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Guinea pig umbilical cord

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annaliese

I got another baby pig yesterday and despite being told she was almost twelve weeks by the shop assistant i had my doubts, she is absolutely tiny and then today when i was checking her over, i found she had what felt to be part of her umbilical cord still intact. Surely this must mean that she is much younger than the shop assistant was telling me i know that cords are usually chewed off by the mother sow or they dry out and fall off similarly to a scab within a week or so :\ can anyone give me any more information on this or a rough estimation of how old she might be with the cord remnant still there, it is not stuck in her fur or anything it is definitely attached to her. Thanks for all your help guys x
 
If it isnt an umbilical cord I'm afraid it might be some kind of growth but it definitely looks/feels like an umbilical cord
 
Whereabouts is it located? How much does she weigh?

I adopted two piggies from the PAH Adoption Centre nearly two years ago. They told me they were "9-12 weeks". Their first weigh in that day, they were each less than 300g, and one had - still has, in fact - a tiny 'bump' where you'd imagine a 'belly button' would be on a pig! Needless to say they were more likely to be just 3 weeks old, I could fit both on one hand.
 
its just below the middle of the abdomen and i dont know how much she weighs atm i dont have anything small enough to weigh her on but i will get something sorted and keep you posted, she is very very small she fits in my hand and i have quite little hands :( will she be ok having been rehomed so young
 
She should be fine provided she is eating, obviously!
Many baby pigs do not know how to eat proper food if they have been taken away from the mother at too young an age. Have you an older sow you can put them with?
 
That does sound likely to be an umbilical 'stump', and if she's small enough to fit in your hand she is probably very young. As AP said, provided she is eating well she should be just fine, although she'll learn a lot from older pigs if you could pair her up.
 
she is eating well :) and i have teamed her up with Bella and Silver and theyre all getting on pretty well now as a little trio. I just dont understand why the shop sells them that young and why they lie about their ages. Absolutely ridiculous, she seems to be getting on really well for the moment though following Silver around and chirping away at everything :) thankyou guys for all your help and advice it is Always appreciated
 
I don't think they are deliberately untruthful about ages. Sometimes they are totally unaware, employees assume that all guineas the shop sells are a certain age. Sometimes they just don't care about giving out accurate information, thinking it is irrelevent and the person buying the animal surely doesn't really need to know! Sometimes their 'source' (animal "mills", or breeders selling to the shop) just doesn't tell them and hands over guineas of almost any age if it means getting more animals sold on.
 
i guess its just not an ideal world :( she does seem to be getting along really well though which is really good :)
 
aww, i hope she's ok and definately a she! if you can, please post pics of her "downstairs" so someone can tell you for sure as it's difficult to sex a pig so young. sgcxxxx
 
shes definitely a girl iv sexed her once a day since i got her just when doing maintenance in the cage and fussing her etc. no developments with the genetalia :) I always sex them before introducing them anyways just because i dont trust the shop assistants in the pet store :\ I will post pics of her soon though she is so very cute little MJ :D
 
annaliese said:
shes definitely a girl iv sexed her once a day since i got her just when doing maintenance in the cage and fussing her etc. no developments with the genetalia :) I always sex them before introducing them anyways just because i dont trust the shop assistants in the pet store :\ I will post pics of her soon though she is so very cute little MJ :D
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good on you chick! i thought i'd best add that, just incase!
 
oh no definitely appreciated there are too many baby guinea pigs without homes without me adding to them with carelessness :( the girls have just had a manicure, i gave mj the tiniest trim just to get her used to it. I figured its better to give her a little clip when she doesnt need one than wait til she does need one and have her panicked :) she sat through it like a pro though, what a babe :)
 
annaliese said:
oh no definitely appreciated there are too many baby guinea pigs without homes without me adding to them with carelessness :( the girls have just had a manicure, i gave mj the tiniest trim just to get her used to it. I figured its better to give her a little clip when she doesnt need one than wait til she does need one and have her panicked :) she sat through it like a pro though, what a babe :)
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i didn't mean you were careless, but some owners take it for granted what they're told.

I'm glad you got little MJ her first pedicure! Sounds like you're an amazing piggie mommy!
 
awww thankyou hunni, i didnt take it like that at all ^_^, and talking of mummys are you excited for getting ready for next year :D
 
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