Guinea Pig Pregnancy Information
According to Guinea Lynx, a medical care guide for guinea pigs, breeding guinea pigs is a risky activity that can put the lives of both the female guinea pig and its babies at risk. Whether you are considering breeding guinea pigs or you have acquired a pregnant female by accident, it is important to be aware of several important facts regarding guinea pig pregnancy.
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Time Frame
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Females can become pregnant at the age of 4 weeks, while males can impregnate females at the age of 3 weeks. The female has an estrus cycle every 15 to 17 days, and once she has become pregnant, she will bear young within 59 to 73 days. Female guinea pigs that become pregnant too early may suffer because they are still growing. Female guinea pigs should not be allowed to become pregnant after the age of 8 months if it is their first pregnancy, as delivery will be difficult.
Size
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Pregnant female guinea pigs will produce between one and seven babies, with litters that range between two and five babies being the most common. The normal birth weight of guinea pig babies will range between 2.5 to 3.5 ounces.
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Risks for the Mother
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Pregnancy for female guinea pigs is extremely risky. According to Cavy Spirit, there is a 20 percent chance that the female guinea pig may die from pregnancy complications. The babies are born fully furred and developed, which means they take an enormous energy toll from their mother. Pregnant female guinea pigs can be prone to pregnancy toxemia, prolapsed uterus, dystocia and hypocalcemia.
Lethals
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"Lethal" guinea pigs are produced from pregnancies where both parents have the roan coloration, or where both parents have the dalmatian coloration. These pairings create combinations of defective genes that can result in a wide variety of health issues, including blindness, malformed teeth and digestive problems.
Prevention
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Due to the high risks associated with guinea pig pregnancy, it is important not to breed your guinea pig unless you are prepared to do so. Spaying or neutering will prevent pregnancies, but these operations can be risky to small animals as it involves being placed under anesthesia. The safest way to avoid pregnancy in guinea pigs is to keep the males and the females separate, or to keep only males or females.
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References
- Photo Credit Two Guinea Pigs Sniffing image by Curtis J. Alexander from Fotolia.com
