Breeding/Genetics

Question
Hi Do you know if you should have male and female cages adjacent to each other when you are going to breed Guinea Pigs. Also what color Guinea Pig should you get if you want the babies to be black, brown, or black and white.

Answer
Hi Jordan,

    First of all, be sure that the female you purchase is about 6 months old when she becomes pregnant.  This is because after about 9 months, a sow's pelvic bones will fuse together, make passage difficult for the babies, may result in the death of the mom and/or the litter.

    When a female is pregnant, it is good for her to have the company of another guinea pig, even her mate, up until the time of delivery.  A cagemate will provide mental stimulation, as well as help to lower stress hormones.


    White in a guinea pig is expressed depending on a gene that is completely separate from the gene that causes black and brown, so in order for white to be present, your best bet would be to mate two guinea pigs who have some white patches present.  Black and brown are dominant colors, but can also be expressed by two different factors.  For what you are looking for, I believe your best bet is to mate two black, white, and brown guinea pigs, or else a black and white guinea pig with a brown and white guinea pig.

    Thank you for your question, I hope I have been of some help to you.  If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.  When you purchase your guinea pigs, I may be able to give a general prediction of the appearance of the babies if you send me a few pictures.  Good luck with your guinea pigs (=