I dont know if my guinea pig is pregnant

Question
Is my guinea pig pregnant because she eats and drinks very often when i first bought her from the pet store she was eating an d drinking normally but she was also kept with a male guinea pig and the pet store people dont watch them she  lets me hold her but she doesn't like me rubbing her stomach (she makes a noise like she wants me to stop) she made a little nest in the cage to lay in and she only moves around to eat and drink when i first brought her home she was eating and drinking normal but now she drinks and eats almost every 10 or 15 seconds  do you think she is pregnant? PLEASE HELP ME I'AM IN DESPERATE NEED

Answer
Hi Tanisha,

This may sound like a silly question - but has she gained weight and does she look like an aubergine/eggplant (wide at the base) when you look at her from above?

Regardless, she is almost certainly pregnant if she was living with a male. Increased eating and drinking, tenderness of the belly and decreased movement are all strong indicators of pregnancy. Unfortunately, pet shop staff are very inexperienced with guinea pigs and you can almost guarantee that a pet store piggy will be pregnant or have a skin complaint when you take her home.

Don't worry though - as long as she is under six months of age and has been fed a healthy diet, she should make a good mother. Does she live alone or with other piggies? As long as she's alone or with other females, there's nothing you can do now except wait. A guinea pig is pregnant for 68-72 days (9-10 weeks). When she's in the final stages you will be able to feel (and sometimes even see!) the pups moving her round. Don't handle her except when you need to clean her cage out during this time as she will be uncomfortable enough as it is.

She will probably have her babies overnight or any other time you're not looking. So be prepared to open the cage and find your piggy plus mini-me's. She will have between 1 and 6 pups - 3 is the most usual number.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

Jenny.