Pregnant cavy concerns

Question
Hi, I bought a female guinea pig from what I thought was a reputable pet shop 3 weeks ago.  I was told that she was a mama and the pups with her were her babies.  She is smooth haired and the pups had cow licks all over.  She looks to be an adult.  I noticed "kickers" about 2 weeks ago and had suspicions of pregnancy.  I am concerned about the welfare of mama and the pups.  Is it highly possible that the pups she is pregnant with now will have genetic mutations if she was impregnated by one of her offspring?  Or maybe she is pregnant from another boar right after her last pregnancy?  Does this mean she should be delivering next week?  I've never had a cavy before, but have been doing extensive research on the Internet.

Thank you,
Christin


Answer
Hello Christin,

There is a chance with inbreeding that the pups will have genetic disorders, however, if this is the first inbreeding (Mom isn't inbred herself and the father of her unborn litter isn't inbred), chances are good that they'll all be ok. I would not recommend ever breeding any of the resulting pups though. She could have gotten pregnant just after delivery if there was a boar in the cage, so this is possible. She will be delivering within the next week to 2 weeks. Pup movement is usually felt 3 - 4 weeks before delivery, so she is getting very close. I recommend continue reading all you can about piggy pregnancy (I'll include a few links you may not have seen yet) and try not to leave her unless you have to. Being there when she delivers is ideal in case she needs help. Unfortunantly that's not always possible, but be with her as much as you can. Oh and male pups need to be separated from Mom and sisters at 3 weeks to prevent further pregnancies. Since this is your first piggy, I'll include a link for gender identification too. Good luck and best wishes for a safe delivery and healthy pups. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Pregnancy
http://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction.html

http://www.diddly-di.fsnet.co.uk/breeding.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/2517/pregnant.htm

http://www.lienanimal.com/z_guineapreg.pdf

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/pets/guinea-pig-faq/section-8.html

Gender Identification
http://cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

-kkat
www.geocities.com/abyssinianguineapigs