Labour

Question
QUESTION: My pregnant guinea pig is due, I can feel legs, head and she is huge.  Its her 3rd litter, she is still eating, drinking and the babies are still active.  Yesterday she started leaking out a very light pink fluid and her urine is yellow.   I have paper towel in her cage so i can see but it also seems to be more pink fluid there then she would normally pee.    I'm not sure if I'm checking right but the bones are about 1cm apart but have been that way for a few days.  Any idea how much longer?  Is this a sign of labour?

Thanks Very Much
Colleen

ANSWER: This could be a sign of delivery soon, maybe within the next two days. Size isn't always an indicator of how close or how many they will have. Some sows get enormous and have two, others barely show and have four or five.

A tiny bit of blood or water on a paper towel can spread to make it look like there's more there than there really is. It's not uncommon for this to occur. She's just getting ready to go into labor.

At this point there's nothing you can really do. I would not stress her by checking her anymore. She will take care of everything. I would expect that in the next day or so you'll be greeted by some new little eyes starting at you.

Good luck, would love to see pictures when they arrive.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Family   QUESTION: Thank You so much!

I was so worried for days and wasn't sure if her or the babies would make it.  She had the babies 4 days after I received your reponse.  

She lost quite a bit of pink fluid over a few days, but is doing fine. I placed her in my bedroom during the day, closed the blind so it was dark and went out.  2 hours later I came home to find her with 2 little ones!  I was fortunate to see her deliver the other 4.  

Butterscotch is a skinny pig/Abyssinian but resembles an Abyssinian.
Morty is a Skinny Pig.
She gave birth to 6 healthy skinny pigs, all were perfect and there was no stillborn.  Shes an amazing mom!  Mom weighed just over 4lbs, the babies were 4oz, except 2 which were 3 oz and 2oz.  The smallest named Wilbur.

Thanks so much,
Colleen

Answer
WOW!  Congratulations. She's done what many pigs cannot and that's to deliver SIX BABIES without losing one. She is indeed an amazing mom.  

I'm so very happy for you and her (and of course Morty). Thank you so very much for sending pictures. The babies are just precious. Now you have a big decision.......... are you going to keep any or all of them?

I'd love it if you would post weekly pictures of the 'kids' so I can see their development. Again my profound congratulations.  You have many days of fun and enjoyment ahead as they grow.