My piggie gave birth two weeks ago. In eight days, I will be going on a nine day vacation with my family, and will be leaving the pigs home with the sitter. I don't want to burden the sitter with sexing and separating them . Will those extra three days even matter? I don't want to have the mother pregnant again, but I also do not want to separate them too soon.
Help?
Male babies should be removed from the mother and female babies at 3 weeks (21 days) old, the females can stay with the mom. So do it before you leave and you won't have to worry.
"Sexual maturity (female): 4-6 weeks
Sexual maturity (male): 3-5 weeks
While not all males may be fertile this early, the safest action is to separate the males from females by 3 weeks of age. "
http://www.guinealynx.info/reproduction. ...
You need to get the boar pups out by three weeks AT THE LATEST! You can wean at two weeks provided the pups are at least six ounces though ours are usually 7.5 to 8 oz by that age. If you wait until four weeks, or worse still 31 days, you run a VERY high chance of having a pregnant mom, or much worse, pregnant sow pups. Separate them before you leave on holiday!!!
Knowing how to properly sex guinea pigs is KEY to preventing unwanted and unexpected pregnancies.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Sexing can be done at any age. If babies are sexed very early, it is best to confirm the sex at about two weeks.
Boars MUST be separated from their mother at 3 to 4 weeks - 3 weeks if they are normal and healthy, 4 weeks only if they need an extra health boost and are showing no signs of mounting behavior. Never leave a boar with his mother or sisters longer than 4 weeks.
The traditional "Y" and "i" method can be confusing. Make sure to use several "signs" to confirm the correct sex.
If you are at all unsure about the sex, do NOT take your pig to a pet store to ask them. Take your pig to a COMPETENT small animal or exotic vet. There are many documented stories of vets missexing guinea pigs. Make sure you go to a vet who really knows what they are looking at. The life of your guinea pig could depend on it.
Females (sows): The vagina is normally closed by a membrane (hymen) except during estrus (heat) and at parturition (birthing). It actually dissolves ("mucousy") when they go in heat and will reseal itself afterwards. Sows come 'into cycle' every 15-17 days for 24 to 48 hours.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Males (boars): If you have one or more male guinea pigs, you should be checking their genital area regularly (about once a week or every other week). Fully extrude the penis and make sure it looks clean and healthy. Sometimes a strand of hay will get caught and cause problems. Or it can get gunked up. Infections can result. Clean it gently with warm water if necessary. Also, check the anal area to make sure there is no sign of blockage or impaction. See this link for more information.
