professional advice. Within twenty-four hours they can start to eat grass, produce, hay, and pellet feed just like adults. Guinea pigs need fresh water daily. The mother may eat her babies if one or more of her litter dies, or she is under a lot of stress. Over the next 2 weeks, decrease the feeding time gradually. It is okay for you to handle the pups during the nursing period. You will get a kick out of their eagerness to chase each other around and play, and maybe even start popcorning. (Fun Facts). How do you tell if a baby guinea pig is a boy or girl? The best time to breed guinea pigs is before the female turns 7 months of age. How Few Is Too Few? Guinea Pigs May Lick as a Sign of Affection or Grooming. They look a little bit awkward as they begin to move around. This article has been extensively revised for 2019. Some times, she shows me her displeasure if I have been away overnight and my neighbors fed her. This often happens when owners of female guinea pigs discover an unplanned pregnancy and arent able to care for all the babies. If this happens, pop them back in with her, and visit again later. Guinea pigs eat their babies not because they want to kill them for food but for other reasons. If a guinea pig mother cannot nurse her babies due to illness or death, keep the orphans with as many pet guinea pigs as possible. I didnt know how we would handle it if Theo rejected her babies or even worse ate her young! Sometimes it happens accidentally. Theyve learned all the skills they need for independence, and theyre ready to leave the nest. If your guinea pig becomes restless or starts to squeak loudly it is a sign that he is ready to go back to his cage. But most people think of it as being around four weeks old, when they reach sexual maturity. One reason why a guinea pig mother might eat one of her pups is that she is extremely malnourished. To most people, guinea pigs are cute pets, and having just one will suffice. Soak guinea pig pellets in water from the first day of life. They Talk to You A.K.A. By doing this you can prevent accidental killings, as well as promptly remove any still born pups from the cage. At worst, it can cause her to reject them. Weve already covered the reproductive cycle of guinea pigs and pregnancy and how to tell if a guinea pig is pregnant, so you can learn much more about these topics in our articles. As herbivores, they dont eat meat at all. Newborn guinea pigs have fur and are born with their eyes open. Keep an eye on their weight, and youll be able to observe them steadily gaining ounces until around their first birthday. Sufficient nutrition, a mixture of alfalfa and timothy grass, keeps female guinea pigs hydrated and can prevent guinea pigs from eating their babies. (Keep that food bowl appropriately full!) Newborn guinea pigs weigh between 60g and 115g. Watch carefully for signs of stress or discomfort. We placed an additional water bottle in the cage so that it was low enough for the babies to reach it. On the other hand if youll be helping a sow to raise a litter of pups from birth, theres rather more to think about. And baby guinea pigs are capable of joining in from a very young age. These small pets need a lot of food and nutrition. However, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not this is true. (n.d.). It's particularly common when introducing new guinea pigs for the first time. Be quiet and move slowly around baby guinea pigs. Each birth is spaced out every 3 5 minutes. If that happens in captivity, thats extremely rare. Make sure your pig has a lot of food. Most people find that, when it comes to guinea pigs at least, babies are the cutest. The size of the pups is often relative to how many pups there are in the litter. Just keep your little friend with other females only. That is a common myth and is not true. It is important to consider the space between the bars of your guinea pig cage. She is also teaching them how to interact with other guinea pigs. Its also the age of the youngest baby guinea pigs in pet stores. Guinea pigs are social animals who rely on their families for support. Pregnancy is very difficult for guinea pigs, with at least 1 out of 5 of the mothers dying during birth. https://www.npvet.co.nz/pets/animal-info-pets/bird-rabbit-turtle-articles/care-pregnant-guinea-pigs/, Guinea lynx :: Reproduction. After giving birth, the mother guinea pig is likely to eat the placenta but can end up eating her babies by mistake. Filial cannibalism is when animals eat their own offspring. It may take some time for him to become comfortable with you. Caring for baby guinea pigs can be a rewarding experience if you know what to expect. If she is pregnant, her chances of suffering from some illness will also increase, which will tempt her to eat a lot. 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. (What You Need To Know), Can Guinea Pigs Eat Clementines? Orphans should be fed by an eyedropper or pet nurse within the first 12 to 24 hours of life. The first twenty four hours are when the babies are at greatest risk for being eaten, so remain close during this period. On average, baby guinea pigs come in litters of 2-4, and weigh 70-115g. Guinea pig babies are born quickly. https://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html, I think my Guinea pig might be pregnant, what should I do? Sometimes, male Guinea pigs will eat pups if they were fathered by another cavy. Do Guinea Pigs Like Stuffed Animals? However, separate male guinea pig babies from their mothers when they turn about two months old. In general, most female guinea pigs who survives birth and delivery will and raise her litter without any issues. (700 to 1,100 grams), according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW). This will stop the mother from continuing to feed on them, and it will prevent the risk of diseases through decomposition. On average, baby guinea pigs come in litters of 2-4, and weigh 70-115g. You don't have to be a professional breeder . A cage with a deep pan will make it more difficult for your guinea pigs to escape, but its not necessary. If you look after the guinea pig mother regularly, she will allow you to touch her baby guinea pigs. Guinea pigs weigh between 700 and 1200g. Look quickly because guinea pigs are not happy being held this way. Your guinea pig wont eat its babies if you touch them. Once all the serious aspects of baby guinea pig care are in hand, you can turn your mind to more fun tasks, like picking their names. Your guinea pig's individual personality will likely play a big role in this. Pregnant and lactating guinea pigs also need alfalfa hay to sustain their babies. Guinea pigs eating babies is a rare but possible occurrence. We will help you to raise your baby guinea pigs to become healthy, happy pets. If her diet doesnt contain enough vital vitamins and nutrients, she can still be malnourished whilst receiving enough calories to maintain her body weight. Youre gonna want to read this. You can also give them a comfortable place to sleep, like a bed or hammock. Yes, it is okay to touch your new baby guinea pigs. And that means that in a mixed litter of boys and girls, its time for the boys to be relocated to a new home, to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Yet, the mother guinea pig will take care of them during the first few weeks, so dont separate them from her. Its just as important that your baby guinea pig also spends most of their time with other guinea pigs. This served a purpose in the wild to prevent predators from finding the newborn baby guinea pigs. Wanna read something more boring than watching paint dry? Make sure that your guinea pig babies are able to reach the water bottle sipper. When a guinea pig is about to give birth, any male guinea pigs near her will gather around and try to become the dominant male in order to both protect the female and mate with her. The best items to put on the bottom of a guinea pig cage are absorbent,, Read More 10 Reliable Cage Liners for Guinea Pigs (What You Need to Know)Continue, Pet parents who consider housing their guinea pigs outside often wonder whether or not their pet guinea pigs can hibernate. (What You Need To Know)Continue. You can do a few things to help your guinea pig cope when youre not around. If you have decided youre ready to take the plunge and welcome a new baby guinea pig into your life, take a look at our article Where To Buy Guinea Pigs to start your journey. Home - Guinea Pigs - Do Guinea Pigs Miss Their Owners? They also live for several years, longer than most other rodents, so you can enjoy them longer than other pet rodents. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","a865a53297bca918d5b51d234266ee3f");document.getElementById("e1b86b387e").setAttribute("id","comment"); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And make sure that the guinea pig mother is not present. In this article, we will focus on some important aspects of caring for guinea pig babies. Getting guinea pigs used to handling from an early age is an important part of rearing confident, relaxed pets. How Can You Prevent Your Guinea Pig from Eating Its Young? The surprising truth is that it happens more often than youd think. 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. The male guinea pig staying with the mother and babies is important because he helps keep them warm and protects them from predators. At three weeks of age it was still hard for us to tell the difference between the males and females. Guinea pigs are tailless rodents that weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 lbs. Female baby guinea pigs on the other hand have a y-shaped genital opening, set much closer to the anus. Male guinea pigs have a donut-shaped opening. Prepare to separate the male and female baby guinea pigs by at least three weeks of age. Any guinea pig lover would approve. Although they spring out with open eyes and fully furred, piggie pups are still small and fragile at first. There is a chance that your sow will only partially eat her offspring, particularly if she killed them by accident. (Find Out Now). Adult guinea pigs eat timothy hay, orchard hay, or any other hay thats high in fiber. If separated from their parents, they may become anxious and depressed. Place one hand under their tummy and one behind their bottom, and hold the little guy close to you. Guinea pigs diet rests on grasses, herbs, hay, and raw fruits and vegetables. Housing your guinea pig is not particularly difficult, as there are a large variety of hutches and cages commercially available. Make sure theres always enough food in your pregnant guinea pigs bowl. Its better to have a cage that is much larger than a cage that is too small. This is called precociality.