farm guinea pigs (meat cavy!)

[Bug n Flock]

I don't know if I have mentioned in this thread, but I am a biologist. Little guy didn't exactly go without treatment.

 

[Bug n Flock]

Pocket is a balloon again... literally expecting her to pop any minute.... little one next to her is her daughter Maggie, smol hidden nose belongs to her other daughter Orb.

TF continues to do well. Still doing a full 30 day quarantine, but no new symptoms.

 

[Bug n Flock]

Sorry for multiple posts again. Thought this pic showed off her belly better, and was amusing besides. No, Pocket is not a vampire now. She just loves tomatoes and got some this morn. Also they got a few ears of corn including leaves and silk, which they seem to like. This is a test though. I am wildly allergic to corn: eating it gives me migraines, and the silk makes me break out in a rash. It is so bad that I had to quit a job at a farmers market because, coupled with the humidity, being that close to the silk was unbearable. If they can eat and shred corn without me having a reaction, I will offer it again. Hope so, since they and the rabbits seem to enjoy it a lot. And speaking of rabbits, I think Lucy Fur is about to have a litter! First time breeding rabbits, wish me luck! Super exciting.

 

[Fuzzy Torpedoes]

Do you know how to tell how dilated she is?

 

[biophiliac]

Do you know how to tell how dilated she is?

You could tell those of us who do not know.

 

[Fuzzy Torpedoes]

You could tell those of us who do not know.

It's best done while holding the guinea pig in your hands or lap (lap if you're just learning), you reach under the backside with your fingers and feel around with your fingertips for the pelvic bones. In a guinea pig that isn't dilated at all, it feels almost like one bony spot in the middle of the pelvis, but maybe you can feel that there's actually 2 nubs to it. On one that is starting to dilate there are 2 nubs where the raised bones are spreading side to side, away from one another, leaving an opening. On the ones that are about to go, your finger can pretty much fit between the nubs.

The spreading starts something like a week before the babies come, or a touch more than a week, maybe? But you can't count the days based upon it. Sometimes they can get really dilated and it feels like they are ready to go, but the babies don't come for like 3 more days or something. But then sometimes, the birth happens before you were expecting it. Exact science, huh.

Don't bother turning them over on their backs and trying to use your eyes to see where to touch and test, it's unlikely to help. The way this works is 100% by feel. Once you get how to do it, you just have it.

 

[biophiliac]

It's best done while holding the guinea pig in your hands or lap (lap if you're just learning), you reach under the backside with your fingers and feel around with your fingertips for the pelvic bones. In a guinea pig that isn't dilated at all, it feels almost like one bony spot in the middle of the pelvis, but maybe you can feel that there's actually 2 nubs to it. On one that is starting to dilate there are 2 nubs where the raised bones are spreading side to side, away from one another, leaving an opening. On the ones that are about to go, your finger can pretty much fit between the nubs.

The spreading starts something like a week before the babies come, or a touch more than a week, maybe? But you can't count the days based upon it. Sometimes they can get really dilated and it feels like they are ready to go, but the babies don't come for like 3 more days or something. But then sometimes, the birth happens before you were expecting it. Exact science, huh.

Don't bother turning them over on their backs and trying to use your eyes to see where to touch and test, it's unlikely to help. The way this works is 100% by feel. Once you get how to do it, you just have it.

Thank you! Always love to learn something.

 

[Fuzzy Torpedoes]

Imo one of the biggest favors you can do for guinea pig babies is to be there for the delivery and assist the sow.

Expect to pick her up to help babies come out (be it necessary or not, frankly). You will be the one to ensure that the amniotic sac has popped off of the baby's face so it can breathe. Sometimes the sac over the baby's face breaks while coming out, but sometimes it does not. To break it, you use dry fingers and grip the sack somewhere around like, behind the ear or around the side of the neck (or maybe back behind the shoulder) and tear the sack off by pulling forward, unwrapping it from around the face. You should see the baby flop around a little and gasp, then you plop it down in front of the mother and let her have her little fun time.

Be prepared to move already-licked babies out of her way and position the newest-born babies right in front of her.

It is easy for these to have a baby pop out (or come partway out) and they spend their time licking the "wrong" baby instead of the one that needs to be cleared off. As far as reasons for babies to die, suffocating in their amniotic sacs after birth is not an uncommon reason in large professionally-managed colonies where the births aren't being assisted by a watchful human. In general, you don't wait or assume she's doing it right, and if you believe a new baby may be coming out (or is partway out) and you can't see what's happening, you pick the sow up and move her so you can verify.

Pay attention and don't assume if you can't really see if a baby has come or not. Verify.

Be mindful of breech births. You may note that they seem to be more work for the sow to push out. If you see or feel paws coming out first, that's a breech. When I get a breech birth, I generally pick up the mother and help it come all the way out using the baby's weight (she'll have several contractions that will get it out), and ensure that the baby's head is completely clear of the pelvis and get the sac off of the face.

When they are having the babies, they seem to assume that everyone present is there to help. They aren't necessarily in love with what you're doing and may give you a dirty look (or push your hand out of their way with their nose if they think you're an obstruction), but in my experience they don't find human intervention particularly stressful.

I had a litter born on the 14th where one of the babies had at least 3 amniotic sacs. This baby happened to be a beautiful gold and white baby girl. The 3 sacs made for a thick, tough membrane, when taken together. I don't think there's much chance that the sow would have been able to free that baby. I was like, damn.

 

[Fuzzy Torpedoes]

Here is sweet little Goldie. 6 days old. Light sucks in the pic but it's good enough to get an idea.
She has a little bit of black shadowing on her back and ears.

 

[Bug n Flock]

Do you know how to tell how dilated she is?

Lol Pocket isn't exactly a pet. I prefer not to check her for dilation, as they have a large enclosure decked out with lots to hide in and behind so catching her would be more stress than the extra bit of info would be worth imo.

I will most likely be here when she has her pups. I was present during the birth of her first litter and did not have to assist, altho I did a bit help with cleaning the babies. Thanks for all the tips! Always great to have an experienced voice weigh in on a topic.