Thinking about breeding your guinea pigs? It’s not as simple as putting a male and female together.
About 20% of guinea pig mothers die during birth, so this decision carries real risk.
Females can get pregnant as early as five weeks old, but they shouldn’t breed that young. The safest window is before the sow turns 7 months of age, while her pelvic bones are still flexible enough to deliver safely.
The Guinea Pig Breeding Process
Guinea pigs are social animals. If you own one, make sure to get at least one more of the same sex so it won’t be alone and possibly suffer from depression.
Although you might spend a lot of time with your small animal, and may even register it as your emotional support animal, your guinea pig needs a friend of the same species. A piggy needs a companion who speaks the same language and craves time with their own kind, just like humans do.
There are reasons why opposite sexes are kept together. In mixed-sex groups, they’ll mate and quickly increase in number, even when they’re just a few months old.
So you’ll either keep your guinea pig with a friend of the same sex or neuter the male to prevent breeding. You might also consider spaying the female, but that’s a much more difficult procedure.
Guinea pigs feel and function best at temperatures between 65-80 degrees F (18-26 degrees C). If the temperature goes above 80 degrees F (27 degrees C), guinea pigs, especially overweight or pregnant ones, might have a heatstroke.
Here are other things to consider before you decide to let your guinea pigs reproduce.
Pregnancy is difficult for guinea pigs. On average, about 20% die while giving birth.
Those who survive may cope with complications that can be very painful and costly to their owners.
If you decide to breed, make sure to separate the babies in time. Baby male guinea pigs can impregnate their mother as soon as they reach sexual maturity, which is when they’re only three weeks old.
Make sure to have enough space and separate cages. You’ll need to separate the brothers to prevent fighting.
Is Breeding Guinea Pigs Difficult?
Sows (female guinea pigs) become sexually mature at a very tender age of five weeks. However, at that age, your guinea pig is way too young.
Compare it to teenage pregnancies in humans. Although teenagers can give birth, their bodies aren’t completely developed yet.
For that reason, don’t mate your guinea pig before she turns at least 3 months of age and weighs at least 400 grams. Ideally, you’ll wait a bit longer than this.
For breeding to be successful, the female must reach full sexual maturity.
Boars (male guinea pigs) should also be at least three months old before mating.
A female guinea pig’s heat cycle lasts for 16 days on average (between 14 and 17 days). During that time, she’ll be interested in mating for only about 8 hours.
The easiest way to confirm pregnancy is to leave the pair together in the same cage until you’re sure she’s pregnant. You’ll easily notice when your female guinea pig is ready to mate.
She’ll curve her spine downwards and keep her rear end elevated.
If you’re keeping her with other females, you may discover her mounting the friends she’s living with.
If you decide to allow your pets to breed, do the following:
- Make sure there’s sufficient cage space
- Take your guinea pigs for a medical checkup to confirm they’re healthy and ready to reproduce
- Introduce the pair
- Wait and leave the breeding pair together until you’re sure the female is pregnant
- Separate the pregnant guinea pig to a nursery
Purchase new and [amazon link=“B07G77QHGQ” title=“more toys”] if you think there aren’t enough for the parents and newborns. Don’t forget, adult guinea pigs still love to play.
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How Long Does Guinea Pig Pregnancy Last?
The Breeding Cycle
A female’s heat cycle lasts between 14 and 17 days. There’s only a 24-48 hour window for breeding, during which the female will show interest in her partner for only about 8 hours total.
It takes nine to ten weeks before your guinea pig gives birth to her babies. She’ll deliver anywhere from one to six young, although three to four is the average.
Your guinea pig can double her weight during pregnancy. To care for her properly, replace timothy hay with alfalfa and provide much more water than usual, as she’ll drink a lot more.
To learn more about the guinea pig reproductive cycle and fertility, check out our guide on guinea pig periods.
How Will I Know My Guinea Pig Is Ready to Deliver?
The gestation period lasts for 68 days on average. About a week before your guinea pig gives birth, you may notice a slow widening of the pelvis (just in front of the external genitalia) that increases to over 2.5 cm shortly before delivery.
Transfer the sow to a nursery before she starts giving birth. She needs to be separated from other guinea pigs while she’s nursing the newborns.
Usually, it takes about an hour before your pregnant guinea pig delivers all her babies without complications. There’s an average of five minutes between the arrival of each baby.
However, throughout their breeding lives, abortions and stillbirths are common. After giving birth, let the new mom clean and groom her babies.
Don’t interrupt this bonding cycle.
Guinea pig mothers need to nurse their babies until they turn at least 2 weeks of age. Don’t handle the litter and the sow for at least 24 hours.
After that, you can handle the babies to let them get used to human presence and contact.
Baby guinea pigs will run around soon after birth. They have hair, teeth, and come into the world with their eyes open.
They can start eating solid food within hours after birth, although they’ll rely on their mother’s milk for a while.
If you see the mom eating the afterbirth, don’t be upset. That’s normal.
The new mom can also eat her babies after giving birth. Although it rarely happens, it still can.
What Should Pregnant Guinea Pigs Eat?
The pregnant guinea pig needs three times as much vitamin C as she normally does. Be careful though, as vitamin C degrades quickly in water.
Provide your pregnant guinea pig with foods rich in vitamin C such as kale, parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Your female guinea pig might eat three times the usual amount of food during pregnancy. A cup of Brussels sprouts and dandelion greens provides around 200 mg of vitamin C, just enough for your pet’s daily needs.
Make sure you continue feeding alfalfa to the mother instead of the regular timothy hay you’d give other grown-up guinea pigs.
What Are the Possible Complications During Pregnancy?
The average gestation period for guinea pigs is 63 days. If it continues over 70 days, call a vet immediately, as it’s highly likely that the babies will be stillborn.
Just like most other rodents, sows can mate within hours after giving birth. But you should never allow it to happen.
They need time to recover before a new pregnancy.
If your guinea pig has over three or four piglets, foster some to another female. Guinea pigs have two nipples to suckle their offspring, so you might talk to a veterinarian about the best option for the mother and her babies.
When 2-4 fully developed newborns arrive, they’re relatively large. They come fully furred, with open eyes, and can eat solid food hours after birth, although they’ll still nurse.
If the babies are too large, they’ll have difficulty getting through the pelvic canal. In some cases, the mother’s pelvic bones may still be relatively immature and flexible, which makes the situation easier.
However, large offspring predispose the mother to pregnancy toxemia.)
Pregnancy toxemia is a life-threatening metabolic disorder that lowers blood calcium levels and triggers high blood pressure. In the early stages, female guinea pigs lose their appetite, experience muscle twitching, and fall into a coma.
This condition can be deadly for the mother.
Immediate attention from a vet can save these small animals, but you can also do much to reduce the possibility of suffering. Provide the pregnant guinea pig with plenty of water and high-calcium greens throughout her pregnancy.
Ideally, you’ll consult a vet throughout the pregnancy to prevent all problems that can be prevented.
Other complications may be triggered by the mother’s health conditions. Dystocia is a condition quite common in certain animal species that slows down the delivery process and puts the mother and babies at risk.
The tough fibrous cartilage joining the two pubic bones is quite stiff and doesn’t expand as much as it should. Low calcium levels, uterine prolapse, and mastitis%20offspring%20are%20suckling.) are also seen in older pregnant female guinea pigs.
Monitor your guinea pig’s appetite, activity, and stool. Watch out for anything unusual or different.
If you notice something out of the ordinary, contact a veterinarian.
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How to Care for Baby Guinea Pigs
Separate the newborn guinea pigs from their mother within the first two to four weeks, when they weigh between 150 and 200 grams. One of the main reasons is that they reach sexual maturity very quickly.
They can start mating among themselves (and with their mother) as well as other mature guinea pigs in the enclosure. Remember: you want your guinea pigs to live in a community, but that community should consist of same-sex guinea pigs or females and a neutered male.
We don’t recommend keeping male guinea pigs in the same cage, as they can get very competitive and violent toward each other. It’s not difficult to hand-rear them if needed, since they can eat solid food within hours after birth.
Final Thoughts
Breeding guinea pigs isn’t difficult, but it comes with serious risks. About 20% of mothers die during birth, so this decision shouldn’t be taken lightly.
If you decide to breed, make sure your sow is the right age, well-fed, and under veterinary care throughout the pregnancy. Separate the babies early to prevent unplanned litters.
Find the piglets a good home and give mom plenty of time to recover before considering another pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Female guinea pigs become sexually mature at around five weeks old, but you shouldn't breed them that young. Wait until the sow is at least three months old and weighs 400 grams minimum. Males should also be at least three months old before mating.
Guinea pigs typically have litters of one to six babies, with three to four being the most common. Larger litters increase the risk of complications for the mother. If there are more than four piglets, consider fostering some to another nursing sow.
Sows can mate within hours after delivery and become pregnant immediately. However, you should never allow this. The mother needs time to recover and nurse her current litter before going through another pregnancy, which puts enormous strain on her body.
A pregnant guinea pig will gradually gain weight and her belly will grow noticeably rounder over several weeks. You might also notice increased appetite, more water consumption, and less activity. A vet can confirm pregnancy through physical examination or ultrasound.
