Guinea pigs: breeding at home. Breeding pigs At what age do guinea pigs breed

Guinea pigs have become very popular pets for their good-natured disposition and unpretentious maintenance. Quite often, the owners of charming rodents have a desire to get offspring from the pet of the family at home. Reproduction of guinea pigs at home is a rather interesting process based on the study of the physiology of guinea pigs, the correct selection of a pair and the creation of comfortable conditions for mating.

In the wild, the mating season for the South American relatives of guinea pigs occurs most often in the spring and lasts until late autumn. Owners of furry rodents are also advised to mate their pets during the spring months. In comfortable home conditions, guinea pigs mate year-round. But young animals obtained in summer from large dairy females are considered healthier and suitable for further reproduction.

In natural habitat, guinea pigs live in large flocks, consisting of one male leader and 10-20 females. In the flock, part of the females is responsible for the general rearing of the offspring. The rest of the females protect the territory from congeners or predators, announcing the approach of danger with the help of a loud siren. The ability of males to simultaneously fertilize several females is used in polygamous breeding of guinea pigs, when one male and 10 females are contained in one cage.

If the female and male become friends, then they will create a pair for the rest of their lives.

Why pigs don't breed

Guinea pigs often do not breed. Even during estrus, the female does not admit the male because of the banal lack of sympathy for the male. Exposure to time or attempts to plant in this case will not be crowned with success and will cause frequent fights between pets.

A warlike female can bring adorable babies from another partner, subject to the formation of a friendly relationship with a new male.

Breeding guinea pigs at home safely occurs when:

• optimal microclimate, the air temperature in the room is above +20 degrees.

Temperature changes, too dry air, violation of the conditions of care and feeding, diseases and congenital malformations negatively affect the processes of mating and conception.

A female guinea pig may simply not like a partner and she does not allow him to mate

At what age is mating allowed

Guinea pigs are sexually mature at 4 weeks of age in females and 10 weeks of age in males. Sometimes there is a very early puberty of 3 weeks in females and at 8 weeks in males, therefore, at the age of 3 weeks, it is necessary to remove the young from the mother, forming groups according to gender.

Early mating of guinea pigs is fraught with:

• general weakening of the female body;
• pathological course of pregnancy and childbirth due to the underdevelopment of the birth canal.

Therefore, healthy adults with a body weight of at least 500 g at the age of 10-11 months for females and from 1 year for males are allowed to reproduce.

It is advisable to breed a female for the first time in the interval from 10 to 12 months. Late first pregnancy threatens with complications during childbirth due to ossification of the pelvic ligaments.

Despite the fact that guinea pigs can successfully mate at the age of 6-8 months, veterinarians do not advise mating young females before 10-11 months.

Early pregnancy negatively affects:

• on the growth of the skeleton and muscle mass animal;
• threatens with pathology of pregnancy and childbirth;
• lack of milk or maternal instinct in a young mother;
• death of a rodent.

It is considered harmless to the health of the female that the female is covered twice a year to produce offspring. More frequent mating undermines the female health of an adult animal, which is fraught with:

• spontaneous miscarriages;
• abortion, premature birth;
• the birth of unviable cubs;
• late toxicosis and death of the female.

The onset of pregnancy

The female is able to become pregnant again within 24 hours after giving birth.

Hormonal changes in the body during a new pregnancy can provoke the death of the entire born brood or the mother herself.

Crossbreeding between the closest relatives of guinea pigs is highly undesirable due to the risk of giving birth to a weak or non-viable brood with congenital abnormalities.

The onset of pregnancy in a guinea pig: on the left - a pig in a normal state, and on the right - a pregnant female

How to find and prepare guinea pigs for mating

Reproduction at home of guinea pigs bears fruit only if the rules for the selection and preparation of a pair for mating are observed, the norms of acquaintance and placement of animals are observed, and optimal conditions for feeding and housing are created for the mother and her fluffy brood.

What individuals are allowed to breed

Allowed for breeding are healthy, well-fed individuals born in the summer from large dairy females of approximately the same age, which must have:

• body weight not less than 500 g, ideal weight 700-1000 g;
• and pronounced breed characteristics;
• shiny high-quality coat;
• friendly character.

Only healthy individuals with an agreeable character should be allowed to reproduce.

Fluffy rodents are not allowed for breeding, suffering from:

• bad habits;
• aggressive character;
• problems with teeth and eyes;
• adult roan guinea pigs and Dalmatians;
• sick, weakened or overweight individuals.

Guinea pig sperm loses its activity in both obese and very thin animals. Recently recovered animals are kept in additional quarantine. Overfed or malnourished pets are assigned special diet for weight correction.

When to start breeding

It is possible to start breeding guinea pigs only after establishing a 3-4 week quarantine for the newly acquired animal. This measure is necessary for the adaptation of the purchased guinea pig. And also the exclusion of infection of pets if the new partner has latent diseases.

Acquaintance of a couple

The next step should be the introduction of funny pets. To successfully reduce guinea pigs, it is recommended to control the behavior and reaction of animals to each other. Relatives can get to know each other for a long time, therefore, the owners of small animals are advised to be patient and not to reduce fluffy rodents to establish friendly relations. Acquaintance is aimed at getting the guinea pig to get used to the smell of a partner. Rapid settling of rodents with the exception of this stage is fraught with bloody fights, sometimes with very sad consequences.

For acquaintance, you can use a cage with a partition

The next step is to introduce the animals in neutral territory, preferably in a confined space unfamiliar to both individuals. For this method, it is recommended that you prepare enough treats and release the animals. Most rodents will eat their food without paying attention to their partner.

Sharing food can help build relationships between pigs.

But in the event of a fight, it is urgent to separate the animals. The guinea pigs are wrapped in towels and wait a few more days with this step.

Planting rules

If the rodents take their food quite calmly in a neutral territory, you can proceed directly to the stage of setting up the guinea pigs. This process requires compliance with certain rules:

Heat in guinea pigs

The male can fertilize the female only during estrus, which is most often repeated in females every 15-17 days.

The period of sexual desire lasts only 48 hours. The most favorable for conception are the first 10-12 hours after the onset of estrus.

During estrus, the male shows increased attention to the female.

Inexperienced owners of domestic rodents often wonder if guinea pigs have periods. Furry pets have no menstruation. You can only understand that a guinea pig wants a male by examining the loop and the behavior of the rodents.

Heat in young guinea pigs begins at 4 weeks. With early puberty, the first heat occurs as early as 3 weeks of age. It is advisable not to allow females with the first estrus to breed. The female organism has not yet reached physiological maturity, and early pregnancy can turn into a pathology of childbirth and the death of a female with a brood.

During estrus, ovulation occurs in a female's body. This hormonal process is accompanied by the secretion of mucus of the necessary consistency to improve the sliding of sperm and the safe attachment of fertilized eggs in the uterine cavity. The female's loop is only able to open during estrus or childbirth. At this time, the female can be safely fertilized. The owner of a guinea pig is advised to learn how to determine the onset of estrus in a pet for planning the time of the next mating of small animals.

Signs of heat in a guinea pig

Female behavior

The female during estrus wags the booty in front of the male. Raises the back of the body in front of him in a fixed position with the front legs apart. In the absence of a partner in the cage, the onset of estrus in a female can be determined by the characteristic behavior of the animal during stroking on the back:

• the rodent hums;
• arches the back;
• twists the back of the body.

Male behavior

The male actively looks after the female. He publishes a loud mating song with trumpet sounds, tries to run into a female.

Loop change

During estrus, the external genital organs of the female look enlarged, the loop opens. The guinea pig has a white, bloodless discharge, and the fur on the back of the body becomes wet.

When the female is ready to mate, she actively twists the back of her body in front of the male.

When estrus occurs, the chained couple mates several times a day at any time. Sexual intercourse lasts a few seconds. After two days, the female's loop closes. Partners cease to be actively interested in each other and to make attempts at mating.

The most important thing to know about this topic is that the first litter must be born before the female is one year old... If this happens later, then serious, even life-threatening, problems with childbirth arise.

Most best age for the first mating it is 4-7 months for females (with a weight of at least 600 grams) and 4-6 months for males. The females' estrus lasts 16 days, but the period during which she is ready to mate takes only about 8 hours. Soon after childbirth, the next estrus may begin - "postpartum". Thus, the guinea pigs can feed their offspring at the same time and await the next litter.

Pregnancy lasts 63 days on average. The larger the litter, the shorter the gestation period and vice versa. Compared to other rodents, pregnancy lasts a very long time. The female's weight almost doubles during this time. The exact date of birth is difficult to determine, even the female does not build a nest. However, a week before giving birth, you can notice how the pelvis expands. If a female giving birth for the first time is older than one year, then she may experience difficult and even tragic situations during childbirth. Sometimes it is necessary cesarean section to save the life of the pig and her offspring. If childbirth is not complicated, then it lasts about half an hour - 5 minutes for each baby. Litter size from 1 to 6 babies, 3-4 on average. The first litter is usually very small. Miscarriages and dead gilts often occur at any age of the female.

The guinea pig... Depositphotos.com/Iosif Szasz-Fabian

Babies are well developed from birth. They are very large and completely covered with fur, they can move independently. They have open eyes and teeth. Even though newborn guinea pigs can eat solid food and drink water from the drinking bowl, the mother should be allowed to feed them for at least 2 months.

Difficulty during childbirth

Dystocia. Dystocia is an abnormal delivery when the animal is unable to push the fetus out of the uterus.

The female should have the first litter up to 7 months. If this happens later, complications are possible, up to a threat to the life of the mother and babies. For the birth to be successful, part of the pregnant female's pelvis must expand. If the female is older than 7 months, then this does not happen, and a cesarean section is required. Symptoms of dystocia are uterine bleeding and pushing. You may need emergency veterinary assistance.

Toxemia. Toxemia usually occurs in females with overweight during the first or second pregnancy. Symptoms usually become visible in the last two weeks of pregnancy or in the first week after giving birth. These include loss of appetite, depression, weakness, refusal to move, loss of coordination, shortness of breath, coma, and death. It happens that the mumps has no symptoms, and then it suddenly dies. There is no specific reason for the disease, but obese or stressed mumps most often get sick. In addition, the advanced age of the mumps, lack of physical activity, hunger, and a large number of embryos can have a negative impact. A pig with these symptoms should definitely be shown to a veterinarian. Since treatment is often unsuccessful, preventive measures are of paramount importance. Pregnant females should never be overfed. Stress and hunger should also be avoided, especially in the last few weeks of pregnancy. Pregnant females constantly need clean fresh water and good nutrition.

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The guinea pig or cavey is an affable, cheerful animal that is a fairly popular pet. Those who have recently become the owner of cavey and do not yet have much experience in their maintenance are often interested in the nuances of breeding gilts at home. This is discussed further in our material.

What is required to breed guinea pigs at home

In addition to the theoretical base required for a competent approach to business, you should first prepare all the necessary equipment:

• cell;
• feeder;
• drinking cup;
• sawdust or straw;
• feed.

If you are planning to breed animals for business, you will need several cages. In this case, it is advisable to opt for the harem breeding method.

Important! Females should not be knitted more than twice a year, this has a bad effect on their health, depleting the body. Males also need to be knitted according to a certain schedule, otherwise they may lose the ability to bear children.

Matching a pair

It is not necessary to carry out the first mating earlier than the age of 10-11 months, although physiologically animals are ready for mating much earlier. As for the mating of close relatives, it should be said here that mating of a brother with a sister is not allowed. In other cases, mating is carried out, but for a specific purpose, for example, to consolidate the color.

You need to cross a pair with wool of the same length.

When choosing a pair for knitting, you should consider the following points:

• good health;
• good external data and anatomy;
• the pig should be moderately well-fed;
• good quality fur;
• docile friendly disposition.

Hooking up a male and mating guinea pigs

V good conditions the animals are ready to mate all year round. The frequency of estrus is 13-18 days, the duration is about 2 days, but the most favorable for conception are the first 3-5 hours.

It is easy to notice the onset of estrus: the female begins mating games, luring the male. Now you should put the female and the male in the same cage. This should be done once every 3-4 hours. With this (separate) maintenance and subsequent implantation, you can skip the onset of estrus, missing out on the highest chances for successful fertilization.

Although this does not mean at all that it will not come.

There are 2 ways of breeding these animals: monogamous and harem. In the first case, the animals form a strong pair, but this does not mean that the female does not have to be removed from the male.

The reasons for this are as follows:

1. Possible aggression of the male towards his own cubs.
2. Mating should not be allowed immediately after childbirth. Although the female is physiologically ready for this, repeated mating will have the most negative effect on her health.

With the harem breeding method (usually used for business), 1 male lives with 8-10 females. Each pregnant pig is then placed in a separate cage.

Did you know?Normal weight and body fat are extremely important for the fertility of Civies, both males and females. Both overweight and its deficiency negatively affect this function of the animal's body.

Pregnancy and childbirth

The duration of labor is usually no longer than 1 hour, the female copes without assistance.

During childbirth, the new mother sits, tears the amniotic membrane and licks the baby. In the event that the offspring is large (7-10 individuals), labor can last longer than an hour.

How long does pregnancy last?

The gestation period for these animals is 60–72 days. More accurate dates depend on the breed, health status and the number of offspring. The more cubs a female bears, the earlier she will give birth. After the second week of pregnancy, you can find out how many cubs the female is carrying.
With the help of careful palpation (probing) of the abdomen, you can feel for small seals - embryos. Their number will tell you how many cubs to expect. Remember that a pregnant female is in dire need of rest.

Features of nutrition of a pregnant female

During pregnancy, the female needs to be fed two times a day. During this period, food should be rich in vitamins and fiber. But the content of fat and dry food in the diet must be reduced. You need to feed in moderation, not overfeeding, but so that the animal (and future offspring) does not lack nutrition.

The emphasis should be on greens and plant foods:

• nuts and seeds;
• Dill;
• beet;
• carrot;
• spinach;
• raspberry and dandelion leaves.

There should always be fresh grass and hay in the feeder.
The approximate daily diet of a pregnant female cavey looks like this:

• oats (better sprouted) - 13-16 g;
• vegetables - 65–70 g;
• wheat - 4-6 g;
• dry food - 2–4 g;
• fruit - 27–32 g.

Important!During pregnancy and lactation, the female should not be fed with parsley, radishes, mint and wormwood.

How many and how babies are born

Usually 1–6 cubs are born with already open eyes and all teeth. They are immediately ready for an active life, which they demonstrate after a few hours, briskly running around the cage. Two days after birth, babies are able to eat the usual food for adults, although they still need mother's milk.

Postpartum care

Immediately after giving birth, the female needs proper feeding. At this time, she constantly needs fresh grass and hay. Of the feed, emphasis should be placed on those rich in vitamins E and C, calcium (sprouted cereals and vegetables).
The female, for whom these births are the first, can refuse to feed the offspring. For 6-8 hours, the owner of the animal should not show concern, everything will be fine with the babies.

In the event that, after the indicated time, the mother still did not deign to feed the cubs, the following technique should be carried out: isolate the mumps with offspring in a small box protected from light penetration. Usually, such a measure leads to the fact that after half an hour the maternal instincts wake up.

It happens that the female's nipples become inflamed during lactation. In this case, you need to treat them with a decoction of chamomile or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The nipples should be examined regularly, as if the inflammation is not noticed in time, it can turn into mastitis.

Milk in this case becomes thick, yellowish tones. The female may have a fever, she will refuse to eat. They treat mastitis by expressing milk, thus massaging the mammary glands.

If the owner of the animal, carrying out such a procedure every day, did not notice an improvement in his condition, you need to contact a specialist.
Often after giving birth, the animal becomes bald, this should not be scary: the wool will grow back after 15–20 days. Otherwise, you should contact your veterinarian. If there are sores on the bald patches, they are treated with a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate.

In the event that the offspring turned out to be large, one of the babies will definitely be deprived of mother's milk. The weakest individuals will be malnourished - those who weigh less, they need to be fed. Such nutrition is carried out with infant formula that does not contain lactose.

Using a syringe (without a needle), 3 mg of the mixture is injected through the nasal openings three times a day.

For 12-15 days after birth, babies should not be handled unnecessarily. If necessary, wash your hands thoroughly before contact.

Did you know?Guinea pigs were domesticated about 7 thousand years ago by the Indians living in the Andes, but exclusively for consumption.

When can be removed from the mother

The cubs are removed from the mother at the age of 20 days. In this case, males must be removed from females, since already in months of age they can show sexual pretensions, and such early contact is deadly for young females.
As pets, guinea pigs are a great option, especially for a small city apartment. They are absolutely non-aggressive, practically odorless and do not fade. Guinea pigs are wonderful animals that delight the eye and do not let their owner get bored.

Breeding gilts at home is becoming more and more popular. Guinea pigs will become a home business if breeding is right. It is a mistake to think that these animals are not popular.

Up to 3 million of these animals are bought annually in our country, and these are only those animals that are purchased through clubs or shops. An equal number of gilts are sold directly from hobbyist breeders.

At home Breeding guinea pigs is not difficult. In order for the process to be successful, some peculiarities are taken into account.

Those who do not plan to breed guinea pigs should immediately take into account, when starting a male and a female, that of the methods of contraception for these animals, only sterilization and castration are used. The non-invasive method is separate cells.

Sexual cycle and puberty

The recommended age for the first mating is no earlier than 10-11 months. Sexual maturity in females occurs earlier than in males. They have been producing offspring for one and a half to two months. Males start breeding at 12 weeks. However, it is not advisable to let such young animals into breeding.

The offspring from them will be weak and unviable. Also, the animals themselves can, with such an early breeding, quickly die from depletion of the body. The correct guinea pigs for getting their first cubs is 10 months.

You cannot get offspring from a guinea pig more than twice a year. This will weaken the animal's body too much, and it will get sick. Heat in females occurs once every 14-18 days. It lasts up to two days, and more often - 24-30 hours. A favorable period for mating is the first 6 hours of estrus. If fertilization is successful, then the next estrus will not occur.

It is not difficult to notice a mumps in heat. Her behavior changes immediately. She flirts with the male. Freezes in front of him, crouching, raising his butt and spreading his paws.

Pair selection

Successful breeding of guinea pigs is only possible if the correct pair is chosen. When deciding on individuals for reproduction, take into account the following:

• conformity to the exterior;
• absence of defects in the structure;
• the condition of the animal;
• friendliness to relatives.

When breeding, you can not only mate existing animals, but also pay for mating with breeding males, prize-winners of exhibitions.

The cost of such a service can vary significantly (from 100 rubles to 1000), depending on the awards available to the animal and the rarity of the breed to which the manufacturer belongs.

The use of mating with elite males is justified if it is planned to create a guinea pig breeding nursery and it is necessary to obtain a high-quality livestock for the parent herd.

Pairing

It is recommended to mate pets no more than twice a year. Mating takes place several times a day. As soon as the female's estrus ends, the male will lose interest in her. A week before mating, animals are transferred to a light diet enriched with vitamin E.

It is advisable to keep the male and female separately for 2-3 days before mating. This improves the quality of the sperm and increases the likelihood of fertilization.

When guinea pigs are kept by the harem method, the separation of the male from the females is not required. However, in such a situation, more than two condensed pregnancies cannot be allowed in a row. They greatly deplete the female's body, and then it will not be possible to get high-quality offspring without a break for rest.

After mating, it is necessary to remove the male from the female, only if he shows an aggressive attitude towards her. After the birth of the cubs, the male must be planted without fail.

The guinea pig will be ready for the next mating within 14 hours after giving birth, and a new pregnancy is highly undesirable for her. Also, a male left in one cage can kill offspring.

Pregnancy and childbirth

After 3-4 weeks, pregnancy is determined by feeling the abdomen. Pregnancy in a guinea pig lasts 60 to 72 days depending on the number of pups, which ranges from 2 to 4.

If there are no complications, labor is easy and the female does not need help. In case of complications during the birth of offspring, the help of a veterinarian will be required.

Breeding as a business

You can breed guinea pigs in order to generate significant income by organizing a nursery, in which there will be only purebred animals with victories at exhibitions and pedigrees.

How to start

It is necessary to start a business with pigs with the preparation of premises for keeping animals and the necessary documentation. The breeder must register his business as an individual entrepreneur or LLC.

From the inventory, you need to purchase the following:

• cells;
• feeders;
• drinkers;
• straw;
• stern.

Animals are purchased healthy and have veterinary passports and pedigrees.

It is important that the parents are not closely related.

All gilts must have the necessary vaccinations, and including rabies.

To begin with, the breed is chosen strong and unpretentious, which forgives the beginner for some mistakes in the content. Common and robust guinea pig breed with a short, coarse coat. The pigs really do resemble cubs.

The Peruvian pig has an unusual appearance. She has long hair on her back, and short on her belly. In terms of content requirements, they are not much different from American ones. The only thing that is required is to maintain a special cleanliness so that the long coat does not get dirty.

Of the rosette guinea pigs, Abyssinian can be recommended for breeding. The animals are no more demanding than the previous two species. Abyssinian pigs are also not prone to disease and have a very strong immunity.

How to implement

Selling offspring is more profitable if the parents are winners of various exhibitions. The price of their cubs reaches $ 500. If there are no elite animals in the parental herd, then it is possible to get from $ 40 to $ 50 for their cubs.

It is more convenient to sell pigs through your own website. Also, animals are sold through clubs and pet shops.

Profitability

The cost of purchasing a pair and a cage will quickly pay off. Due to the fertility of guinea pigs, the investment pays off in a fairly short time. On average, up to 6 cubs are obtained from one female per year. If they are sold at the age of 2.5-3 weeks at a minimum price of $ 40, then $ 240 will be received in a year.

To make breeding a business, you must have at least 50 females... Thus, at the minimum price of cubs per year, there will be an income of $ 12,000.

From this amount should be deducted the costs of feed, bedding, veterinary services, utilities and taxes. When a business is just starting, the costs of all equipment and inventory are also required to be taken into account. On average, the breeder has a net profit of about 40% of the funds received for the sale of cubs.

Possible difficulties

The main problems that novice breeders face is the difficulty in acquiring truly thoroughbred parents. Also there is also a risk of developing infections, especially when the animals are kept in large quantities. In such a situation, the entire livestock is lost, even if it is vaccinated.

There is also a risk that the cubs will not be sold quickly if a large region is not covered. You cannot build a business, counting on the fact that pigs will be sold only in your city.

Breeding guinea pigs for income as a main business is only possible if there are elite pedigree parents and a significant area for sale is covered. You should not knit outbred animals with the expectation of selling the resulting offspring, since, apart from problems, the owner does not expect anything. It will not be possible to quickly realize such offspring.

In contact with

If you are planning to get healthy offspring from your guinea pigs, then we suggest you read this article, in which we will briefly outline the main points of breeding these pets. To professionally reproduce absolutely any animals, you need to be well versed in genetics. We will not go so deeply, but we will discuss breeding guinea pigs at home.

Before making such a responsible decision, think carefully and weigh the pros and cons.

• Firstly, pregnancy, childbirth and rearing of offspring greatly undermine the health of the female, so the pet needs good care and balanced diet... In addition, early or frequent labor will shorten the lifespan of the guinea pig.
• Secondly, the father and mother of the future offspring must be completely healthy, so that the offspring are healthy. But even this cannot serve as a guarantee of healthy offspring, if the parents, brothers, sisters or other relatives of these pigs had hereditary diseases, then there is a high probability that they will be passed on to your pets.
• Thirdly, you need to find a good veterinarian if your pet has complications during childbirth and needs help or a cesarean section, which not every specialist will do. Otherwise, there is a high probability of lethal outcome of the guinea pig during childbirth if complications arise.
• Fourth, what to do with the offspring? It is good if two or three piglets are born and you can put them in good reliable hands or keep them for yourself. And if more than five of them are born? Give them to pet stores or by ad, hoping that little pets will fall into good hands, and they will be loved and cherished. But there are often cases when small hamsters, pigs and other rodents are taken to feed other pets - snakes, ferrets or birds of prey. Do you want such a fate for the offspring of your pet?

If you have taken into account all these nuances or you have no choice - you have acquired a pregnant guinea pig, then we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the appropriate literature or consult with professional guinea pig breeders. In any case, the reproduction of guinea pigs is a responsible business and not as easy as it seems at first glance.

Selection by breed

There are also a very large number of guinea pigs. It happens that new breeds are bred without planning it. But at home, you are unlikely to be able to breed a new breed, because for this you need at least ten individuals with certain fixed breed characteristics.

Most of the experienced breeders are engaged in breeding purebred pets, that is, animals in the generations of which there are no other breeds of pigs.

Long-haired and short-haired breeds cannot be crossed, otherwise the resulting pigs will be mestizo. Such pets will have an original appearance, but they will not be able to participate in exhibitions. For pedigree breeding, mating of motley breeds is unacceptable, because such breeding inhibits the development of the breed. Therefore, choose a pair of the same breed or breed for your pet, mixing with which is permissible.

Pair selection

Breeding guinea pigs requires the correct selection of the breed, and choosing the breed, you need to choose the right pair for mating. The pigs should be about the same age, not closely related. And most importantly, both parents must be healthy, well-nourished, strong and not be carriers of hereditary diseases. For example, it is not advised to take for mating an individual that has or has had problems with teeth, because problem teeth are inherited and the offspring may also have similar problems.

Individuals of such colors cannot be mated, the offspring of which will be unviable or stillborn. This is especially true for roan guinea pigs and Dalmatians. From mating roans or Dalmatians, you can get offspring with a lethal gene, that is, there is a high probability of the birth of dead offspring or individuals with deviations. Such deviations can be:

• blindness;
• deafness;
• lack of eyes;
• absence of one or more incisors;
• deformation of internal organs;
• teeth growing in different directions;
• other deformations.

Sick or recently ill animals are also not recommended to be mated. The guinea pig should fully recover and only some time after this, the pet can be knitted.

To give birth to healthy offspring, the female and the male must not be thin or overfed. The ideal weight is considered to be from 700 grams to 1 kg for both the female and the male. Thin-boned or thin individuals can have problems carrying offspring or childbirth, which can lead to death of both the female and her offspring. Overfed pigs may not fertilize for a long time or have problems during childbirth. Diet and walks are recommended for such pets to lose weight.

Age of guinea pig to mate

Breeding guinea pigs involves paying special attention to the age of the pets.

In order for the first birth to be successful and the guinea pig with the cubs did not have health problems, when mating, the female should be 4-6 months old, but not older than 1 year. When mating a female older than a year, complications during childbirth may also occur. But it is not necessary to knit a pig without fail until a year, the female will live her life perfectly without becoming a mother.

The female becomes sexually mature at 5-6 weeks, as evidenced by the first estrus. Guinea pigs are in heat for about a day and repeat at intervals of 14-20 days.

You can recognize estrus in a guinea pig by watching a pet. Sometimes females purr and raise their butt when stroking them on the back. But some pigs usually behave this way when they are stroked or scratched. It is not always possible to identify estrus with this method.

To make sure your pet is in heat, you need to examine the female's genitals. With the onset of estrus, the genitals enlarge and the hymen, covering the entrance to the vagina, departs, the female thus "opens". Therefore, out of estrus, the male cannot mate the female.

Males become sexually mature at about 5-7 weeks of age, so they should be removed from their mother 3-4 weeks after giving birth to prevent unplanned mating. It is advised to knit males at the age of 5-7 months.

Mating guinea pigs

Guinea pigs can produce offspring at any time of the year with proper maintenance and good care.

The male and female can be kept together in the same cage or in separate cages by placing the female next to the male to cover during estrus. After mating, the female should be planted, and after a couple of hours she should be planted again for re-coating.

If after 14-20 days the female does not start the next estrus, then this most often indicates pregnancy. After 3-4 weeks, pregnancy is determined by feeling the abdomen. At this time, the pregnant female should be placed in a separate cage.

With the constant maintenance of males with females in the same cage and with free mating, the female can simultaneously lactate and become pregnant. Such a condition in females should not be allowed, since it leads to depletion of the body, deterioration of health and a decrease in the life expectancy of the animal.

The female experiences sexual attraction only during estrus and during this period she is ready to admit the male to her. The female stands motionless, spreads her paws a little and lifts her ass. The male, on the other hand, at each meeting with a representative of the opposite sex, shows interest, which intensifies during the period of estrus of the female and a positive reaction to courtship.

Females are ready for the next mating within a few hours after giving birth. Therefore, there is a very high probability of pregnancy if a male is allowed to approach her. In one year, a guinea pig can produce offspring 3-4 times, producing up to 5 cubs. But it is not recommended to knit a female more than twice a year, because due to frequent childbirth, it weakens, and the offspring are most often born unviable.

As you can see, breeding guinea pigs, like any other pets, is a very big responsibility, for which very often the owners of the animals are not ready. As a result of such actions, many animals, which should be loved and pampered, end up in refuseniks or in landfills. Love your pets, do not breed them thoughtlessly, without being able to give them a home and food.