How to Tell if Your Guinea Pig Is Pregnant

Never intentionally allow you guinea pig to become pregnant - see warnings - and knowing for sure if she's pregnant can be difficult. If you believe that your sow may be pregnant then consult a vet.

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   Boars. If a female guinea pig has been in the presence of a boar then they will have almost certainly tried to mate and she will carry a high chance of being pregnant.
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   Feeding. A pregnant sow will be begin to drink and eat more. However, do not assume that your guinea pig is pregnant based on just this - all animals eat more if its cold, they're having a growth spurt and for some types of illness.
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   Weight. A sows weight will rise dramatically if she's pregnant. By the end of a guinea pig pregnancy, the sows weight will have doubled.
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   Belly. By pressing the lower belly of the guinea pig sow, you should be able to feel the pups inside her. Throughout the pregnancy, they will grow and the bumps will become more pronounced - by the end you may even be able to see them. Don't continually press or squeeze her stomach as you could injure her.
   • If you feel bumps on a sows abdomen but more off to the side then centre, its more likely that she's has a cyst or cancerous lump. If this is the case, consult a vet immediately.
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   Vet. If you suspect that your guinea pig sow is pregnant then consult a vet. You will not be able to tell for sure until she has had a veterinary consultation with a guinea pig savvy or exotics vet. The vet will be able to give you advice on next steps if she is pregnant.
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   After. If your guinea pig is pregnant then it is extremely important that you care for her in the right way as fatalities as a result in guinea pig pregnancies are abnormally high. To do this see either: http://lovelycutepetsnsk.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-help-pregnant-guinea-pig.html http://lovelycutepetsnsk.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-care-for-pregnant-guinea-pig.html

TIPS

• Always be gentle when picking up the sow.
• Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant. Do not, under any circumstance, give them dairy products.
• Don't stress the guinea pig.
• Be gentle with them because if you touch their bellies to much their baby might die.

WARNING!!

• Miscarriages and stillbirths are common and can have a traumatic affect on the mother.
• Pregnancy, especially after eight months is extremely hard on a female guinea pig. Caring for pups is costly and any rodent that is pregnant carries a one in five chance of dying as a direct result of complications during pregnancy or birth, or toxemia after birth.
• Never intentionally allow your guinea pig to become pregnant if you don't know anything about caring for them, especially if they are older than six months, younger than three months, or have never been pregnant before.
• There are more guinea pigs then people willing to look after them so don't breed guinea pigs for te sake of it - if you want a new guinea pig, try a rescue centre.