Breeding/ Health

Question
One of my guinea pigs recently had a piglet. We separated her from the male guinea after she delivered the piglet. She is now pregnant again. Is it possible that the baby piglet got her pregnant?

Another one of my guinea pigs also had a piglet but it didn't live. What could've caused that?

Answer
Hi Erica,

Most likely the father made her pregnant again.  Guinea pigs can get pregnant within an hour of delivering a litter.

It is possible for male guinea pig pups to make females pregnant as young as 3 or 4 weeks, so you need to separate the males from the females before 4 weeks of age.

Sometimes new guinea pig mothers don't know what to do when a pup is born and they don't take care of them.  Or other times they just come too slowly and that causes oxygen deprivation, which causes death.  Sometimes pups are just born "unthrifty" which means they are probably not fully formed internally.

I hope this answers your question.  Take extra care of your pregnant sow. A second pregnany right after one is hard on them.  If I can help any more let me know.

Annie