Distressed mother.

Question
My guinea pig had 2 baby boys, and they are turning 4 weeks old tomorrow. I separated them today, and they are separated in the same cage by a divider. The mother is very distressed and continues to climb the wall to get to her babies, the babies are trying to do the same.

I do not want my guinea pigs to hurt themselves, but I also don't want them to impregnate the mother.
Should I put the mother in a small carrier cage, as I have no other cage to use. What should I do?

Answer
Put the babies back in with the mother. Although they mature quickly those 4 week old babies are not going to impregnate mom. Anatomically they cannot do that and if she's still nursing them she will not allow it.

If she were indifferent to the babies being removed they would be okay, but she obviously isn't ready to wean them. I typically don't wean any babies before five weeks, and even then I only pull the little boys. That way mom is able to more naturally dry up her milk supply and there isn't a chance of mastitis.

Some moms just need to nurse their babies longer. We humans always want to pull the young away from our pets rather than allowing the mom to do it the way nature intended. When you think about the animals in the wild their young stay with them for an unusually long period of time. A mother lion, tiger, wolf, bear and others keep the young beside them until they are nearly half grown and have been taught how to survive without mom.

I have a number of friends who own show dogs and when they breed they never let their pups go until they are at least 7 weeks old. The backyard breeders who are just breeding for money want to sell off puppies and kittens by five or six weeks. It's not in the best interest of the babies. They're more likely to suffer illnesses and potential death because they lack the immunity mom gives them.

If I have a litter of just baby sows I leave them with mom and they are almost always weaned by the mother by six weeks of age. Rarely have I ever seen a baby try to nurse when over six weeks of age. If they try mom kicks them away.

Leave these boys with her for at least another week. Mom is trying to tell you she's not ready to leave them yet. Give her a little more time.