Female guinea pigs can experience several complications during pregnancy, including toxemia (changes in metabolism that make the female guinea pig poison herself), dystocia (difficulty giving birth), and postpartum problems (such as seizures due to low calcium levels). If you suspect that your female guinea pig is pregnant, you should consult your veterinarian. However, there are some signs that you can look out for yourself.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Assessing Potential Symptoms at Home
Step 1. Consider whether the female guinea pig is with the male guinea pig
If a female guinea pig is with a male guinea pig, both guinea pigs will attempt to mate and the female guinea pig is more likely to become pregnant.
The female guinea pig will experience puberty at 10 weeks of age and will reach sexual maturity at four to five weeks of age. So, know that even though the female guinea pig is still young, she can still get pregnant if she is with a male guinea pig
Step 2. Pay attention to his eating habits
Pregnant female guinea pigs will begin to drink and eat more and more as they get older. He can eat as much as two to three times than usual. He will also drink more water than normal. Remember that "normal" depends on your guinea pig's eating habits.
However, don't assume that your guinea pig is pregnant based on the amount of feed or water your guinea pig is consuming. For example, all animals tend to eat more when it is cold, when they are growing, and when they are sick
Step 3. Check her weight
Your guinea pig will gain a lot of weight if she is pregnant. Guinea pigs usually weigh around 0.5-1 kg. In general, by the end of gestation, the pregnant guinea pig will have doubled in weight; guinea pigs usually weigh more than half the weight of the female guinea pig.
- It's a good idea to weigh your guinea pig regularly (for example, weekly) and record the weight. This way, you can track her weight to determine any patterns of weight gain that could signal pregnancy.
- However, if your guinea pig is immature and less than 6-8 months old, it will still grow and will gain weight so that weight gain cannot be a sign of pregnancy.
Step 4. Feel the guinea pigs
If you feel your guinea pig's belly carefully, you can detect a fetus if she is pregnant. Usually, you can identify the fetus in the womb after two weeks after the mating process. Treat your female guinea pig with care and never handle her violently. When you feel your guinea pig's belly, do not press on the area as this can hurt the guinea pig and its mother.
- To feel the fetus, place your guinea pig on a towel on a firm surface. That way, the guinea pig will not slip. With your non-dominant hand, grab the shoulder and make sure that the head is not facing you. Use your dominant hand to touch the belly. Start by making a "C" shape with your thumb and forefinger, then run your thumb over her tummy and run your index finger under her tummy. Press gently and feel for a lump in the stomach.
- If a guinea pig is pregnant, it will contain one or 3-4 guinea pigs. If there are multiple fetuses, you will feel several lumps around the belly of the female guinea pig of the same size.
- However, be aware that there are other things that can feel protruding in the abdomen. Kidneys, bladder, or even guinea pig droppings can be mistaken for a fetus. These lumps can also indicate uterine cysts or tumors. If you feel something and aren't sure what it is, talk to your vet.
Method 2 of 3: Visiting the Vet
Step 1. Make an appointment with the vet
If you suspect that your guinea pig is pregnant, you should consult a veterinarian. You can't tell for sure until your guinea pig has been examined by a skilled and professional veterinarian.
Step 2. Have your veterinarian do a physical examination
The vet can feel the area around the guinea pig's stomach and differentiate between lumps in the stomach. This cannot be done by you alone. A veterinarian can tell if a guinea pig is pregnant or not through a physical examination, but a veterinarian can also recommend additional tests, such as an ultrasound (see below).
Veterinarians can also hear the baby guinea pig's heartbeat in the mother's stomach
Step 3. Have your vet do an ultrasound
Ultrasound scanning is the highest standard for diagnosing pregnancy for guinea pigs. Unlike other species, the strain of drawing blood can affect the health of a pregnant guinea pig. In addition there are no commercial pregnancy test kits for guinea pigs.
- An ultrasound scan can visualize the lump precisely and confirm the guinea pig's pregnancy.
- Ultrasound examination procedure is to shave the guinea pig's fur into small squares and apply the gel to the exposed skin. Then, the ultrasound device is attached to the skin and will emit a high-frequency sound that cannot be heard by humans. The ultrasound device will record the echoes of the re-ejected waves to determine the size, shape, and consistency of the guinea pig's internal tissues and organs. This information is then translated into an image. In other words, you will receive an image of the guinea pig's stomach and the vet can confirm whether or not the guinea pig is pregnant.
- Ultrasound is non-invasive and does not require anesthesia.
Step 4. Ask for advice on caring for your guinea pig if it is pregnant
If your vet confirms that your guinea pig is indeed pregnant, it's very important to make sure you know how to properly care for it. Pregnancy puts stress on the guinea pig's internal organs and circulatory system. In addition, rodents that are pregnant have a 1/5 chance of dying as a result of complications during or after pregnancy or childbirth.
Method 3 of 3: Caring for a Pregnant Guinea Pig
Step 1. Ask your veterinarian for information
In most cases, you can allow the pregnancy to proceed normally, but make sure your veterinarian is on hand in case of complications that your guinea pig is more likely to experience if they are old or too young or have not given birth before.
Try to find a veterinarian who specializes in treating rodents or small animals, rather than calling a regular vet
Step 2. Separate the male guinea pig
If you have several female guinea pigs, remove the male guinea pig as soon as possible so that other females don't get pregnant. Even if you only have one female, you will still need to remove the male guinea pig before the female guinea pig reaches 50 days of gestation.
Male guinea pigs will continue to mate with pregnant guinea pigs, which can put them under stress or pain later in pregnancy (after 50 days). Guinea pigs can also get pregnant again two hours after giving birth
Step 3. Make sure your guinea pig has enough food and water
Make sure your guinea pig has an adequate supply of feed, water and nutrients for the fetus to develop.
- Feed your guinea pig "alfalfa" instead of "timothy" so it gets plenty of protein and calcium.
- Pregnant female guinea pigs also need twice as much vitamin C as normal, so add more fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C. You can add a serving of vegetables from one and a half cups to two cups.
- In addition, you can increase your guinea pig's fiber intake. Adding fiber intake can prevent hair loss, which is usually found in the later stages of pregnancy.
Step 4. Weigh the pregnant guinea pig regularly
You should weigh your guinea pig twice a week to make sure that your guinea pig is gaining, not losing, and is in good health (e.g. eating all of its food, still socializing and interactive, etc.) and getting it checked out.
If at any time he begins to lose weight or he begins to show symptoms of illness, consult a veterinarian immediately
Step 5. Reduce your guinea pig's stressors
Try to get your guinea pig to follow a routine to reduce stress that can add to the dangers of a guinea pig's pregnancy.
- Don't change the guinea pig's cage, such as getting rid of toys or storing the cage in a completely new place. This can add to her stress and affect the guinea pig's appetite and drinking.
- Do not leave your guinea pig near noise or bright light, including direct sunlight.
- Don't touch it often and don't touch it within two weeks of giving birth. Keep in mind that a guinea pig's gestation period is between 58-73 days.
