Guinea Pig Gestation

Guinea pig gestation last for about two months and this period can really be endearing. Usually, pregnant guinea pig grows chubby and bigger. You should know that the biggest number of babies the mother is carrying, the shorter the period of gestation will be. Normally, pregnant guinea pigs will not feel difficulties in delivering their young, but their behavior can change when they reach the second stage of their cycle.

To give the proper care they need, you should be more observant and spend more time with them as their gestation stage develops. Mostly, pregnancy of these animals lasts for an average of 63 days. If the litter is large, the term of the pregnancy is shorter and when it is small, it will be quite longer. Because the guinea pig gestation is long, pregnant female cavy become large and will appear to be like an eggplant shape although in some cases, the size and the shape varies. Newborn pups are well-developed with hair, teeth and claws. They also have partial eye-sight. They also begin to eat solid foods though they continue to suckle. Litters capitulates one to six pups, with an average of three and the largest litter size is seventeen.

How to take care of sow during gestation?

Guinea pig gestation becomes fertile as early as four weeks but pregnancy is not recommended until the body weight has reached one pound. If the baby is too small, she may have difficulties in delivering the pups and special steps must be given. Here are some ways to help your cavies in their gestation period.

* Make sure that your guinea pig has lots of vitamin C intake. You can put some supplements in the water they drink or in the foods they eat. Ideally, put 20 mg of Vitamin C per day in their foods. If you use food pellets, double check the quality of the item. You should be particular with those products that have 100% vitamin C content, with protein and fiber as well.

* It would be better to give fresh fruits and vegetables that are very rich in ascorbic acid including parsley, dandelion and cabbages.

* During guinea pig gestation, be sure to let them play and alloy them to have some exercise.

* Avoid squeezing them and any other activity that would put them stressed.

* Be aware when to move sow when they are on the pregnancy period and put them in a separate cage. You must remember that guinea pigs can rapidly multiply so it would be better to separate the female guinea pig to male so to avoid pregnancy again.

Like human beings, animals like guinea pigs should be properly taken care of and be given special attention before gestation and during pregnancies. Proper knowledge on how to give them the care they need would ensure that the mother guinea pig is physically matured and prepared before gestation. And good care given during its pregnancy would keep it healthy until it gives birth to its young. This would require additional time and effort for you but it would be rewarding to successfully care for your pet all the way out.