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carrie84uk
My guinea pig gave birth to 5 healthy and active babies last night. Any little hints or tips would be very much appreciated. Pics in my profile. Thanks in advance.
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hello again Carrie!
I thought I would offically welcome you on a thread and your babies are gorgeous!
Good luck with it all!
Emily x
I thought I would offically welcome you on a thread and your babies are gorgeous!
Good luck with it all!
Emily x
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carrie84uk
Hey I'm just trying to get used to the forum lol. Thanks again for the congrats.
Nemo
Adult Guinea Pig
Hi Carrie and welcome to the forum
I think the best thing you can do is just to keep an eye on them that they are all getting enough to eat and keeping well. Also keep a check that mum is well too cos I lost two mothers to my guinea pigs a couple of days or so after giving birth a few years ago. They seemed to get a pneumonia type of thing that came on very quickly. When the second piggy got it I took her right to the vet but even after an injection she still died and I ended up hand rearing 6 little piggies.
I think the best thing you can do is just to keep an eye on them that they are all getting enough to eat and keeping well. Also keep a check that mum is well too cos I lost two mothers to my guinea pigs a couple of days or so after giving birth a few years ago. They seemed to get a pneumonia type of thing that came on very quickly. When the second piggy got it I took her right to the vet but even after an injection she still died and I ended up hand rearing 6 little piggies.
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piggiesforever
Hello, and welcome. I'm no expert but I've recently had litters born here which took my guinea count from 4 to 12.If they all seem healthy and active you don't really need to assist, piggies make great little mums and you'll see they begin to eat the veg, food and hay within a day or two.I would reccommend weighing and monitoring their weight and definately sex or have them sexed by 3 weeks old or you'll end up with many more
Nemo
Adult Guinea Pig
Aww just seen your new little piggies - they are beautiful.x)x)x)x)
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piggiesforever
Also provide mum with lots of grass or dark green veg since this is good for milk production
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carrie84uk
Thank you for those replys. I think weighing them would be a good idea. Bit scary about losing your piggys nemo. What should i look out for? How would i know if shes going down hill?
starla
Adult Guinea Pig
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The mum should be ok. Watch out for not eating, running away from babies, not wheeking for food, hunched in corner.
With 5 babies some may not get fed. You should weight them, work out which are the biggest and perhaps take mum out and a couple of [smaller] babies at a time to ensure they all get their quota. The bigger babies are obviously stronger and will push their way in for food, generally!
If you are still worried that some are not getting enough you may need to supplement a bit - some will say its wrong but I've heard goats milk (slightly warmed) with brown bread soaked in it, on a bowl helps. Obviously mum's milk is best so try and get them all having a bit a day.
Agree with the dark greens or grass, grass is especially good.
At 3 weeks you need to separate any boys from mum and sisters.
With 5 babies some may not get fed. You should weight them, work out which are the biggest and perhaps take mum out and a couple of [smaller] babies at a time to ensure they all get their quota. The bigger babies are obviously stronger and will push their way in for food, generally!
If you are still worried that some are not getting enough you may need to supplement a bit - some will say its wrong but I've heard goats milk (slightly warmed) with brown bread soaked in it, on a bowl helps. Obviously mum's milk is best so try and get them all having a bit a day.
Agree with the dark greens or grass, grass is especially good.
At 3 weeks you need to separate any boys from mum and sisters.
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carrie84uk
God i was just so excited when i saw them this morning, but I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed now. I feel like I'm doing nothing but watching them because there is so much that could go wrong. I guess i need to get a grip and go and put those babies on the scales and start being pro active. I went out and grabbed some long grass and mummy has been tukcing in even one of the babies has given it a shot. They all seem really strong and fot though so hopefully i will have nothing to worry about. Do you think i should handle the mum?
Oh and how long after the birth should i give mummy until i bathe her?
Oh and how long after the birth should i give mummy until i bathe her?
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carrie84uk
they are all round and about 60g is that good? bad? normal?
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thats ok. Max my boy was 96gms but he was 1 of 3, and you have a litter of 5.
I think lets wait for more replies from others whose had experience with babies too, they will know more! ive only have boars myself i am afraid!
I think lets wait for more replies from others whose had experience with babies too, they will know more! ive only have boars myself i am afraid!
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piggiesforever
I would say 60g is small as advised keep weighing and see that they are feeding
Welcome!
Don't worry too much, most mums just get on with it and nature does a good job! Weigh them if you can, just to check they're all putting on weight ok, and weigh mum pig too.
I wouldn't bath her - clean her up a bit with a damp cloth if needed but I wouldn't bath her completely, the babies recognise her smell and you don't want to stress her out.
As the others have said - feed them well, good veg etc. and the babies will eat it too. Make sure they're all getting a feed from her, and that she's cleaning them up - you'll see her sort of roll them over and lick them to clean their bottoms!
Good luck, enjoy them
Sophie
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Don't worry too much, most mums just get on with it and nature does a good job! Weigh them if you can, just to check they're all putting on weight ok, and weigh mum pig too.
I wouldn't bath her - clean her up a bit with a damp cloth if needed but I wouldn't bath her completely, the babies recognise her smell and you don't want to stress her out.
As the others have said - feed them well, good veg etc. and the babies will eat it too. Make sure they're all getting a feed from her, and that she's cleaning them up - you'll see her sort of roll them over and lick them to clean their bottoms!
Good luck, enjoy them
Sophie
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Sorry, was still typing mine then realised you'd already weighed them...
As long as they are all similar weights then I wouldn't worry too much - 5 is quite a lot, so they will be smaller. If there's a runty one that's smaller than the others just make sure it gets its fair share of milk.
You're doing a good job, you'll be fine!
SOphie
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As long as they are all similar weights then I wouldn't worry too much - 5 is quite a lot, so they will be smaller. If there's a runty one that's smaller than the others just make sure it gets its fair share of milk.
You're doing a good job, you'll be fine!
SOphie
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carrie84uk
I dont seem to have a runt, they are all very similar in weights. A bit worrying that they are on the small side but then there are alot of them and mummy isnt very big herself. Bless you should have seen her yesterday she was like a little balls with legs lol. Ive named two of them already ") (i know i shouldnt get attatched) One is zig zag i will have to get a pic of that one on its own for you it has an amazing pattern. Its literally half black and half white and its seperated by a zig zag pattern. And the other one is browny as its the only brown one lol. I know how original eh.:red
More pics always welcomed!
Glad they're doing ok. Don't get hung up on the weights, as long as they're gaining in a day or so that's fine. They don't always gain weight in the first day or two though I've found.
Better than watching TV isn't it!
Sophie
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Glad they're doing ok. Don't get hung up on the weights, as long as they're gaining in a day or so that's fine. They don't always gain weight in the first day or two though I've found.
Better than watching TV isn't it!
Sophie
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carrie84uk
It really is, my house is an absolute mess and I'm sitting watching guinea pigs lol. They are just beautiful. lol
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Cookie22
Just looked at the piccies. Aww gorgeous! xx>>> I've not had experience with pregnant piggies and raising baby piggies, so i can't really give you any tips.
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carrie84uk
Here is possibly my favourite. I know i shouldnt have one but hey
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Furry_Friend
Here is possibly my favourite. I know i shouldnt have one but hey
Oh my god...that just brought a tear to my eye!
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carrie84uk
Lol i just love that pattern on him/her. I soooo hope its a sow because i have room to keep one sow.
Nemo
Adult Guinea Pig
I don't know - it was really fast - she was fine when she gave birth and looked in the best of health with shiny coat and then she seemed to get breathing problems the day after and I think she died the day after that.:...
This was one of the guinea pigs that died - she looked so healthy and was eating well.
I think this was two of the little piggies from the other litter where the mummy also died within days of the first mum dying. We got the second one to the vet as soon as we saw her getting ill and he gave her an injection but she still died that night.
We had to syringe feed them and one died a few days after birth so we had 6 to feed - 3 from each litter.
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carrie84uk
awww bless you must have been devistated. So basically theres not a lot i cam do apart from keep an eye on her
Goldie
Adult Guinea Pig
Congratulations on the new arrivals. Five is a big litter, especially if it was mum's first litter. But usually, first litters are only 2-4 babies. Fab that all survived the birth too! :<>
I am sure mum will be fine. Five is alot to feed so make sure that she had plenty of lush grass, moist fruit and veg to supplement her milk flow and loss of fluids.
I must admit that I am a pound and ounces kind of gal :red ... if 60g is about 3oz then that is a good weight.
Lovely babies .... xx
I am sure mum will be fine. Five is alot to feed so make sure that she had plenty of lush grass, moist fruit and veg to supplement her milk flow and loss of fluids.
I must admit that I am a pound and ounces kind of gal :red ... if 60g is about 3oz then that is a good weight.
Lovely babies .... xx
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carrie84uk
I'm really not sure about weights myself lol. I just plopped them on my kitchen scales bless them lol
Wow, what unusual markings - looks like you've done something magic in Photoshop! Gorgeous pig and very good name. I've got a ZigZag (Ziggy) but his stripe goes the other way...
Sophie
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Sophie
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carrie84uk
Lol nope no photoshop thats just the way he/she came out, had a peek today and i think shes a girl (could just be wishful thinking) lol.
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