breeding

A sow reaches sexual maturity at around 4 - 6 weeks old, this means she is capable of
mating, however a sow this young is far too young and small to be bred from.

12 weeks should be the minimum age that a sow should bred from and 10 months the
maximum age for a sow to have mated for her first litter by.

If a sow is bred from for the first time over 10 months of age she could have trouble giving
birth due to the pelvic bones becoming ridged because the cartilage surrounding them
loses elasticity over time. The bones do not fuse together!

Sow come into season for around 12 hours every 15 - 19 days, they also come into season
soon after gving birth which is why a male should not be present at the birth because he
will mate her again, and it is unfair for her to have another litter after she has just finished
raising the first. This is known as back-breeding, too much of this could kill her. Some
people think this process is ok because it would happen in the wild, but in the wild cavies
have unlimited space to get away from one another where as in a cage and
domesticated environment they have no choice!

Males reach sexual maturity at around 6 - 8 weeks, but some have been known to be
capable of mating earlier which is why it is essential to remove them from the litter at 4
weeks. It is again not advisable to breed from males at this age, wait until they are at
least 12 weeks.

At 14 weeks old males start adolesenthood, this is the time when introducing other males
can be hard and there is a higher risk of fighting between them this lasts until they are 10
months old when they are considered fully mature and often fully grown, females can take
a little longer to reach their full size.

16 months is the complete stage, after this age cavies are unlikely to grow anymore and
fully adult.

Company

Guinea pigs are social animals and need and enjoy the company of others of their kind.

It is a common rumour that two males will fight this is not the case if they are properly
paired.

Thinking of getting your male a friend?

See below to see what matching would be best.

Is your male?...

Under 14 weeks old?- Great, you could either adopt an older male aged over 10 months
or a younger/same aged male under 14 weeks.

Over 10 months old?- Adopt a younger male aged under 14 weeks, it is possible to
introduce two adult males but takes a lot of time and experience plus there is a low
sucess rate. When looking for a buddy for an older male it is always best to think about
personality too-

Is your current male out-going? Then choose a passive baby, this way personalities will not
clash, look for the healthy baby sat in the corner not so keen to come and say hello and
you will have a greater chance of them bonding quicker as this baby will not be out
going and wanting to take over the older males role of being dominent.

Between 14 weeks and 10 months?- Mmm not a great time to go about getting a friend
for you piggy, a young male between 4 and 6 weeks would be your best bet although if
possible wait until your exsisting male has passed the 10 month mark before introducing a
friend because your males will mature at bad times together.

Neutered male?- Own a neutered male or thinking of having a male neutered-

An any age female would be the perfect choice, there is no need to have the female
spayed. Neutered males still have all the characteristics of full males and neutering a male
will not prevent fighting between males so a female is always the best choice for a
neutered male. Neutered males and full females often form extreamly close bonds
together, you can also add more than one female although it is always best to keep one
neutered male per group of female(s) and not introduce another neutered male to the
group because they will fight.

Any age Male?- Think a female would solve the problem of your lonely male- think again!

Although a male and female will get on they will breed and not solve the problem of your
lonely male because they will need to spend long times apart from each other on a
regualar basis so that the female is not backbred, spending time on their own after being
together can also make them both depresssed.

There is also the problem of baby guinea pigs, cute- but how will you find homes for the
babies? There are already too many guinea pigs out there, in America hundreds are
euthanised every year due to a shortage of homes. In the UK the problem is not so bad
with none being euthanised but we do not want it to get that way as the shelters here are
still often overloaded. Sure you could give you babies to a pet shop but how do you know
they are going to responsible and caring homes, most of the times they are probably not.
Please do not breed and add to the problem of putting babies out there to find homes
for- Adopt or neuter a male instead!

Got a lonely female?

Then life is a little easier!

Is your female?...

Any age?- Get another female! More than one if you have time and space, females love
living in groups and there are rarely problems with fighting, it does not matter what age
they are, as any ages will live together and bond easily. Don't think about introducing a
male (unless neutered) for the same reasons as above post on males.

Tips for introductions

The best things that I have found when introducing two or more new piggies
together are:

1. Make sure you do it on a neutral territory, if it is the cage make sure it is
cleaned before putting both pigs in at the same time, also clean the food
bowls and toys so they don't smell of the scent. Introduction is best done
all together, some people like to do things gradually- cages next to each
other for a few weeks, small play session together etc. I find it better
though if the piggies are introduced to each other for the first time and left
together to bond, if things are done gradulally any good work between the
piggies will be undone when they are seperated making the process a lot
longer and less likely of a good sucess.

2. A bit of rumbling and mounting with males in normal, they do normally
settle down after a while, just keep an eye on them, if they start chattering
teeth and sizing each other up, this is not such a good sign but give them
time unless blood is being shed there is no need to panic. If you have not
introduced males before it can be a bit daunting, a larger male may mate a
baby male and he will sqeual and it may take a few days to settle this
behaviour down but again anything other than blood is normally good!

3. As a distraction try giving them some "special" food, like lettuce or
something that they really really love. While they are eating it they will at
least be in each others presence and tolerating each other.

4. It can also be helpful in boars to apply a small amount of perfume to
their main scent gland . This is known as the grease spot located below the
rump. It is not a common in females. This will then mask their individual
scents, giving them a better chance. Do not use any perfumes that contain
musk as this could make things worse!

5.If things are not going well and blood is being shed as a last resort, I try
a method called boxing. I place both piggies in an open top cardboard box
just big enough for them to turn around in, it is important that the box is
small as it keeps them together making them accept each others presence.
By placing some hay in the bottom it gives them something to chew on
while they grow used to each other. if there are any signs of bad trouble I
remove them, but I have found this method very successful, particularly in
adolescent boars. If they have settled move them into larger territory and
try them together here.

6. If you are introducing a young boar to an adult it is often a good idea to
make a little shelter for the small one to hide in if needed that the older
boar cannot access. A cardboard box or tube with an opening cut for size is
ideal, as it can then discarded when no longer needed.