Guinea pigs are very cutefluffy creatures that took pride of place among pets. Many owners are so addicted to these animals that they turn into real breeders. Sooner or later, they are asked: “What care do pregnant guinea pigs require?”
Sexual maturity of females begins already at the stage.twenty eight days of life. However, there are cases when this happened on the twentieth day. The sexual maturity of males comes much later. This usually happens by the sixtieth - seventieth day of life. Despite early maturity, at this age the female is not yet able to produce healthy young without negative consequences for her health. The best time for carrying is considered a period from six to nine months of life.
Duration of carrying litter
The pregnant guinea pig is in“Interesting” position from sixty to sixty eight days, depending on the number of offspring. On average, this period lasts sixty-four days. However, with a small number of calves, a pregnant guinea pig can remain so for seventy-two days. Already from the twentieth to the twenty-fifth week, the fetus is palpable in the lower abdomen.
Food
Like humans, guinea pigs are not capable ofself-production of vitamin C. During pregnancy, the need for additional intake of vitamins and trace elements increases. Therefore, you need to ensure proper balanced nutrition to your pet. An adult guinea pig should consume between ten and twenty milligrams of vitamins per kilogram of body weight per day. At the moment, there is a wide range of fortified feeds in various pet stores, so there should be no search problems.
Care
After the first half of the gestation periodpregnant guinea pigs need special care. At this time, you should inspect the nesting house is extremely rare. Cleaning a cell and moving it from one place to another is done only when it is absolutely necessary. It must be remembered that pregnant guinea pigs are sensitive to excessive anxiety and careless handling. As a result of recent manipulations, miscarriage may occur. Many are interested in what a pregnant guinea pig looks like. Do not rush to satisfy the curiosity of others. You need to take precautions and remember that this complex physiological process is extremely difficult, and any stresses adversely affect an animal like a pregnant guinea pig. Photos of this animal should also be done carefully, if possible avoiding the use of flash.
Regardless, a day or two before giving birththe cage should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, after which it is necessary to place such important detail as a fresh litter in the nesting house. Its basis is usually made of fine fragrant hay.
Probable hazards
It happens that pregnant guinea pigsundergo preterm labor. In this situation, it is necessary to lead bacteriological research. This is done in order to identify the causes of miscarriage. Most often, such cases occur as a result of brucellosis, also called infectious abortion.
Childbirth
Natural completion of marine pregnancypigs lasts about a day, if the litter is numerous. In case there are few calves, childbirth will last for an hour. Normally proceeding deliveries do not need the assistance of a veterinarian. Only as a last resort, when the mumps fails to give birth itself, a specialist should intervene. This happens in females with a narrow pelvis, in violation of labor, with large litter size or the wrong presentation of the fetus.
Usually two to three are bornkids, rarely their number can reach six. Kids quickly open eyes, and after an hour or two they begin to move independently around the house. The young are already adapted to self-feed, however, they need mother's milk. Feeding lasts up to one month. After the third or fourth day of life, babies eat common food with their mother's milk.
