my ginea pig has just given birth ti three ginea pigs what do i do now??? do i feed them leave them?? clean their cage???when can i pick one up?? help!!!!!!
2007-04-14 22:31:01 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Yes, keep the cage clean. Babies or not, cages need to be kept clean.
Their mother has instincts on how to take care of them. She'll feed them herself; if you see her standing still near them, it's because her teets are on her hind legs. She'll naturally ween them in ~4 weeks.
In the interim, give her a little more food than you usually do. She'll need it. Timothy hay (or orchard grass) should always be in abundance, but mix it some alfalfa to give her a little more calcium to help her developing youngters. Once they start eating hay, keep some alfalfa mixed in to help their development, gradually reducing the alfalfa until you're back to pure hay.
Naturally, remember to add enough food and water to feed the developing babies once they're eating on their own. Buy another food dish and water bottle if the situation warrants it. Also remember that more piggies means that you'll need a larger cage and play time to run around freely.
Three weeks after she weens them, remove any boys from the cage and house them separately. If you don't, they'll start impregnating mom and their sisters.
2007-04-15 02:26:16 · answer #1 · answered by jtrusnik 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just do whatever you'd normally do. Feed the mother, give them a little extra food, and you should get some alfalfa along with the timothy hay, as this is better for the babies.
You should clean their cage just like you normally would.
You can pick them up right away. It's better to start holding them early to get them used to people.
You need to make sure to separate the males from the females 3 weeks from BIRTH. This means they need to be separated at 21 days old.
Check out www.guinealynx.com. They have a page on pregnancy and what to do, and they have all of the info on proper diet and care.
EDIT: I just wanted to add, I read on another answer to give the guinea pig milk, but you shouldn't do this. Lactose is bad for guinea pigs and messes with their digestive tract.
2007-04-15 17:59:28 · answer #2 · answered by Sheena S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Guinea pigs are born to be independent straight away, although they usually stay with mum for about six weeks they eat solid food from birth and you can pick them up straight away. The sooner the better beacause then they become used to human hands and very tame. I have had lots of baby guinea pigs born here and they have all made wonderful pets. Yes you can clean thier house it is not a problem for the babies or mum
2007-04-15 06:14:23 · answer #3 · answered by Betti N 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i hvae a guniea pig but he doesnt have a girl friend so i havent had babys my self but i think the best thing to do is just to put some nice new hay or straw in the bedding area to keep them warm and to put some lettuce, carrots and apples in there. ( but remeber to cut them up into small peices so that they can eat it and not choke on it)
i wouldnt tuch them untill a couple of days , so the mother can look after them and wait for them to settle in to the new suroundings.
well i hope this helped and good luck with the new arivals. x
2007-04-14 22:57:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
i have pet pigs to the great litttle pets when mine has babies i leave them with there mother i would not reconmend touching them just yet leave it a few days put some food in the cage eg ; lettuce carrots but cut some up tiny for them and when the time is right they should come out and eat good luck with your new little pets :)
2007-04-14 22:40:31 · answer #5 · answered by jess y 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Make everything as natural as possible, give the mother an unlimited food supply and give her a little milk(this helped with my guinea pig) Avoid interaction with the babies for a few days as they may get scared. After about a month the babies and their mother can be treated the exact same way, hope this helps.
-Freckles
2007-04-15 07:41:30 · answer #6 · answered by Freckles 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Right now it's probably best just to leave them alone. Make sure mum and babies have plenty of food and water and that their enclosure is warm and out of the weather. Don't try to pick one up until they are at least three-six weeks old.
2007-04-14 22:41:49 · answer #7 · answered by Alyeria 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, just let mother Guinea take care of them. Be sure you don't disturb them. Put her cage in a quiet place. Give her plenty of veggies and hay.
She will nurse her babies and after a while they will stark knibbeling too.
by the way it is spelled G-U-I-N-E-A ;-) Good luck with your babies
Edit: That I spelled "guinea" is just to help someone, not to get thumbs down.. ;-)
2007-04-14 23:34:29 · answer #8 · answered by Maybe YAP again 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
carry on as normal you can pick them up , but stroke mum first so you smell of her . yes clean cage out . baby pigs drink milk from mum and eat solid food right from birth . need any more help contact me on my site www.kimmycavies.piczo.com
2007-04-15 01:04:08 · answer #9 · answered by kim r 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sweet little things...i would leave alone for a while, and just clean the feeding area....until they emerge from the nest..
2007-04-15 00:48:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋