Two week old sexing help

[kitemm]

One of our two new guinea pigs gave birth unexpectedly two weeks ago. Everyone is really healthy, but I know we need to separate the baby if it’s a boy really soon. I don’t have any experience with guinea pig babies so I would love some help. All the pictures are of the same baby, just with different positions and lighting. Thank you all!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

The first picture looks very much like a boy to me (round penis tip) and the others more like a girl, so I understand your problem. In-betweenies can be rather difficult to sex.

I am only guessing here but since I cannot have a proper look and feel of the knob and the penis ridge myself it is still a guess.

However, I think the best way of making sure is the one measure that we cannot perform online, feeling for the presence or absence of a tiny penis shaft under the skin. Feel mum or any confirmed sister or brother first, so you know how 'nothing there' or - if that is an option for you - how another boy feels. Then feel your baby - if he is what I suspect a boy rather than a girl - there should be a little basmati rice corn sized little hard bump just under the skin where the arrow points in the picture below if you gently push towards the anus, you may even be able to express a penis but it can be tricky with a baby this age.


Please let me know how you get on - the little hard penis bump is quite distinct when you feel for it.

 

[kitemm]

I wasn’t able to feel anything that felt like a grain of rice, but I have never had a boy guinea pig before. I reached out to some rescues and vets in my area but no one has any availability before the baby hits the three week mark. For context, this is a baby that is 326 g and 2.5 weeks as of today. I’m not sure if I should separate the baby until I can have someone more knowledgeable examine them. I just hate to separate them from their mom if it’s not necessary, especially because it’s a singleton so it doesn’t have a buddy to live with. Anyway, here are more photos from today

 

[Piggies&buns]

Can you open the slit and check whether there is a fleshy seal inside (sow) or whether it goes straight down (boar)?

Separation of baby boars needs to happen at 250g or 3 weeks, whichever comes first, so this piggy is over the weight cut off.

Baby-sexing, boar-separation-and-moving-on
Sexing Babies (with pictures)

 

[kitemm]

We switched places and were able to confirm the baby is a boy. Does that mean we should separate him today? I’m thinking to put a divider in the cage because I don’t have another way of keeping them side by side as you suggest. I honestly feel pretty overwhelmed both at separating them so suddenly and that he could have already made his mother pregnant

 

[Piggies&buns]

As he is over the weight then it would be safest to separate - as per the guide

Yes a divider in the cage is fine (as long as it leaves each half big enough for the longer term - understandably if it doesn’t for the next few days then it’s fine as separating is more important). Make sure he can’t break through or climb the divider though

 

[kitemm]

Ok. I put in a cage divider while I come up with a more permanent solution. Is it likely that Honey Bun could be pregnant again and if so how/when could I tell?

 

[kitemm]

Also, thank you all so much for your help!

 

[Wiebke]

Ok. I put in a cage divider while I come up with a more permanent solution. Is it likely that Honey Bun could be pregnant again and if so how/when could I tell?

Hi

The vast majority of babies will be still too small to endanger their mother right at the start of the weaning period. Two weeks later at mum's third season it is a very different story - and that is also the time when any sisters start coming into season

It is only a very small minority of typically single male pups right at the top of the survivable birth weight range and having the full benefit of a well supplied milk bar that pose a risk of impregnation at two weeks old. However, it can and does happen; we have several first-hand accounts. Hence why we are using the weight qualifier rather than just the 3 weeks rule.

There is a chance that mum and potentially auntie (if she has come into season within the past week could be pregnant since you have a very large little boy. All you can do is wait and see. You won't notice anything for the first roughly 7 weeks (6-9 weeks depending on the size of a litter) so just continue to look after your piggies and try not to overfeed in order to avoid more big babies that could potentially get stuck. It is your normal good care that makes by far the greatest difference in positive outcomes.

With a little luck you have dodged the bullet if your son has not 'woken up' over the last half week or so but nobody can tell you. A good balanced diet is life and health prolonging so any measures for the coming weeks are for all your piggies' benefit whatever happens.

Here is our diet guide: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets (please check your local water hardness)

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