Pregnant gp

Question
Ok my guinea pig has been pregnant for a while now and I no she is pregnant because I can feel the babies moving!!! I can't tell if her provide has speed yet because I don't no where her pelvis is!!! I have noticed that she is very fat but still is as active as ever should I be worried about her she manly just sits in the house thing with her head sticking out all day I'm really worried so if you could get back to me ASAP that would be awesome!!!!!!! Thanks A lot!!!! :P

Answer

Teddy sow with babies Congratulations Ayla. You're right, if you feel babies moving there's no doubt she's pregnant.  I'm not sure what your second sentence is trying to say as I'm not sure what you mean by "her provide has speed".

If you're asking how to tell if the pelvic bones & ligaments are spreading that's easier than you think. You just gently put your forefinger underneath her vent (the opening where her genitals are) and you will feel two bones touching your finger. They are normally almost closed, spread apart about 1/4 in.  The last three days or so they begin to spread wider and you can almost (but not quite) get your fingers between them.  Do not try to spread them.  Just touch enough to feel, otherwise you could hurt her.  It's really not important that you do this. She's not going to deliver until the time is right, so don't worry about that.

Typically you begin to feel quickening (movement) about two to two and a half weeks prior to delivery. Since you're feeling movement you know she's at least that close. Lying around not doing much is typical as well.  Cavy babies usually weigh in at about 4 oz at birth. If she has three babies that's 12 oz.  If she only weighs 32 oz. (which is normal for a full grown pig) she is carrying more than one third of her own weight. That would be like a 120 lb woman giving birth to a 35 lb baby! So it's no wonder she's feeling lazy.

Here's a picture of newborn babies. They were about one hour old when this was taken. You can see that there is still residual blood and they've not been completely cleaned off yet.
When the babies are born they have their eyes open, they have a full set of teeth and all their hair. They will run around within a few hours of birth.

You don't need to do anything special for her.  She will do it all. As the babies are born she will clean the sac and take care of them. She won't mind if you touch them. She won't nurse the babies until she has emptied out everything in her uterus. Each baby has an individual placenta. Like other animals she will eat them. They contain important nutrients that she needs.

If she seems to be ignoring the babies don't interfere. She's not done delivering. I've had babies that sat in the corner as long as ten hours without mother nursing them. But she knows what she's doing, and when the time is right she will nurse them.  

Stillborn babies are commonplace in cavies. If there's a runt or weak one in the litter the sow will not make any concessions for them. She won't waste her time trying to save a weak baby and allow the healthy ones to suffer. That's how nature works and is why wild animals are always strong and healthy.  So don't be upset if that happens. It's a part of the process.  

In most cases you won't be there when she delivers. They seem to like the very early morning hours to bring their babies into the world. She will not lay on her side. She will hunch up, lift her behind and push as though having a difficult bowel movement. Sometimes they make movements that look like hiccups. Once the baby's head begins to pass, the mother reaches down and pulls it out. She does this by hooking her front teeth under the pup's front teeth and pulls.  

It usually takes about ten to twenty minutes between babies.  Sometimes longer. If she has a large baby or a dead baby it often takes longer. She might go overnight and not pass the last one for a few hours. Again, don't intervene.

They don't always eat every afterbirth.  They look like little cushions about the size of a penny. So just discard any she leaves.

It's best not to handle her anymore than absolutely necessary in these last couple of weeks. If you must pick her up use both hands and go underneath her belly, giving her complete support.

Once the babies are dried off they usually stick close to the spot where they were born for a few days.  They seem to sense that's where they should stay.  Unlike rabbits that will kill their babies if you touch them, guinea pig moms don't mind at all.

Have you camera ready. It's a very special moment. The babies grow very fast.