Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Baby-safe your guinea pig's cage
• Part 2 of 2: Taking care of your pups
• Tips

Guinea pigs are adorable and wonderful pets to keep. Whether you are purchasing a baby guinea pig (puppy) from your local pet store or have an adult female guinea pig at home that has recently given birth, you will need to know what it takes to properly care for puppies. When properly cared for, puppies will grow up to be happy and healthy adult guinea pigs who will once again make fantastic pets.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Baby-safe your guinea pig's cage

1. Measure the size of your guinea pig cage. Puppies will reach adult size very quickly so it is recommended that you keep your pup in a cage that is the right size for an adult guinea pig. The cage must be at least 0.7 m2 in size. If you bought puppies from the pet store, make sure the cage is large enough before leaving the store.
   • Even if the cage may seem a bit large to your pups, they will appreciate the extra space they will have to run and explore.
   • If you have a mother guinea pig in a cage with her babies, the cage should be large enough (at least 0.75 m2) to accommodate them all during the nursing period.
   • If your current cage is not large enough, visit the pet store for help in selecting the correct cage size.
2. Prevent your pups from escaping. Most guinea pig cages are built for adult guinea pigs. For example, there is usually an inch of space between the bars in a guinea pig cage. Your pups may be small enough to slip through the bars. To prevent them from doing this, consider buying a cage with a deeper tray at the bottom. The deeper bowl makes it more difficult for your pups to climb out.
   • As an alternative to buying a new cage, you can also buy grates with less space between bars at your local pet store. Secure the grids on the outside of the cage with tie wraps.
3. Place the inverted plastic water bottle in the cage. The water bottle should be low enough for your pups to reach and drink from the spout with ease. You may have to adjust the water bottle several times before it is at the correct height for them. These water bottles can be purchased at the local pet store.
   • The lowered water bottle may again hang too low for the mother of the puppies. If you see that she is having difficulty drinking from the water bottle, it may be useful to hang a second water bottle in a higher place for her.
4. Place the cage in a quiet area of ​​your home. This is important whether you are bringing in puppies or caring for the puppies your female guinea pig has had. Guinea pigs can be very sensitive to noise, so your pups will need to stay in a quiet area for their first few weeks.
   • The cage should also be out of direct sunlight and away from fans that are constantly blowing air on the cage.
   • It is ideal to place the cage at about hip height. This will make it easier to clean.

Part 2 of 2: Taking care of your pups

1. Take care of your pups early and often. Puppies should be handled as early and often as possible so that they are comfortable with human interaction. The more comfortable they are with people, the better socialized they will be, making them better family pets. The mother guinea pig will not reject her babies if you hold them, but she will need time to complete the birthing process before they are ready to be held.
   • Female guinea pigs usually give birth to an average of three puppies per litter. The birth process usually takes about 30 minutes, with about three to five minutes between puppies. You will know when the process is over when all the puppies are born and the mother has eaten the placenta and cleaned the puppies.
   • In general, guinea pigs are not used to being handled and may feel anxious at first when you pick them up. It may take a while to get your pups to feel comfortable handling them.
   • To pick up one of your pups, slowly reach into the cage and approach from the front. Slide one of your hands under his chest and use your other hand to support his back. Slowly lift it up and hold it against your chest for as long as it allows. Talk to him in a low voice while holding him.
   • If the puppy starts to fidget while you are holding it, calmly return it to its cage.
   • Your puppy may start to squeak when you take him away from his mother to hold him. Make sure you don't keep him away from his mom for long.
   • Try not to handle your pups when they are sleeping or drinking.
2. Determine the sex of your guinea pigs. If you bought your puppies from the pet store, you probably don't need to determine if they are males or females. If your adult female guinea pig has given birth, you can try to determine the sex of the babies shortly after birth. Female guinea pigs have what looks like a small grain of rice in their genital area. Male guinea pigs will have a white ring in this area.
   • It is recommended that you let your vet or a guinea pig expert determine the sex of your puppies, if not already done at the pet store.
3. Separate the males from the females. If necessary, the male cubs should be separated from their sisters and mother and moved to another cage by the time they reach sexual maturity, which is at three to four weeks. This separation is necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
   • Ideally, males should be moved to another cage when they are about three weeks old. Female puppies can stay with their mothers until they are four weeks old.
   • Guinea pigs are usually ready to lead more independent lives when they are about six weeks old, but you should still aim to separate them by three to four weeks if necessary.
4. Learn what to feed your puppies. Puppies usually eat the same as adult guinea pigs, so you do not need to feed a specific baby diet. An exception is that puppies require supplemental calcium in their first few weeks of life. The extra calcium will help their bones grow properly.
   • Alfalfa hay, in particular, has a high calcium content.
   • Pellets with alfalfa are also available.
   • Timothy hay and fresh fruits (oranges, melons) are high in vitamin C and are nutritious foods to feed your puppies.
   EXPERT TIP

   Learn how to feed your puppies. Feed your pups twice a day by placing small amounts of food in a sturdy food bowl. Remove any leftover food so that it does not spoil.

   • Pups also need a constant supply of fresh water. Refill the plastic water bottle as needed and clean it once a week with hot water and soap.
   • If the puppies are still with their mother, they will start suckling within 24 hours of birth and will continue to suckle for approximately 3 weeks (before reaching sexual maturity). They will nurse from their mother for the first few days of life, then switch to solid food and mimic what their mother eats.
5. Monitor your pups for illnesses. Guinea pigs are susceptible to many types of illness, such as heat stress, foot pad infections and pneumonia. Since puppies require a lot of vitamin C in their diet, a deficiency of this vitamin can cause a disease called scurvy. Signs of scurvy include swollen and painful joints, loss of appetite and reluctance to move.
   • If your puppies show signs of scurvy, take them to the vet for immediate treatment. Depending on the severity of the deficiency, your vet may need to give your pups vitamin C injections.
6. Change the underlay regularly. The ideal underlayment for your pup's cage is a thick layer of shredded newspaper or pine sawdust. This bottom layer can quickly become soiled by leftover food and faeces. It can also get wet from drops of water from the water bottle. Change this underlay twice a week to keep the cage clean.
7. Provide your pups with toys. Just like adult guinea pigs, puppies love to play. Toys your pup will enjoy are tunnels and ramps (if your cage has multiple floors). Toys can be bought at the local pet store, or you can make homemade toys from items such as shoe boxes, empty milk cartons, and toilet paper rolls.
   • You can also let your pups play outside of their cage. You will first need to make a room guinea pig safe to make the play area as safe as possible.

Tips

• Gently brushing your pups with a small human toothbrush when holding them can be helpful in making them more comfortable with human interaction.
• Take your puppies to a veterinarian experienced in treating small pets such as guinea pigs and hamsters.
• Once they grow up, your puppies should be examined by a vet once a year.
• Guinea pigs can be very picky eaters. Providing a variety of foods when they are babies will help provide them with a healthy diet when they become adults.
• When they are born you can leave them alone for at least a few hours, they should be cleaned and fed by their mother after birth.
• Don't wash your guinea pig often or his / her coat will fall out.