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The whole birthing processes only takes between fifteen and forty minutes. You may miss it. Don’t expect to see much blood or mess, either.
If you are present when she goes into labor, you will see her “hiccupping” or experiencing pre-labor pains. With each contraction she will hunch up and then reach under her and grab the baby. The mother bites through the umbilical cord and cleans the embryonic sac off of the baby’s face. Four or five minutes later, the next baby should come out, so she has a good rhythm for bringing her pups into the world.
If your pet begins to squeal in pain, bleed or collapse due to exhaustion then rush her to the vet. Never, never try to deliver the babies yourself!
From time to time newborns will come out faster than the mother can clean them all. If this happens, you must be sure to clean the embryonic sac off of the baby’s face with a clean towel. Otherwise they will suffocate. New mothers might forget to bite through the umbilical cords, so you may need to have a small pair of sterilized scissors ready. Cut the cord ½ inch from the pup’s belly.
Mother and her babies will curl up in a corner for warmth and feeding after the delivery is over.
Guinea Pig Babies
Born with fur, teeth and nails, guinea pig pups will be exploring their new home with open eyes two hours after being born. Within twenty-four hours they will begin to eat hay, produce and pellets like their parents. Every two hours or so they will nurse. Guinea pigs wean from their mother after three or four weeks of life.
You can expect pups that are two or three inches long and weigh three or four ounces. A birth weight that is lower than two ounces means that the pup will most likely die. Generally, babies born to a healthy mother during a normal delivery do survive.
Guinea pig parents participate in caring for their offspring. As long as the father is neutered, you can allow him to be in the cage with the female and the pups. The new family will communicate with one another and probably walk around the cage in a line.
Some male rodents harm or eat their children. Male guinea pigs do not do this. If the father is not neutered, you want to keep him away from the female until he is neutered or she is spayed. (Please note that spaying is a serious operation for female guinea pigs). In the event that you want the female to go through another pregnancy, the father should not be put back in with the female until two or three months after her delivery. This allows her to regain her strength and health.
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