How Old Can They Get Pregnant?

[XbeccaX]

Hi everyone,

So a few of you may know I'm wanting to get myself some piggies again. I went to see a friend of a friend today who had a litter of babies available.. she said they were 5 weeks old and she was unable to sex them for another week. However I'm fairly sure I read somewhere they can get pregnant at 5 weeks. When we got our first two piggies age around 6 weeks, one of them was pregnant and we didn't know. Thankfully everything turned out fine and our girl Minnie was ok, plus we got our baby Millie out of it, but I really don't want a freebie guinea pig again!

I'm sorry I know this is a rescue friendly forum and I hope this won't get me in trouble, I'm just a bit concerned! :/

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,

So a few of you may know I'm wanting to get myself some piggies again. I went to see a friend of a friend today who had a litter of babies available.. she said they were 5 weeks old and she was unable to sex them for another week. However I'm fairly sure I read somewhere they can get pregnant at 5 weeks. When we got our first two piggies age around 6 weeks, one of them was pregnant and we didn't know. Thankfully everything turned out fine and our girl Minnie was ok, plus we got our baby Millie out of it, but I really don't want a freebie guinea pig again!

I'm sorry I know this is a rescue friendly forum and I hope this won't get me in trouble, I'm just a bit concerned! :/

Sows come into season for the first time between 4-6 weeks of age (boars start from 3-5 weeks of age). By 6 weeks of age, all babies are sexually mature and there is a good chance that they are already pregnant.
While it is not always quite as easy, babies can and need to be sexed before they are 3 weeks old, as that is the age boars need to be separated for any sows. Even if you cannot necessarily express a baby boar penis, there are ways of the telling the gender by looking whether the inside of the slit has female side flaps or not.

Anybody who is not able to sex guinea pigs properly before they reach sexual maturity should not breed them! These people are causing real damage through back-to-back pregnancies for the hapless mums, teenage pregnancies and indiscriminate inbreeding; about one in five pregnancies ends with deaths with the risk mounting with progressive prengancies.

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-guide.109375/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sexing-separating-baby-boars-and-rehoming-babies.109391/

 

[XbeccaX]

Thankyou Wiebke!

That has put my mind at rest that I shouldn't get these guineas, as sad as it is! I shall carry on the hunt...

 

[Wiebke]

Thankyou Wiebke!

That has put my mind at rest that I shouldn't get these guineas, as sad as it is! I shall carry on the hunt...

By far the safest place for you to get guinea pigs from is either Milhaven Rescue in Keighley or BARC in Barnsley. Both rescues operate to a high standard of care, including a mandatory quarantine, 10 weeks pregnancy watch for all incoming sows and the separation of any rescue born male pups at 3 weeks old. Only healthy piggies are put up for adoption.
Both rescues also offer dating/bonding at the rescue under expert supervision if you want to extent your little group, but want to make sure that acceptance has happened before you bring home any new guinea pigs, so you can be sure that they will all get on. It is really worth the extra travel for complete peace of mind!
I have adopted from both rescues myself and have visited Milhaven rescue at that occasion; I was very impressed by how the rescue is run. Our member @pig in the city fosters for BARC if you'd like to speak to her.
Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator
Travelling with guinea pigs

PS: We do have a pregnancy section for support of our members who find themselves with pregnant piggies, but for obvious reasons we do not support intentional breeding. Our pregnancy section is only visible to registered members.

 

[XbeccaX]

Thanks again Wiebke! I have just messaged pig in the city

 

[MerryPip]

I've rehomed from both of those rescues and can highly recommend them.

Poor little babies but I think you are right not to put yourself in a risky situation by taking one on... Unfortunately the myth that is they can't get pregnant until they are a lot older or that it isn't possible to sex them at 3 weeks is just not true but sadly even some vets (not good ones I might add!) won't sex them until 4-5 weeks old when it may already be too late.

One of my lads came from rescue at just over 3 weeks old as he had been thought a girl and was called Primrose until he started harassing his mother and sister.... Thankfully the owner had the sense to separate him ASAP and rehome him through a reputable rescue!