Any domestic rodent experts out there?

[MyPerfectChicken]

My guinea pig had three pups ((babies to those who don't know)) and I happen to have forgotten when it is time to take them away from mom...?

I plan on keeping the two girls with mom and selling the boy and his dad.

 

[bantymum]

Hi,
go to cavycages.com, They should have some helpful info if you cant get an answer.
Sorry, i used to breed bunnies but they are a different kettle of fish(rabbit)!!
Good luck.

 

[LynnGrigg]

Aren't they just the cutest things! I love the big ears. From what I remember baby cavies usually start eating solid food pretty soon after birth. I'd say give em six weeks.

 

[MyPerfectChicken]

Alright... now I've got a harder question for you, what if the boy has already starting purring?!

Thank you Bantymum I'll make sure to check out that site right now!

 

[arlee453]

GP babies can be separated from mom at 3 weeks of age.

Boys can impregnate a female as early as 3-4 weeks and should be separated at 3 weeks to make sure. Some books and petstore people will say not until much later, but there are plenty of people out there who have a mom pregnant by her one month old boar baby. Females will come into heat usually around 6 wks.

Also, as soon as the mother gives birth, she comes into heat, so if you have a boar and did not separate them she is likely pregnant again.

Cavycages.com is a great site to get more information. Also Guinealynx.com (or maybe .org, can't remember) has super information on medical issues with GPs, including pregnancy. Also, they have great info there in cage size. I'll say my GPs are MUCH happier since I made them a C&C cage and they have room to run.

I will just give you fair warning - those cavycage folks are RABIDLY anti-breeding and petstores. If you are breeding on purpose, I'd not mention that over there as they will jump down your throat like crazy. I don't always agree with their stern/hard responses to people who are innocently looking for information, but I do understand why they are so against breeding and sales in petstores.

There is a huge GP overpopulation, as they breed even better than rabbits. There are many 1000's up for adoption at shelters across the country - something I didn't realize until I got on Cavycages looking for information about my GPs. Breeder pigs are treated in horrible conditions, usually and just bred back to back until they die. Every GP sold in a petstore is one less that will be rehomed.

Many, many people get them from petstores already pregnant due to missexing or just ignorance about how young they can reproduce. 2 GPs can quickly become too many to handle. They are sold as great 'starter' or kids pets but they cost me more time and energy and money than my chickens do, for sure (and no eggs...). They need a lot of room and fresh veggies to stay healthy and happy - something they won't tell you or just don't know in petstores. My 5 pigs eat about $2 per day of veggies alone, not counting their pellets and hay.

Good luck with the babies! They also have a rehoming category on there, so if you are looking to rehome your GPs you can try posting there to get them into a good home. A lot of people answer 'free' ads for GPs just to get free snake food...

 

[MyPerfectChicken]

Hmm... thanks for that great advice arlee!!

Alright... they were born ((I think)) Oct 25-26 ((I think))...

There is a huge GP overpopulation, as they breed even better than rabbits. There are many 1000's up for adoption at shelters across the country - something I didn't realize until I got on Cavycages looking for information about my GPs. Breeder pigs are treated in horrible conditions, usually and just bred back to back until they die. Every GP sold in a petstore is one less that will be rehomed.

Yeah I know about the whole population thing... it's terrible, no.. it's horrible, and wrong!

I will just give you fair warning - those cavycage folks are RABIDLY anti-breeding and petstores. If you are breeding on purpose, I'd not mention that over there as they will jump down your throat like crazy. I don't always agree with their stern/hard responses to people who are innocently looking for information, but I do understand why they are so against breeding and sales in petstores.

No I don't breed purposely and can understand why they would be so uptight about it, in fact before I buy GPs I sex them myself! Just in case...

Well thank you for all your help!!​

 

[bantymum]

I petsit for a living and I had a vet's 2 gps to look after, she gave them such a well balanced diet.
This is the daily menu:
Mon: am: 4 sticks celery,2 plain, 2 leafy
mon pm :4 baby corns, 10 green beans
Tues am: 4sticks celery, 2 plain, 2 leafy
tues pm: 2 baby carrots
wed am: 4 sticks celery, 2plain, 2 leafy
wed pm: 1 whole capsicum cut in half
thur am: 4sticks celery, 2plain, 2leafy
thur pm: 1/2 a cucumber
fri am: 4 sticks celery, 2 plain, 2 leafy
fri pm : 2 baby carrots
sat am: 4 sticks celery, 2 plain, 2 leafy
sat pm: 1 capsicum cut in half
sun am: 4 sticks celery, 2 plain, 2 leafy
sun pm: 10 green beans+1 tomato cut in half
Then they had ample fresh lucerne to replace daily + guinea pig seed mix to graze on ad hoc.
I love looking after them.

 

[bantymum]

I must add that she had tupperware containers in the fridge and had every vegetable in separate containers, they stayed fresh for 2 weeks as they were especially for vegies.

 

[MyPerfectChicken]

Wow neat!!