- Grass hay ( meadow hay or timothy hay): This is excellent hay feed to guinea pigs by their owners. This hay is fresh grass, which is dried out after cutting. ...
- Oat grass: This grass is made by oat grass, which is cropped before it grows. Once the oat cultivates, this hay then does not carry any nutrients for guinea pigs. ...
- Alfalfa grass: This is quite different than usual hay; it is more legume than grass. Alfalfa hay is usually offered to young guinea pigs. ...
What should I Feed my 3 week old baby guinea pigs?
At three weeks old, you can start to treat the newborn guinea pigs like adult guinea pigs. They can be weaned off their mother’s milk and eat a typical, balanced diet.
What do guinea pig puppies eat?
Pups generally eat the same thing as adult guinea pigs, so you do not need to feed a specialized baby diet. One exception is that pups need additional calcium in their first few weeks of life. The extra calcium will help their bones grow properly. Additionally, young, pregnant, or nursing Guinea Pigs need unlimited pellet food throughout the day.
Can you feed baby guinea pigs pellets?
Feeding baby guinea pigs is similar to providing nourishment to older guinea pigs. Young Guinea pigs need lots of food and prefer more pellets to eat. Putting your guinea pigs in good habits of eating healthy food is very important. What they learn at a young age will directly impact their diet as they grow older.
How do you take care of a 2 week old guinea pig?
Also, don’t rely only on milk for their nutritional needs. After turning two weeks old, baby guinea pigs will require some solid food and water. Ignoring these supplies will leave guinea pigs malnourished. Baby guinea pigs will feel energetic at times, but they will require constant short naps.
When can baby guinea pigs eat food?
Baby guinea pigs start nursing in 24 hours, and eat solid foods at three days as mom shows them how.
Do baby guinea pigs need any special food?
Pups generally eat the same thing as adult guinea pigs, so you do not need to feed a specialized baby diet. One exception is that pups need additional calcium in their first few weeks of life. The extra calcium will help their bones grow properly.
What milk do I feed a baby guinea pig?
Use full-fat goat's milk, or prepare a milk mixture of half water and half evaporated milk. Soak brown bread in the milk, and offer this to the baby GP on a teaspoon - they'll suck the milk out. This isn't as nutritious as a guinea pig mother's milk, but it's the second best thing.
How do you take care of newborn guinea pigs?
1:415:46What to Do If Your Guinea Pig Had Babies - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFeeding. If you cannot get the mom to feed her young this will probably involve syringe feeding someMoreFeeding. If you cannot get the mom to feed her young this will probably involve syringe feeding some form of pet milk. Every two to three.
How soon can you hold a baby guinea pig?
Baby guinea pigs should not be held at all for at least one week after birth, and must always be handled very gently.
Do baby guinea pigs drink water?
Guinea pigs need water! Even if they're not drinking it, you should refresh their water every few days. You never know when a thirst will take them. Like all animals, guinea pigs should always have fresh, clean water to drink.
Can you bottle feed baby guinea pigs?
You can also purchase small plastic feeding bottles and plastic teats from large pet shops but you will need to buy the smallest teat possible as usually the puppy and kitten ones are generally too big. Most baby guinea pigs will feed from a syringe without a problem.
Can baby guinea pigs drink normal milk?
Guinea pigs are herbivorous creatures, and because of that, it is important to avoid ever feeding them any dairy products, including milk, according to the Humane Society of Huron Valley. The furry rodents are lactose intolerant, which means that their bodies simply do not digest dairy items sufficiently or adequately.
Can baby guinea pigs eat fruit?
It is best to leave fruit for guinea pigs as a special treat, perhaps once or twice a week. You can offer fruit for guinea pigs from a young age. Baby guinea pigs can have small amounts of cavy-safe fruit, but since young guinea pigs are even smaller than grown ones, they should have even smaller amounts.
How often do baby guinea pigs drink milk?
If the baby has been rejected, then you'll need to feed it every 1 - 1.5 hours, giving them as much as they want each sitting. If the baby has been completely rejected and is getting no maternal care, then you'll need to keep them at a good temperature with a hot water bottle wrapped in blankets (so it's not too warm).
Can baby guinea pigs survive without mother?
Newborn guinea pigs, called pups, are fully furred with eyes open and able to stand shortly after birth. Even so, they cannot fend for themselves and should be nursed for at least 5 days. Guinea pigs make the best mothers and give the pups the best chance at survival.
How often do baby guinea pigs eat?
Baby Guinea Pig Diet The first week of life is critical. Every few hours for the first few days, you should hand-feed the baby guinea pig: mesh pellets or supplement powder, and if you have grown guinea pigs, also add a fecal pellet or two to the mix (there are good bacteria necessary for digestive health in there).
Do baby guinea pigs need different pellets?
Guinea pigs over 6 months should be fed timothy pellets. Pellets containing alfalfa contain a large of calcium (alfalfa is calcium-rich). Guinea pigs 6 months or less need the extra calcium for development; guinea pigs over 6 months don't.
Can newborn guinea pigs eat carrots?
Carrots are safe for your guinea pig to eat, as long as you feed them as an occasional treat rather than every day. Some guinea pigs, including those that have diabetes, allergies, or bladder stones, might be better off avoiding this colorful vegetable.
How often do baby guinea pigs eat?
Be aware that people are not the best substitutes for guinea pig moms. Orphan raising can be difficult and unrewarding. Orphans should be fed from an eyedropper or pet nurser within the first 12 to 24 hours of life. Feed every 2 hours around the clock for the first 5 days.
Can baby guinea pigs eat fruit?
It is best to leave fruit for guinea pigs as a special treat, perhaps once or twice a week. You can offer fruit for guinea pigs from a young age. Baby guinea pigs can have small amounts of cavy-safe fruit, but since young guinea pigs are even smaller than grown ones, they should have even smaller amounts.
How to care for a female guinea pig?
This is important whether you are bringing home pups or caring for the ones that your female guinea pig has given birth to. Guinea pigs can be very sensitive to noise, so your pups will need to stay in a quiet area during their first few weeks of life.
How to keep guinea pigs from escaping?
For example, there is usually one-inch spacing between the bars on a guinea pig cage. Your pups could possibly be small enough to squeeze through this spacing. To prevent them from doing this, consider purchasing a cage that has a deeper pan at the bottom. The deeper pan would be more difficult for your pups to climb out of.
How big should a guinea pig cage be?
The cage should be at least 7.5 square feet. If you purchased pups from the pet store, make sure that the cage is large enough before you leave the store. [1]
What does a guinea pig look like?
Female guinea pigs will have what looks like a tiny grain of rice in their genital area. Male guinea pigs will have a white ring in this area. It is recommended to have your veterinarian or a guinea pig expert determine the sex of your pups, if this has not already been done at the pet store.
What diseases can guinea pigs get?
Monitor your pups for sickness. Guinea pigs are susceptible to many types of diseases, such as heat stress, foot pad infections, and pneumonia. Because pups need a lot of vitamin C in their diet, a deficiency of this vitamin can cause a disease called scurvy.
How long can a guinea pig stay with its mother?
Female pups can stay with their mother until four weeks of age. Guinea pigs are usually ready to begin leading more independent lives when they are around six weeks old, but you should still aim to separate them by three to four weeks of age if necessary. ...
How long does it take for a guinea pig to give birth?
Female guinea pigs typically give birth to an average of three pups per litter. The birthing process usually takes about 30 minutes, with about three to five minutes between pups. You will know when the process is over when all pups have been delivered and the mother has eaten the placenta and cleaned the pups.
How to get a guinea pig to come out of hiding?
It shouldn’t take too long for them to come out of hiding and eat the treat. After they come out, put another treat a little bit closer to you . Continue this process until the guinea pig is close enough for you to pet it. Slowly approach them with your hand and gently start petting them.
How to build trust with guinea pigs?
But from personal experience, the best way to build trust is by bribing baby guinea pigs with food and treats. No, we are not kidding. And, it works. If you want your guinea pig to come out from hiding, reaching in and grabbing them from the igloo may scare them even more. They may even make a shrieking sound.
What kind of bedding should I use for guinea pigs?
Bedding for Guinea Pig Puppies. Our personal recommendation for bedding in guinea pig cages is Timothy Hay. This multi-purpose hay can be used as bedding and also food. In fact, Timothy Hay should be part of every guinea pig’s diet regimen.
How long should guinea pigs stay on their mother's side?
Let’s be clear, a newborn guinea pig should not leave its mother’s side for at least 3 weeks. In this crucial period after birth, the baby cavy needs to be nursed in a safe environment with the mother. Failure to do so will show how irresponsible the breeder is.
What is the best food for guinea pigs?
As for food, timothy hay and pellets should make up the majority of a guinea pig’s diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables along with Vitamin C should be included in their diet. Make sure to check if the fruits/veggies are safe for your guinea pig. Some, such as oranges and melons, have a ton of Vitamin C already.
How old should a baby guinea pig be before you start raising them?
The ideal age of the baby guinea pig before you should purchase and start raising them is around 1 to 1.5 months. After 7 weeks, they will be ready to move into their new family’s home. Most commercial pet stores have guinea pigs within this range too.
Do guinea pigs need grooming?
Whereas short-haired counterparts like the Abyssinian, Texel, Teddy and American Guinea Pig don’t require as much grooming. ***. There are a lot of things to consider when you bring home a new baby cavy.
How long does it take for guinea pigs to eat their mother's food?
Guinea pigs mature quickly and will begin to nibble the hay, pellets and veggies fed to their mother within 24 hours. We noticed our guinea pig babies began to eat mama’s food within a few days of birth. As they grow, baby guinea pigs will require extra calcium to help their bones develop properly.
What are baby guinea pigs called?
Baby guinea pigs are called pups just like baby dogs. When baby guinea pigs grow up the males are called boars and the females are called sows. Just like adult pigs! Even though they share similar names, guinea pigs do not belong to either the dog or pig family. Rather, they belong to a rodent species called cavies.
What happens to guinea pigs after delivery?
Following delivery, your guinea pig mama will be exhausted and hungry. She will naturally clean up the area around her: lick the babies clean, bite off the umbilical cord and eat the placenta. This served a purpose in the wild to prevent predators from finding the newborn baby guinea pigs.
Why do guinea pigs look so fast?
Look quickly because guinea pigs are not happy being held this way. Male guinea pigs have a donut-shaped opening. If you push gently on their lower abdomen the penis may appear. Female guinea pigs have a Y-shaped opening close to their anus.
How many pups does a guinea pig have?
The average guinea pig litter is 2 to 4 pups. The size of the pups is often relative to how many pups there are in the litter. The larger the litter, the smaller the pups will likely be.
What do guinea pig babies look like?
Guinea pig babies are born looking like mini versions of their mama.
How soon can you handle a baby guinea pig?
It is perfectly fine to handle your new guinea pigs within the first week. Interact with baby guinea pigs early and as often as possible so that they become used to humans. At first your guinea pig baby may seem afraid when you pick him up. Watch carefully for signs of stress or discomfort.
What you should know about newborn guinea pigs?
There is a lot to learn about guinea pig babies. I found all of these facts about guinea pigs and their babies so interesting, I wanted to share them with you.
How many babies do guinea pigs have?
Female cavies can have between one and eight newborns per litter. Most litters range from two to four pups. Females can have five litters per year, but this can be quite dangerous for their health.
What if a mother guinea pig rejects a baby?
This was my biggest fear about guinea pigs giving birth. In the wild, an animal that is rejected by their mother is usually left with little chance of survival.
Can the father guinea pigs be with the babies?
For humans, it is common for fathers to be with their babies after birth. Naturally, I wondered if the same was true for guinea pigs. Males cannot be with the mother or newborns after birth.
Does guinea pig eat their babies?
I have heard a lot of stories about guinea pigs eating their babies after birth. This is actually a common occurrence among rodents, and it likely stems from their natural instincts.
When is the best time to separate baby guinea pigs?
Three weeks after birth is the best time to separate baby guinea pigs from their mothers. You can wait up to four weeks, but that is the maximum amount of time to wait.
How do you separate a baby guinea pig from its mother?
Once your female cavy gives birth, it is important to prepare for the newborns when they reach adulthood. Those first three weeks of life go by very quickly, and you may be unprepared if you do not consider their needs early on.
What Are Baby Guinea Pigs Called?
Now, let’s begin at the beginning. Baby guinea pigs are called pups. The name pup calls to mind baby dogs, but guinea pigs actually belong to a family of rodent species called cavies.
How Many Babies Do Guinea Pigs Have?
Lots of small animals (think rats and rabbits) have reputations for being prolific breeders. And guinea pigs are quite fertile little creatures too!
How Often Do Guinea Pigs Have Babies?
Although they are able to conceive year-round, springtime is the peak window for baby guineas appearing on the scene. After birth, Guinea pig sows can become pregnant again within hours.
Can You Touch a Newborn Guinea Pig?
It is fine to carefully handle your new guinea pig pups during their first week, but be sure to allow them plenty of time with their mother as well. Handling them too much too soon can disrupt the bond they need with their mother in order to nurse from her, and huddle against her for warmth. At worst, it can cause her to reject them.
How Long Do Baby Guinea Pigs Stay With Their Mothers?
At six weeks old baby guineas pigs are fully weaned, and have stopped nursing from their mother.
Where Can I Find Baby Guinea Pigs For Sale?
If you have decided you’re ready to take the plunge and welcome a new baby guinea pig into your life, take a look at our article Where To Buy Guinea Pigs to start your journey.
How big is a guinea pig?
Newborn guinea pigs weigh between 60g and 115g. An average sized pup measures around 3 to 5 inches at birth, and very cylindrical – roughly the size of a tangerine in fact! Individual size is generally linked to litter size, so the more siblings there are in a litter, the smaller they are each likely to be.
