Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Analyzing Symptoms at Home
• Method 2 of 3: Visit your veterinarian
• Method 3 of 3: How to care for a pregnant guinea pig
• Warnings

Pregnancy in female guinea pigs is associated with a number of dangers, including toxemia (metabolic disorders that cause the guinea pig to poison itself), dystocia (difficult labor), and complications during the postpartum period (for example, seizures due to low calcium in the body ). If you suspect your guinea pig may be pregnant, it is best to show it to your veterinarian, but you can look at some of the signs yourself.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Analyzing Symptoms at Home

1. 1 Consider if the female has been in contact with the male. If there was contact, most likely the guinea pigs tried to mate, and your female may be pregnant.
   • Females reach puberty at 10 weeks of age and can reach puberty as early as 4-5 weeks. Therefore, remember that even if the pig is still small, she may already become pregnant.
2. 2 Observe the female's nutrition. The pregnant female will drink and eat more than usual. It is possible that she will be able to eat a portion three times her usual size. She will also drink more water. It is important to compare how much she began to eat and drink with how much she ate and drank before.
   • However, an increased appetite and need for water alone cannot be considered an accurate sign of pregnancy. All animals begin to eat more with the onset of cold weather, when their body grows and when they get sick.
3. 3 Measure the weight of your pig. The weight of a guinea pig will change significantly if it is pregnant. Typically, guinea pigs weigh 500-1000 grams. By the end of pregnancy, the female will weigh twice as much, and the cubs usually carry most of the mumps' weight.
   • It is best to weigh the female regularly (for example, every week) and record the weight. This will help you track changes in weight that could indicate pregnancy.
   • If you have a young guinea pig (less than 6-8 months old), it will grow and gain weight naturally under these conditions.
4. 4 Feel your belly gently. If the female is pregnant, you can find the cubs. As a rule, they become noticeable as early as 2 weeks after mating. Be careful not to grip the female too harshly. When feeling the belly, do not press on it, as this can harm both the female and the offspring.
   • To feel the belly, lay the female on a flat and stable surface. This will keep her from slipping. With your left hand, hold her by the shoulders, turning your head away from you, and with your right hand, feel the stomach. Fold your thumb and forefinger so that they form a C, and then slowly begin to lower your stomach. Press lightly on the abdomen to see if there are any lumps.
   • If the guinea pig is pregnant, it may have one to four babies. If there are several cubs in the belly, you will feel several lumps of the same size.
   • Remember that the internal organs are also dense. The kidneys, bladder and even excrement in the intestines can be mistaken for a fetus. Lumps can also be ovarian cysts or tumors. If you are unsure what you are groping for, see your veterinarian.

Method 2 of 3: Visit your veterinarian

1. 1 Make an appointment. If you suspect that your mumps is pregnant, you should show it to your doctor right away. Only a specialist can establish a pregnancy.
2. 2 Ask your veterinarian to examine the animal. The vet will feel the guinea pig's belly and will be able to understand the difference between the different seals (this will be much more difficult for you to do). The doctor will be able to tell if the mumps is pregnant with a physical examination, but they may also order additional tests (discussed below).
   • The doctor will also be able to hear the heartbeat of the offspring in the guinea pig's belly.
3. 3 Agree to an ultrasound scan. Ultrasound is the standard instrument for detecting pregnancy in guinea pigs. Unlike other animals, the stress of taking blood can negatively affect the condition of the guinea pig. In addition, there are no off-the-shelf tests to determine pregnancy in guinea pigs.
   • With an ultrasound scan, the doctor will be able to examine the bumps and lumps in the female's abdomen and establish pregnancy.
   • In this study, a small amount of hair is cut from the skin of the animal, and then a gel is applied to the skin. A transducer is applied to the skin, which emits a high-frequency sound that is invisible to the human ear. The sensor records how sound waves are reflected from internal organs and determines the size, shape, and structure of internal tissues and organs. This information is transformed into an image. In other words, you will have an image of the contents of the guinea pig's belly, and the doctor will be able to confirm or not confirm the pregnancy.
   • Ultrasound is a painless procedure that does not require sedation.
4. 4 If your mumps is pregnant, ask your doctor how to care for it. If the pregnancy is confirmed, you will need to know how to provide your mumps with proper care. Pregnancy puts stress on the internal organs and circulatory system of the animal. In addition, any rodent has a one in five risk of dying from complications during or after pregnancy and childbirth.

Method 3 of 3: How to care for a pregnant guinea pig

1. 1 Talk to your veterinarian. Pregnancy is often normal, but it is better to have a doctor on hand to help with complications (these are more likely if the mumps are very young or elderly, or if they have never given birth).
   • Try to find a veterinarian who specializes in rodents and small animals.
2. 2 Detach the males. If you have multiple females, move the males out to prevent the guinea pigs getting pregnant. If you have only one female, the male should still be kept separately until the gestation period is 50 days.
   • Males will continue to try to mate, and this will hurt the pregnant female, especially in the later stages. In addition, the female can become pregnant again within two hours after giving birth.
3. 3 Give the female enough food and water. She needs to eat well as this will help the cubs develop.
   • Feed your mumps alfalfa instead of timothy for more protein and calcium.
   • A pregnant female will also need twice as much vitamin C as she normally would, so include fruits and vegetables that are high in this vitamin in her diet. Serves can be increased from 1-1.5 to 2 cups.
   • In addition, the female should be given more fiber. This will prevent hair loss, which is often the case in the last phase of pregnancy.
4. 4 Weigh the pregnant female regularly. This should be done twice a week to make sure she is gaining weight, not losing weight, and that she is healthy (that is, eating her food and being active).
   • If at any time the weight starts to decrease or the mumps behaves sluggishly, see your doctor right away.
5. 5 Reduce stress to your pig. Try to create a comfortable environment for your guinea pig to reduce stress levels that can cause some pregnancy problems.
   • Try not to do anything with the cage (do not put away toys or put the cage in a new place). This will increase stress and affect the nutrition of the guinea pig.
   • Protect your pig from loud noises and bright light, including sunlight.
   • Handle your mumps as little as possible and do not touch them in the last two weeks before giving birth. Pregnancy in guinea pigs usually lasts 58-73 days.

Warnings

• Breeding guinea pigs is not recommended. Pregnancy is a risk for females, especially those over 8 months old and under 3, and for females who have not given birth before. In addition, it is usually difficult to find responsible people who can provide proper care for small pigs.