What would be our surprise to find out that our guinea pig is pregnant? At first, joy invades us, but then doubts enter us.
It is possible that without knowing it, we already buy the pregnant guinea pig, since they reach sexual maturity around 3 months, so we find that in addition to not having much knowledge about basic care, we are assailed by a lot of new doubts about the gestation.
It also happens sometimes that we acquire two guinea pigs as females, and then they turn out to be a couple, so the arrival of the pups is inevitable.
How can I take care of my pregnant guinea pig?
The first thing we must take into account is that guinea pigs are animals that, with very little care, are capable of getting ahead, whether they are normal or pregnant.
It is very important for the health of a guinea pig, that we provide an extra vitamin C in its diet, since, as happens with humans, they are not capable of manufacturing this vitamin, and a deficiency of it can cause serious problems. of health.
If the lack of vitamin C is something to avoid in any state of the guinea pig, much more if it is pregnant. The ideal would be to supply our guinea pig with foods rich in this vitamin, such as red and green peppers, oranges, spinach... An extra calcium intake is also important. You can read these other articles on food: Step 1 — y Step 2 —.
Is there any food that I cannot eat?
In the event that our guinea pig is pregnant, we find a single prohibited food in its diet, parsley.
Parsley in guinea pigs that are pregnant can cause an abortion, and if they are lactating it can cut off their milk, which would be a problem for the little ones.
Our general recommendation would be to never give your guinea pig parsley, as it can be toxic, as well as cause dehydration.
Can I take my guinea pig and continue playing with it?
It is important to catch the guinea pig as little as possible, and if we have to catch it, we will do it very carefully, and applying the least possible pressure on its belly, which reaches a considerable size.
For when the pups are born, the only thing we must have prepared is the same fresh food that we give to the mother, and hay.
Unless we observe an incident, as a general rule it is not necessary to separate the male, although we must be careful not to get the guinea pig pregnant again during the first hours after delivery.
You can watch this video on the care of pregnant females:
[confirmation]In another article we will talk about the care of the pups.[/confirmation]
