age piggies can leave mum?

[cazzyg1]

I have just bee to visit 3 adorable baby piggies who are only a few days old, i have said i will definatly have 2 and chose 2 females (although will confirm this when they are a bit older). I'm new to keeping guinea pigs but pretty confident i have got the sex correct (if not i know these 2 are definatly the same sex either way as thier 'bits' are identical and the other baby looks very different. I was wondering when they are ok to leave mum as i get conflicting answers when looking it up on the net, some say 2-3 weeks others say 6 weeks, yet ive heard they can get preg at 3 weeks! really want to avoid picking up my 2 females only to discover they are pregnant and want to get them away before this can happen. The lady selling them is lovely but not much help as she unknowingly brought home a pregant female herself. Would appreciate any advice, the piggies are already very independant can eat etc on thier own but still feeding from mum also.

 

[Bailey]

This site is really good for checking the sex http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

Boars should be seperated from mum & sisters at 3-4 weeks.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Boys need to be separated from mum and sisters at 3 weeks old, unless they are ill or runts. Not all boys will come into maturity at the earliest time, but playing statitistics is NOT a good idea! Back-to-back pregnancies are very hard and risky on their mums as are baby girl pregnancies when vital nourishment is withheld/withdrawn from a pregnant sow's body for months on end.

Girls can stay a bit longer with their mum; a good weight for separation is 10 1/2 oz=300g. Many rescues wait until their babies of either sex have reached that weight and are able to eat and drink before babies are rehomed (i.e. at about 6-8 weeks old). Please leave the girls with mummy until they are at least 4-6 weeks old.

Six weeks for all babies is together is definitely too long, as a fair proportion of boys AND girls will have come into maturity and you run a chance of pregnancy by both mum or sisters. Personally, I would never rehome from somebody who does it after having seen how many baby sows from shops end up pregnant at that age!

Here is a link to the best medical website for guinea pigs with the relevant data: http://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html

Here is the best website for sexing babies:
http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

 

[cazzyg1]

thanks for your help, really think i should get them at 3 weeks as dont trust the lady not to remove the male, if boys are ok away from mum will the girls not also be? has anyone had a guinea pig at 3 weeks? of course i want what is best for them but dont want them pregnant, apart from not wanting extra piggies ive read it can be dangerous 4 very young females to become pregnant. I'm a bit paranoid as twice when ive had pets before (hamsters and mice) they have arrived pregnant!

 

[Bailey]

Is there a rescue near to you at all? If you were to get a pair of rescue piggies the sexes would be guaranteed, so no risk of pregnancy at all.

If you don't trust the breeder to remove the boars, I wouldn't feel comfortable getting piggies from them.

 

[cazzyg1]

hi,ive already paid for 2 the lady isnt a breeder was just unfortunate to get a pregnant guinea pig so she isnt that knowledgable about sexing them. They are very well kept though. I dont think she would intentionally leave the boy in I'm just worried she might forget to remove him because she seemed surprised when i told her i thought they could breed at 4 weeks.

 

[Wiebke]

Get them at 4 weeks old - you will 99% safe at that age; girls start becoming fertile between 4-6 weeks old. You can get them at 3 weeks, but they will be very young to away from mum and other piggies.

We usually recommend to put any boar pups with their unneutered dad when you separate them, so they are not alone, or otherwise keep them right next door to mum.