My Pregent G pig

Question
i have a pregent guninea pig... i think but how do i know for sure she is deffintly bigger but i dont feel no lumps but today i saw her dig a little nest but my male guniea pigs was nutured but after 5 days we put them to together and he can still get my female guniea pigs pregent within 2 weeks shes been acting strangly also when ever i touch her stomache she bites and gets mean i dont poke it i gentally rub it so my questons are...
1. Will she eat and drink and go to the bathroom more???
2.will she start to dig a nest??
3.how do you tell when shes due???
4.will she get more aggresive torwds me and people?
5.will the male help with the birth if my pig is pregent???


Answer
Hi Lou,

If your male guinea pig has been neutered then he can not have got your female pregnant. Is there a chance he could have mated with her before his operation, or has she come into contact with any other male piggies?

You won't feel any lumps until quite late on in the pregnancy; they will be either side of her stomach (she will look wider from above) rather than underneath. Guinea pigs do not generally enjoy having their tummies touched so please try to avoid doing this. If she is pregnant, she will be pregnant for 68-72 days (9-10 weeks) and during the last couple of weeks you should avoid handling her unnecessarily.

1) Yes. Guinea pig pregnancy is very similar to human pregnancy; she'll eat more, drink more, wee more, and weigh more!

2) This is very unusual. She'll appreciate if there's extra hay in the cage when she gives birth for her to lay on, but won't dig a nest as such. If she is digging, it could be that she is stressed. Stress can cause complications during the birth, so you need to try to make her more at ease (see my answer to number 5).

3) She will be pregnant for 68-72 days, so try to work out when she's due. In the days before the birth, you will be able to see the babies moving around. She should give birth without any problems, usually when you're not looking. If you hear her start, listen from a distance for any signs she's struggling. If she is over 6 months old and this is her first pregnancy, take her to a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet for a check-up ASAP as sows over 6 months often have unsuccessful births.

4) She will be a bit grumpy and won't enjoy being handled. So yes. Feed her her favourite foods and pet her in the cage rather than getting her out.

5) No. You will need to move the male to another cage if the female is pregnant. Even if he's been neutered he will be continuously trying to mate with her, causing stress, which can lead to complications in the pregnancy and during the birth. He will also harrass the female babies in the same way once they're born, and will try to exert his domiance over the male babies, who will be too small to fight him off. Depending on the genders of the babies, you should be able to reintroduce him to the mother, a female baby, or a male baby once they have weaned.

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions - just ask!

Jenny.