When to handle newborn guinea pigs? Mom didn't eat placenta, worried.

Congratulations on your new guinea pigs! They are adorable! Pups should start nursing during the first 24 hours and will continue to do so for about 3 weeks. During this time they will also start to experiment with solid food, so offer the pups fresh alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets. You can also offer them regular timothy hay and fresh fruits such as oranges and bell peppers, which are high in vitamin C. The water bottle should be positioned so that the babies can easily reach the spout. Ensure the cage is large enough for all the adults and pups, and place it in a quiet area of the house, away from direct sunlight. Don't be afraid to start handling the pups early. This will help to socialize them with humans easier. Don't try to handle them when they are sleeping or nursing, but other than that you can try to handle them for a few minutes each day. I would advise taking them to a vet within the first 3 weeks in order to determine their sex. Boys and girls should be separated at the 3 week mark as accidental pregnancies can occur as early as 3-4 weeks. Similarly, I would separate the father now if you haven't done so already. I hope this helps! Enjoy your new babies!

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!

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 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!

As long as the baby is nursing regularly I wouldn’t be too concerned at this point. It is normal for the babies to lose a small amount of weight the first week or so of life. If the baby isn’t nursing or the mom is ignoring the baby or if the mom seems reluctant to eat, then I would be concerned. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello. With little Zeke you will have to help him urinate and defecate for at least the first week. This means every few hours you get a wet warm cloth or paper towel, and you wipe the penis and the anus to stimulate urination and defecation. The mom would have done this by licking. Water can be given free choice in a bowl if the pig is eating out of a bowl, otherwise you will give water with the critical care mixed in. You can also very gently, slowly and carefully syringe water into it's mouth, or bring a dropper of water to it's mouth and let Zeke 'drink' from the end of the dropper. Best of luck with Zeke.

You will need to raise this one as an orphan. I suggest you refer to this article for information. If you have more questions after reading this please feel free to post again. Best wishes. ( https://www.petplace.com/article/small-mammals/general/caring-for-orphaned-guinea-pigs/ )