Seperate or not? and travel??

Question
QUESTION: Hi, My girl piggie is pergent, she'll be 60 days this Saturday. Super active, running around still. Don't want to sound like an irresponsible owner but I'm traveling 3 hrs away this weekend. 1)Should I bring her in a cage, so I'll be there if needed? last time they took a car ride, they both stay inside the house together. I'm trying not to stress her out! or better off keep them home with lots of food and water (I have it setup so they don't run out of food & water). 2)I keep hearing that I need to seperate them because when she have baby she might rather be alone. Someone at work told me her guinea pig ate her babies because she was scare the male will attack the baby... is a first hand experience from a co-worker?? but when I try to seperate my piggies, they're stress, they're bitting the cage like crazy.... what should I do? she's okay when seperate when don't see him, but he is totally stress... but cage beside each other, forget it... they're going crazy to be seperated.... 3) if I leave them home this weekend keep them together or seperate? sorry... not going out of town is not an option this weekend... thanks for your advice.... arr... I never have any pet with babies before, my first time. Thanks!

ANSWER: I would not recommend traveling with her that far in the car. At this stage of her pregnancy it may be too much for her. I do have to ask however, how do you know she is 60 days?  Is that the date you first introduced the male?  If so she may not be nearly as far along as you think.

A sow comes into heat about every two or three weeks. It's extremely difficult to know the day of conception, as she may not conceive the first couple of times. That could push her due date up as far as a month. She's only in heat for a couple of days so cavies are not easy to calculate breeding dates. Rabbits are what are called "spontaneous ovulators" meaning if you put the buck in with the doe she immediately ovulates and conception is assured.

Guinea pigs are not like rabbits. The boars are excellent dads and will not in any way harm those babies. They will cuddle, clean and nurture their pups and do everything but nurse them. Rabbits will kill the babies to cause the doe to come back into heat. No so with cavies. So for that reason you have nothing to worry about.

That being said you need to understand that the sow will come into heat within about three or four hours of delivery and the boar will breed her back. Baby sows can come into heat as young as two weeks old, and if dad is there he will breed them too.  So for THAT reason you should remove him before the babies are born.

You can house them close together where they can still see and touch noses with one another, but I would recommend they are not kept in the same cage.

Although it occasionally happens that a mother will mutilate a dead baby it's not because she's scared. Typically they are panicky to try to resuscitate the dead baby and in their panic to stimulate them they chew off a body part. When giving birth the first thing the mom does is try to remove the sac from the baby. She will then lick and wash the baby rapidly to stimulate it's breathing. If the baby doesn't start breathing or moving the mom sometimes (but not very often)mutilates her dead baby in her attempt to revive it. It is not because the mom was scared by something else.

Fortunately this doesn't happen often, but if it does please rest assured that baby was stillborn before she did this.

Most births happen in the very early morning hours. You will just wake up and there will be a few new eyes staring at you. You can handle the newborns as soon as they're dry, but be cautious. They are very fast and will jump out of your arms in a heartbeat. So make sure they're totally secured.

If you're able to leave mom home with plenty of food and water I think that would be the safest thing to do. They are better left in familiar surroundings than taking them on a road trip with new scary sights, sounds and smells.

I hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any other concerns.

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

QUESTION: thanks for the response.

1) In that case, is there anyway I could keep the boar happy? He is crewing on the cage, shaking door, everything when I put him in a different cage from her.

2) is it possible that someone could breed a guinea pig with a mouse?? okay. I'm totally NOT doing that. The reason I ask is that my boar (of course don't have a tail). He's my FIRST guinea pig that chew "all the time". He act like a guinea pig most time, but sometimes I'm unsure.

3)the sow was in a pet store in her own cage for 2 weeks. She wasn't pregant when I bought her. met my boar on Monday (Feb 6), Friday when I pick her up, I notice she's getting fat - only in the belly. I felt the little things inside... it is 62 days since they met. So I'm pretty sure about when she was conceived. My friends piggie didn't have baby till over 9 mts together, so I thought I would be okay before I figure should I get him fix. Is it a good idea to get the boar fix? since if not he can't play with others...?

4) I should separate them now right? she should is totally expect to have her baby this week, and I'm not home for normal standard working hours....?? I don't want to stress her out though... what's better?

thanks so much! sorry for so many questions.

Answer
By all means separate them now. The boar will get over it, trust me! She is less stressed right now by being without him.

Cavies are grazing animals. Their teeth continue to grow constantly and they chew to help keep them trimmed. But they also sometimes just chew for the fun of it. He's reacting to her hormones and wants to be there. Tell him no. He will be fine on his own.

It's just a 'guy thing'. They would like you to think they're going to implode if they don't get their way. They will not. Just shut the boy out and let him adjust.