Help with guinea-pig breeding...?

[Toastberg]

I've got a pregnant guinea pig, Molly, and she's getting huge. Is there anything in particular I have to do when the guinea-piglets (or whatever you call them) come? I've got absoolutely no experience with breeding anything, so are there any tips I should know?

Thanks

[Pom]

My rabbit got pregnant by accident ,lol. She killed her babies by accident...she was a first time mother and she sat on her babies...I DON`T BREED HER SHE IS A PET. I know that didn`t help but I wanted to post it.

[Rukiena<3]

Okay Don't touch the babies before 4 days old or else mama will nom nom them e_o

[MoonfallTheFox]

Well, at least ot wasn't a purposeful breeding.


First- Set up a place for her to have her young in peace. She needs to be in a separate cage from the other piggies and indoors, warm. A large rabbit cage is good. Make sure the tray is nice and tall, and the wire spacing small enough that naughty babies won't get out. Put her in a quiet room undisturbed, and make sure there are no animals in there that will stress her.

Second- she needs a place to nest. Don't put a hut in there, they can crush the young. A large box with a hole cut in it is good. That way the babies won't be easily lost. Make sure you close allt he flaps so they have a floor and won't be crushed.
Then put in strips of fabric, newspaper, butcher paper, wahtever you want, and she will move them to the box when she wants them. I suggest waiting until after the birth to do this. Just put paper in at first-birth's a messy buisness.

Third-she needs extra protien. Small peices of egg are good, so is small amounts of cooked oatmeal. This should be continued while she lactates as well.

4th- handle the babies. If the mother will let you it should be from the day after they are birthed. The first day just let them rest. Be careful, the mom will be defensive and may bite. You will probably have to lure her away when you want to handle the babies.

5- Mom will wean them on her own. I do not know what age guinea's can reproduce at, but be sure to separate the young before then. Boys in one group, girls with mom.


Good luck. If you need anyhing just ask(:


Blue- most animals will not eat babies when handled by humans. I suppose, toast, that you could avoid handling for 4 days if you want to be safe, but then start. Every day, multiple times. don't separate the babies for more than half hour from mom.

[Toastberg]

Wow, thanks a lot That should really help!

One question though, when you say to take them indoors, are you in a cold place? Where I live, it can get quite hot, and sometimes the indoors is hotter than outdoors :s Can you give me a rough temperature or something? Thanks.

[MoonfallTheFox]

Oh yeah, it's winter here. Uh, I'm not sure, I think what's comfy for humans is good for them. I know with rats it needs to be below 80 degrees.

[~Razzle~]

That depends.... What breed is Molly?


-TNZ

[Toastberg]

I'm really not sure.. She's got sort of medium-length fur which makes her look really fat.

[~Razzle~]

Hmmmm.... Can you PM me a picture? I might be able to reconize the breed.


-TNZ

[XRRX]

Well all that advice is good advice but when my ginea pigs gave birth we just left her with the father in the cage and checked on her. Sometimes the dad will harm them but in this case he was nicer than the mother! Try holding them on the third day, and maybe the mother as well so that she can make sure they're safe.
But whatever got her pregnant, don't let him in for long... trust me on this... *stares at twenty guinea pigs and pregnant mother*