She Looks Pregnant....sometimes.

[Pawz]

She is only just over 12 weeks old now, I have had her for only 2 now and she was a petstore piggy.

She is very small for her given age and does not appear to be growing much in length at all but she is looking fatter and from some angles she is looking suspiciously chunky. Our boar is neutered so he is not a suspect, should I start weighing her to see how much she is gaining per week? I am a bit worried about picking her up too much so have not weighed her so far.
Maybe she's just getting fat? I'm not sure if it's just how she is sitting sometimes.

Please cross your fingers that she is not pregnant at such a young age.

 

[Pawz]

Just weighed her.

She is 393g which sounds not much but she is small.

Our boar is 672g at 16 weeks old and over double her size when you look at him. (oh and he is not fat)

 

[Swissgreys]

We have 3 and they all weigh an almost identical amount (only 20g between the lightest and heaviest).
But I find it interesting that they carry the weight very differently.
One of the girls definitely has a more rounded belly, and one carries it all in her rear (I feel her pain!).
The boar is just looong, but then he is usually stretched out rumble strutting!

So it may just be her shape changing as she grows, but probably worth keeping a close eye on her weight gain and shape until you can definitely rule out a pet store pregnancy.

 

[Pawz]

We have 3 and they all weigh an almost identical amount (only 20g between the lightest and heaviest).
But I find it interesting that they carry the weight very differently.
One of the girls definitely has a more rounded belly, and one carries it all in her rear (I feel her pain!).
The boar is just looong, but then he is usually stretched out rumble strutting!

So it may just be her shape changing as she grows, but probably worth keeping a close eye on her weight gain and shape until you can definitely rule out a pet store pregnancy.

Hopefully it's just her shape, the little pear piggy! He still loves her even if she does look dumpy compared to his long build.

 

[lauraboara]

She sounds tiny in weight to me - but I only have boars! However, they have all been 400g plus if adopted at 6 weeks and she is 12 weeks? But hopefully she is putting on weight if u think she is getting chunkier? Weighing every week is a good pattern to get into.
I believe that sows are more pear shaped than boys but could you post a photo of her from above?There are people on hear who know about pregnant and not pregnant sows (not me!) @pig in the city @Elwickcavies

 

[pig in the city]

It is possible that she could be pregnant, and she is very small for her age, l would expect her to be 400g at 8 weeks. The only thing you can do is weigh her weekly and wait the full 10 weeks of gestation. If her weight gain is more than around 30g a week especially as she gets older, then it is possible that she is pregnant, although a better diet and better living conditions may cause rapid weight gain. Make sure she has plenty of green vegetables and alfafa hay for calcium( she needs this as she is a baby plus it will aid her if she is pregnant). Pop her along to your vets if it appears that she may be pregnant, they will be able to examine her and scan her. Hopefully she is not pregnant but the forum will support you if the worst happens

 

[Wiebke]

She is only just over 12 weeks old now, I have had her for only 2 now and she was a petstore piggy.

She is very small for her given age and does not appear to be growing much in length at all but she is looking fatter and from some angles she is looking suspiciously chunky. Our boar is neutered so he is not a suspect, should I start weighing her to see how much she is gaining per week? I am a bit worried about picking her up too much so have not weighed her so far.
Maybe she's just getting fat? I'm not sure if it's just how she is sitting sometimes.

Please cross your fingers that she is not pregnant at such a young age.

If you are worried, please open a support threat in our pregnancy section. You can find information that covers the whole of the pregnancy period at the top. https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/forums/pregnancy-baby-care-and-sexing-no-breeding.11/

Please note that at 11 weeks of age, your girl is yet a little bit on the young side to really show signs of a pregnancy in the last stages; the earliest she can give birth is 14-16 weeks. If she is pregnant, she should show an increasing weight gain over the next few weeks instead of a comparatively steady one of ca. 20-30g per week.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

Guinea pigs don't grow evenly; they grow fat one week and then they are a lot longer and thinner the next. It is hopefully just an impending growth spurt.

Please don't worry about her small weight; as long as she is growing pretty steadily week on week until she about 4-6 months old, she will get to her own genetically determined ideal weight/size eventually on a good, balanced diet. She'll just keep growing a bit longer and slower.

 

[Pawz]

It is possible that she could be pregnant, and she is very small for her age, l would expect her to be 400g at 8 weeks. The only thing you can do is weigh her weekly and wait the full 10 weeks of gestation. If her weight gain is more than around 30g a week especially as she gets older, then it is possible that she is pregnant, although a better diet and better living conditions may cause rapid weight gain. Make sure she has plenty of green vegetables and alfafa hay for calcium( she needs this as she is a baby plus it will aid her if she is pregnant). Pop her along to your vets if it appears that she may be pregnant, they will be able to examine her and scan her. Hopefully she is not pregnant but the forum will support you if the worst happens

They get plenty of fresh veggies and hay daily, they also have some nice alfalfa pellets. I saw in the store yesterday that 2 of her cage mates were still there and they are now BIG compared to her tiny body. Maybe she was a runt? I have no idea but she is such a dinky little fat thing. I tried to take an overhead shot of her but she was playing hard to get when it came to catch her so left her be for now.

I will weigh her next Thursday and see if there is much change.

Thanks for all the help everyone