pregnant guinea pig advice

Question
My guinea pig has been pregnant for quite a few weeks now, we are guessing around 8 weeks. Within the past few days she has become quite grumpy and will not allow us to pick her up to give her some floor time. She is fine with being petted in the cage but once we try to take her out, she becomes irritable and occasionally bites at us. Just wondering if this normal behavior and possibly a sign that the babies are coming soon? also wondering if you could offer any advice regarding her pregnancy/labor/the newborns etc.

Answer
well congrads firstly

gestation tends to be between 60-75 days, also the sow only comes into season once every 15 days,this means that there is a varience between 60-100 days from conception to birth. so eight weeks would be about right, and they do tend to be a little grumpy as they get nearer. I woul avoid handling her now until after the pups are born unless she needs to be.

for the birth itself it will likely happen when you are all in bed, try not to worry she should be fine, just make sure the male is not still in the same cage, back to back birthing is very bad for a female.

if there are any comflications that you notice or realise then get her to a vets straight away, 20% of births result in the female or the young dying.

once they are born you need to seperate the males between 3 to 5 weeks depending on their size and look to rehome the pups between 5-8 weeks, all of this depends on size, the smaller the litter then the quicker they grow. i think the weight for when they can be seperated is around 500 grams, double check online.

foodwise alfalfa hay is a good idea to feed her from now until the pups are weaned and then things like carrots, parsley and best of all fresh grass, rockets dandylions etc. always remember the less suhgary and less watery then the better.

best of luck