Diego Delso, Cobaya (Cavia porcellus), Tierpark Hellabrunn, Múnich, Germany, 2012-06-17, DD 01, CC BY-SA 3.0
Guinea pig breeding and rearing
There are three different types of guinea pigs. Theoretically, keeping all three groups is allowed, but only the domestic guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) may be kept as real pets.
However, breeding is only possible with domestic guinea pigs without official permission.
What needs to be considered when breeding guinea pigs and rearing these animals follows now. First we start with the breeding itself, we will discuss the rearing of the young a little further down.
The breeding preparations
Anyone who already owns animals that are to be used for breeding should ensure that the animals physically fit and alert are. It is also important that the animals get along well with each other.
If animals are to be purchased first, small animal breeding associations are a good place to go. There are usually healthy and well-groomed animals available.
If it is possible to see the parents of the breeding animals, this is highly recommended. In this way, possible diseases, unwanted inheritance and the like can be ruled out.
mating times
The pairing should, if possible, between January and June take place. are guinea pigs between 67 and 69 days pregnant. So, to avoid giving birth in the middle of the summer heat, do not mate too late in the year.
Basically are female guinea pigs ready to mate every 16 to 18 days. After giving birth, it takes just one hour for a female to be able to mate again.
Females reach their first sexual maturity after about three to four weeks in the world. Male animals, on the other hand, will only be ready to mate at the age of two to three months.
The right housing
It is also important to choose the right housing. It’s totally understandable that glimpse dwellings are an extremely enticing option for us humans.
Nevertheless, we would like to ask you to choose a cage that offers privacy for the animals.
The more familiar the environment, the more comfortable the guinea pigs will feel. A cage that is as large as possible and carefully covered at one corner is best. So there is no need for a little house or shelter.
What does a good constitution look like?
In short, the animals should…
- … be healthy and free from injuries.
- … be of appropriate weight and age.
- … the animals, if possible, already know each other.
Round and healthy
An expert look is often sufficient to assess the general condition of the guinea pig.
Anyone who would like to inquire about the condition of their animals anyway should visit a veterinarian and introduce the animals.
In general, a visit to the vet before breeding is highly recommended, but not mandatory.
Healthy animals are active, eat adequate amounts, play with each other and do not show any external injuries.
If there is any doubt about the complete health of a guinea pig or if injuries are visible, a visit to the veterinarian is essential.
age and weight
Female animals should be at least four months old and have a body weight of 600 grams. A one-year-old sow must have a body weight of 850 grams.
If the animal is pregnant for the first time, it should be no more than one and a half years old.
First from the age of three should no longer be bredsince the female will already break down here.
Guinea pig bucks, on the other hand, must be at least six months old. The weight at this point should be about 800 grams. Mating and chasing costs a male a lot of time, in which he does not eat. In some cases, the Lose up to 100 grams of weight within this period of time!
From three to four years, a male should no longer be used for breeding.
The birth
Before the birth is due, a veterinarian should narrow down the date of birth. If possible, the same vet should be available on that date.
Birth usually only takes about an hour. In individual cases, however, it can also take up to five hours.
If the birth is approaching the 5 hour mark or the female is making massive cries of pain, a veterinarian must intervene!
As the owner, there is basically only one thing left to do: keep calm and inform the vet in an emergency.
Incidentally, it is possible to let the male animal participate in the birth. However, it must be noted that this female animal is already able to mate again one hour after birth!
What do healthy young animals look like?
It takes about four to five hours for the little hatchlings to be completely dry and «arrived».
The weight of the little ones must be between 50 and 120 grams. Should a kitten weigh less, a veterinarian must assess whether or not the baby needs help.
Unlike human babies, after a few hours, guinea pig cubs will wander around the cage, follow their mother, have fur and teeth, and make sounds.
guinea pig rearing?
After about four days, the young are dependent on external food. Although the mother animal is able to give milk for around four to five weeks, this will not be sufficient for all young animals.
Despite the extra food, the Babies never separated from their mothers before four weeks become!
Female or male?
It usually takes about three weeks before the sex of the young can be determined. Once the sex areas are a little more defined, these should be checked.
At female animals the genital area is Y-shaped. With boys Bucks, on the other hand, have a small inverted exclamation mark.
After a total of six weeks, the males must be separated from the females, as they then reach full sexual maturity.
Guinea pig boy… now what?
Avoid this thought process! Before breeding should take place, the future young animals must already find a place, otherwise homeless animals will be born.
Therefore, please make sure that all animals are well accommodated and that alternative options are available. Basically, it would be best for the animals if they were allowed to stay with the breeder. If that is not possible, breeding might not be the right decision!
It is also significant that there should be no indiscriminate trade in guinea pig pups. Eventually, the animals end up on the streets, are abandoned or disposed of.
Breeding is therefore to be taken extremely seriously and approached carefully!