My guinea pig had babies! How to care for newborn pups and feed them?

Keep him warm and supplement him with a 50/50 solution owater and evaporated milk. You can use an eye dropper to offer milk every 2 hours around the clock for the first 5-7 days after which you can feed every 4 hours. Guinea pig pups should nurse from the mother for the first few days of life. Unfortunately, many pups who do not get mom's milk in the first 3 to 4 days of life do not survive. You can also soak guinea pig pellets in water and offer those to eat. Normally, pups will begin to nibble solid foods at day 2 but should get milk until weaned at 21 days of age.

Hello and congratulations! My first recommendation to all guinea pig owners that may have a pregnant guinea pig is to visit the veterinarian to confirm the pregnancy. Knowing approximately how far along she is and how many pups to expect can be very helpful when it's time for mom to give birth. Additionally, guinea pigs have been known to have difficult births on occasion, especially if they're over 7 months old in their first pregnancy. Having a relationship with a veterinarian can be useful if there's a crisis during the birthing process. At the vet's office, you can expect that they will perform an ultrasound to see if there are babies present and if so, how many there are. If she's later in her pregnancy, they may be able to take an x-ray. Guinea pig litter sizes range from one to six pups, and the gestation period is 59 - 72 days. The fewer pups she is carrying, the longer the gestation will be. For example, if she has one pup, the gestation will be closer to 72 days. During the pregnancy, Jenny's belly may get very big. She should be provided with a high-quality pelleted diet that is made specifically for guinea pigs, Timothy hay, and regular supplements of fruits and veggies that are high in vitamin C (a small amount 3-4 times weekly). Guinea pigs, like humans, cannot synthesize vitamin C, and so it must be provided in their diet. Dark, leafy greens, orange slices, strawberries, and broccoli are great choices to provide Jenny with that extra vitamin C she needs. Starting at around 60 days, you should check on Jenny as frequently as possible. Guinea pigs tend to make interesting groaning noises when they are going into labor. The entirety of labor should not take very long once it starts - no more than an hour. When she's having a contraction, she might make a kind of "hiccuping" movement. From this point, if Jenny appears to be struggling to give birth for more than 15 minutes, if there is more than a tablespoon of blood, or if she becomes lethargic or is drooling, please bring her to the veterinarian immediately. These could be indicators of dystocia (difficult birth) or pregnancy toxemia, both of which are life-threatening conditions. Once a pup is born, Jenny should clean off the birth sac within a couple of minutes. Generally, we don't recommend intervening in this process, however sometimes first-time moms need a little bit of help. Be prepared to assist with this process, as well as with cutting the umbilical cord with a sterilized scissor about 1/2 inch away from the pup's abdomen. Only do this if Jenny does not. You may also need to stimulate the pup by cleaning it's mouth out and gently rubbing its body. This will hopefully encourage breathing and movement, at which time Jenny should take over. Be careful of the pups' eyes as they will be open. Of course, if she doesn't appear interested in the pups at all, you should contact your vet as soon as possible. Furthermore, if there is still a male in the same cage as Jenny, I highly recommend separating them before she gives birth. Guinea pigs have what is called a postpartum estrus - this means that she can get pregnant again right after giving birth. Additionally, the more adult animals that are in the cage with the pups, the more likely they may be accidentally trampled. A really wonderful thing about guinea pig pups is that they are precocious. This means that they are born fully furred with ears and eyes wide open, and they will start eating solid food within a few days of birth - sometimes on the very next day! Jenny will still nurse and care for the pups until weaning, which should be around 3 weeks of age. It's very important to separate babies from mom at this age as the males become sexually mature around this time, meaning that they could impregnate Jenny or their siblings. I realize that this is a lot of information - if you are at all concerned about Jenny's health at any time, give your vet a call! Good luck to you and mama Jenny!

Thanks for your question about Pancake, and I am sorry to hear that he lost his mother. Thankfully, guinea pigs are born precocious, which means that they are ready to go! They eat solid food and are not completely reliant on their mother's milk for nutrition. They are normally weaned by approximately 5 weeks old. With Pancake being about 2 weeks old, hopefully he will end up being okay. I would recommend monitoring his food intake closely, and his production of feces. Additionally, I would recommend that you purchase a digital gram scale to weigh him on a daily basis to ensure that he is gaining weight over time. You can find these online or in the kitchen section at many department stores. If you find that he is not thriving, I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian. I hope that this gives you a place to start, and I wish you and Pancake the best!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry about your little Guinea pig. In terms of survival of the baby, you have a difficult road ahead of you. Unfortunately it will be very hard to get this little baby through alive, but it is worth trying. You will need to feed the little pig a product called Critical Care. Milk is not good for Guinea pigs so don't feed this. Some pigs will eat off a spoon and some will need to be syringe fed. It is important to syringe feed very slowly and carefully to avoid having the fluid go into the lungs or causing aspiration. Also, it is important to weigh little Zeke immediately, and daily, to ensure that Zeke is properly gaining weight. Keeping Zeke the right temperature is important as well, so make sure Zeke has a warm, dry and clean environment. Zeke will also require help urinating and defecating for the first week or so, so ensure you are wiping the genitals and anus with a wet, warm cloth multiple times a day and that Zeke is peeing and pooping. Also, make sure there are pellets, grass, greens and hay available for Zeke to start eating as soon as he is ready. It is best to have Zeke seen by an exotics specialist as well to discuss other husbandry issues. Best of luck with Zeke!

Ideally, they should not be handled for the first two weeks of life. Squeak will eventually eat the placentas but if she doesn't, you can carefully remove any uneaten portions to keep the cage clean.

You'll need to set up a baby safe cage. A basic cage (preferably one without fancy tubes and tunnels), paper towels, Pet-safe bedding (NOT sawdust), Hamster muesli, Fresh vegetables (carrot or cucumber being better choices for babies), and a water bottle. Keep this all warm with a hot water bottle wrapped in two thicknesses of towel or a heating pad underneath only half the cage, that way if it gets too hot they can move away from it. From 1-14 days old hourly feeds with kitten formula are required. Pups get dehydrated in a matter of hours so not feeding them hourly could kill them. It is a very time-consuming task hand feeding pups.You have to take it slow. Any hurry or forceful feeding can lead to milk being inhaled into the lungs and causing death within the minute. Gently hold the pup in your hand being careful not to squeeze them tightly. Using a pipette or eyedropper full of milk, place it near the pups mouth. They are not used to being fed this way so resistance is natural. Try not to squeeze vast quantities into their mouth, they’ll choke! Little and often is the way to go. Allow the pup to lick/bite the end of the pipette on their own to take in milk. If they don't show an interest, a small drop of milk on the bottom lip can be licked up. Wait for the pup to stop ‘chewing’ the milk (its how they swallow and is normal) then repeat About 2 or 3 drops in one sitting is plenty for a little hamster. Anymore and you may be doing more harm than good. When the pups are eating soft/solid foods (approximately between 10-16 days) the milk weaning can begin reducing feeds to every 3 hours. When the pups are comfortably feeding themselves, milk feeds can be stopped altogether.

Thanks for reaching out. Juvenile guinea pigs should be separated from the mother/infants, especially if in a confined space. Too much competition for social hierarchy. Also, you need to get the boar castrated if wanting to keep together. Good luck.