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I Messed Up. Bad. Please Help.

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RyanES

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These aren't my pigs. They are my girlfriends. She asked me to watch them for the last few months while she's been away, and at some point I got mixed up and a boar ended up in the girls pen.

Six of the pigs got pregnant. Three have given birth, but not a single baby has survived.

I didnt know anything about guinnea pigs. She's taught me all she can over the phone, and ive read alot, but it hasn't been enough.

I got home late one evening, and I didn't bring the pigs inside early enough. I went outside, and I had three dead babies. I assumed they got too cold after.

I kept the others inside, and the next one gave birth, and I think I caught it just as she finished. Two came out dead, but the third seemed ok. He wasn't moving much, and his head was tilted weird. It only took a few hours, and he just got weaker and weaker until he stopped breathing.

The third pig gave birth three days ago. She's been free fed on all the veggies that I looked up and were safe, I bought heating lamps, and heating pads, and I took a few weeks leave from work. I stayed up all night because I was told they only birthed at night. She gave birth in the middle of the day. Again, two dead. One survived.

He had the slightest strangeness to his head. He kept it ever so slightly tilted all the time. But he was so much healthier than the last one. It took him three days, but he just died. Wasted away. The mother tried so hard. It tore my heart out.

Every single time, three dead gorgeous babies.

I know I messed up, I know this shouldn't have happened, but it did. What do I do? Why are they dying? I can't just watch this happen another three times. If there's anything I can do, please tell me. Please help.

One of them seems to be about to give birth. Her hips came apart. I don't know what I've done to these pigs that they are all like this.
 
Hi there,
Firstly I'm so sorry for your loss and heart ache at what is now happening. I can't offer much in the way of advice since I've not had a pregnant guinea pig but I've included links to all the threads that can help you out. Please read them and hope they come in handy for the rest for the births to come.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-guide.109375/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/live-birthing-video.135750/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/labor-and-birth.109382/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/after-birth-and-baby-care.109389/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pelvic-bones-in-female-guineas.37379/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/still-born-babies.41/

I'm sure someone else will be able to add some more advice soon.
 
Hi my goodness you poor thing. You've tried so very hard. Where are you located?
 
So sorry about your losses. Have you thought about seeing a vet who could physically check your guinea pigs for problems.
 
I'm so sorry that this happen. I have no experience with pregnant or new born guinea pigs, but you have tried so hard and nobody can take that away from you. So many people wouldn't have done the same- especially when they're not their own pigs. I'm so glad you have come here as there is lots of people who are very well educated on pregnancy and birth who will be able to help you with your questions. I hope that the next births go easier for you and for the pigs
 
Hello, you're in the right place for advice. I don't have any experience with pregnancy or babies as I only have boars. But my understanding is that you should separate the remaining pregnant ladies from each other, as they can be triggered into early labour by the birthing pig. I'm sure better advice will come along shortly. I'm sorry for your losses :(
 
They aren't white, they have been some of the most colorful pigs I've ever seen.

As they get close, I separate the moms from the group. I'm in San Diego (southern California)

I'll try another vet, the two small animal vets I found know nothing about guinea pig pregnancy, birthing or babies. All I know is that the mothers are healthy. But it's clear they aren't.

I know I've done something wrong. If it was just one of them I could just say the pig wasnt a good mother, or had bad genes, but after three it's obvious I've done something horrible. Somehow I've hurt all of them.
 
RyanES said:
They aren't white, they have been some of the most colorful pigs I've ever seen.

As they get close, I separate the moms from the group. I'm in San Diego (southern California)

I'll try another vet, the two small animal vets I found know nothing about guinea pig pregnancy, birthing or babies. All I know is that the mothers are healthy. But it's clear they aren't.

I know I've done something wrong. If it was just one of them I could just say the pig wasnt a good mother, or had bad genes, but after three it's obvious I've done something horrible. Somehow I've hurt all of them.
Click to expand...
I was just wondering if they were lethal gene piggies, especially as you mentioned the head tilts, but they are always white.
 
I think furry friends is right, I am no expert and hoping others can come on and advise you but it sounds like there is nothing you could have done for them and it's genes/hereditary. Look up Lethal pigs here:
Lethal Guinea Pigs
Lethal guinea pigs

Don't beat yourself up, you are doing your best which is more than many would do in your situation.

Try and fine a good vet if you can and hopefully the forum will come up with some ideas too.
 
Squeakz said:
Tagging @Wiebke in on this.
Click to expand...
She's not going to be online this weekend which is why I didn't tag her earlier.

Separating the ones that are due to give birth as they can trigger each other to go into labour ( I forgot to mention it earlier). I know you are feeling like you've done something bad for three births to not go right but please read the threads I linked as they give alot of good advice on why things can go wrong. Keep on doing the best you can and we'll keep trying to help you out.
 
Aw don't beat yourself up, please? It's not your fault. Sometimes, things just aren't meant to be and you did everything you could to pull them through - a lot more than some people would. Do you know if the boar and sows were related at all? How old were the sows?
Go easy on yourself - you didn't mean for this to happen. Think what some people do to animals... you gave them all you could <3
 
try feeding lots of fresh vegetables and unlimited hay
a little bit of alfafa might help to mix in with there hay
 
How heart-breaking this thread is! :(

It was very nice of you to take care of your girlfriends guinea pigs while she is away, and you obviously care a lot about them and are doing your best, which is all anybody can ever do.

I'm so glad you found this forum for support during this traumatic time. The links Crystella put above about pregnancy & babies are well worth reading.

I'm wondering if you have a rescue centre in your area that you could contact for help? Or a small-animals charity helpline maybe?

There are very many reasons why babies may not survive, especially if the male guinea pig was related to the female ones.

But at the moment please just know that you have done your best, take a deep breath now, read the links and take it one step at a time with the remaining births.

Please do come back with updates - i have very limited experience with pregnancies & births as i only own a neutered male guinea pig with girls, but hopefully someone with experience of these things joins this thread soon!

I'm sending you lots of hugs and good wishes that the situation starts to get better very soon :hug:
 
I'm so sorry that you've had such a distressing time.
Can I please check that the boar is now definitely separated from all the sows? If not there is a risk they may become pregnant again.
As for the babies, it does sound like there may be some congenital problem affecting them. This must be heartbreaking for you and your partner.
 
The boar is separated. I've learned that lesson well. One of the girls was related to the boar, my girlfriend had a gorgeous sow and wanted to pair them once. That pregnancy went perfectly, all three survived. That is our only other experience with breeding. So she bred with her father. The other five have absolutely no relation to the boar.

One sow was close to a year. I know it's supposed to go badly, but even though we lost the babies she was ok. The rest are around six months, she got them all around the same time.

I can't imagine it's genetic. His only other litter came out perfectly, and the sows are AL completely different. He is a tri colored, black, brown, and white boar and the girls so far have been a cream and white, a white, and a black and white. The next one up is an abisinian gray and white.

The fourth girl hasn't popped yet, but her hips are wide open and ready to go.

I thought separation was good? Otherwise they would eat the after birth and go into labor?

I talked to another vet, and he talked me through what he could do. He said he could do a necroscopy on the babies since the mothers were all healthy, but he said the tests were all expensive and most likely he wouldn't have any idea what happened. Guinea pig babies just do this. I'll call another one tomorrow, I'm not sure I'm up for any more today.

At this point, I'm not terribly hopeful. Thank you all for your help.
 
It sounds like youre having rotten luck rather than it being anything youve done. Unfortunately deaths are more common than anyone would like and ive seen more than one breeder on various facebook groups throw in the towel for this exact reason! For the momma pigs to have survived, youre clearly caring for them very well. Wishing you all the best with the next few births, I hope theyre less heartbreaking.
 
It is very hard when the babies die so early. My pregnant sow gave birth on Wednesday and one was already dead and the other survived and is doing well. I did the best I could for her and it sounds like you have been doing the same. It is said that only 20% of births go 100% well so it is nothing that you have done at all. Were the babies very big do you know? It could be either they are really big or really small that there has been problems. Make sure to limit the amount of pellets they have until they have given birth.

Good luck with the rest and I will keep my fingers crossed.
 
Please don't beat yourself up about this!

I'm sure you've been doing an amazing job!

I don't know much about guinea pig births but I grew up on a farm and I can assure you, no matter what the animal, or how healthy they are, it's always 50/50.

The male could have passed on a genetic defect that didn't appear in his first litter. It may be dormant in them or the sows genes may have dominated over his, meaning the babies were fine.

I've seen that happen many times before. For an example, we had a cat who had wonderfully healthy kittens every year, then out of the blue, one batch only survived 24 hours.

Nature is cruel sometimes, but you have done everything we would have done here!
 
:agr: So many things could have caused this, please don't blame yourself.
I hope you rest well and that things improve from now on :hug:
 
Odessy (the gray/white abisinian I'm waiting on) is taking me on quite the journey. Her hips have been wide open for a few days now, I don't know what she's waiting for.

It took me far too long to notice that there was a fox in the hen house, so they aren't all due at the same time.

The other two seem to be at least two weeks off, so I'm grateful for the break after this one.
 
RyanES said:
Odessy (the gray/white abisinian I'm waiting on) is taking me on quite the journey. Her hips have been wide open for a few days now, I don't know what she's waiting for.

It took me far too long to notice that there was a fox in the hen house, so they aren't all due at the same time.

The other two seem to be at least two weeks off, so I'm grateful for the break after this one.
Click to expand...

Sending big hugs & positive vibes to the piggie-mums-to-be, their babies, you and your partner. I'm wishing on every star in the sky that all ends well :hug:
 
I've still got 2 more to go. And one looks to be due in the next week, but I've got 3 gorgeous babies, and no mothers have died. I'm going to focus on taking care of the babies, and hopefully the rest will be ok too.

None of them are holding their head weird, or lying on their side. Everything is ok.

Again, thank you all. It might seem small, but your encouragement got me through this.
 
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