`lola Pua` a (gpig in hawaiian) Breeding

[blue_heeler]

I took my cavy to the vet yesterday and found out that Peaches is a boy. Me and my mom are thinking about breding him. Does anyone have any tios about guinea pig breeding?

~~*RACHEL*~~

[Kat]

Hey, great! What colours and coat type is Peaches? What colour and coat type sow are you going to get? Okay, I don't know how much you know, so I'll start from the top. Sows come into heat once every 16 days. Therefor, you'll have to keep the boar with her for at least 16 days, preferably more. I usually put boars and sows together for at least a month, and usually more, just to make sure! Sows are pregnant for about 62 days, and they're babies are fully developed when born. Sows should not be bred for the first time after 12 months old, as at about 12 months, their pubic bones "fuse" making the passage of babies impossible. Straight after sows give birth, they go into a post-partum heat (post-partum meaning after birth). If you don't separate the boar beforehand, he'll mate her as soon as she has her babies. Although some breeders practice post-partum mating, I believe that it is inhumane and extremly hard on the sow! For this reason, I suggest that you take the boar out about 2-3 weeks before she's due, or if you're checking dilation, as soon as she starts dilating. 3 weeks before she's due, and 3 weeks after she gives birth, you should start putting sugar in her drinking water - 1 teaspoon to every 250mls or 8oz. This is to prevent her getting toxemia, a condition in pregnant and nursing sows, where their bodies can't produce enough body sugar, so they start using their muscles to make their body sugar. Toxemia is a very severe condition, and can result in death. I think that's it, it was long, hey? Sorry!