[Gpdd] re: [BREEDING] <newborns>

[Lauren Cordeiro]

Hi Monica,
Wow you must be overwhelmed right now. First of all, the boys should be seperated from the mom and the girls at three weeks of age. If they appear to show mating behavior before this time, (purring while shifting their bum back and forth - the butt dance - sniffing the females' butts obsessively or trying to mate) then I would seperate them then. Are you sure about the gender of all the pigs? Sexing GPs really isn't that difficult. All you need to do is apply light pressure (light enough so they will not squeal as a result) around their genital area (the small "belly-button" thing on their tummy) and if it's a male, his little bit will pop out. Both males and females have nipples, so don't go by that.
Also, growing guinea pigs will need primarily alfalfa once they are weaned (at about 3 weeks old), whereas adult guinea pigs, once they reach about 8 months to a year, will need to switch to a grass hay with less calcium and protein, like timothy hay. Both adults and juveniles can eat a commercial guinea pig pellet, which should be based in alfalfa for the growing pigs, and either alfalfa or a grass hay for adults. Both adults and kids will need a vitamin C supplement, which should be available in any pet store. According to Oxbow company's website, www.oxbowhay.com "Adults must be supplemented with at least 10 mg of Vitamin C for every kilogram of body weight. Pregnant, nursing and growing guinea pigs need at least 30 mg of Vitamin C for every kilogram of body weight." Check the label of your vit. C supplement and see what it reccomends. Also, I'm not associated with the Oxbow company I just am a fan of their products.
I know you didn't sign up for this, but can I just say you're doing a great job trying to find info for your pets. I would just ask that you take your time in finding new homes for the babies, and conduct "background checks" on the potential families, and inform them about proper guinea pig care. If you have one, give them the name of your exotics/guinea pig vet. And don't be afraid to ask for a fee in exchange for the animal. If a person can't afford/wouldn't bother to cough up a relatively small fee for an animal, then how could you be sure they could afford/be bothered to pay for vet care if something came up?
Good luck with your new herd and keep us updated!
Piglet, Pooh Bear and Lauren