If you find yourself in a situation where you would need to take care of a newborn or extremely young guinea pigs on your own, it is essential that you learn the following tips. The good news here is that guinea pigs mature relatively quickly, so you should have a “responsible”, self-reliant guinea pig in just a few days.
However, as a general rule, in an ideal situation, newborn guinea pigs should not leave their mother’s side for at least 3 weeks.
Baby Guinea Pig Diet
The first week of life is critical. Every few hours for the first few days, you should hand-feed the baby guinea pig: mesh pellets or supplement powder, and if you have grown guinea pigs, also add a fecal pellet or two to the mix (there are good bacteria necessary for digestive health in there).
The adult guinea pig diet and the baby guinea pig diet are generally the same, with only one important exception: The Calcium. Baby guinea pigs need more of it in order to properly develop their bones. As baby guinea pigs enter the world with fully formed teeth, they are fully capable of eating solid food, so the extra calcium can be provided by the alfalfa hay and pellets.
There should also be enough Vitamin C in their diet. For more detailed info about guinea pig diet, please read our guinea pig eating page.
Proofing the Guinea Pig Cage
Is the water bottle placement appropriate for a baby guinea pig? If too high, lower it down so the pup can comfortably reach and sip from the bottle’s sipper tube.
Are the cage bars too wide apart to present a potential risk? Baby guinea pig could squeeze between bars and get stuck, or run away.
The cage should not be placed on the direct sunlight, or near intensive air flows or drafts.
The cage bedding should be cleaned more frequently – at least twice a week, or when it is obvious that it needs cleaning. A dirty cage bedding is a potential health hazard, and young piggies are even more susceptible to certain illness and diseases.
Quiet Please!
Guinea pigs can be very sensitive to loud noise, so provide a quiet environment for your baby guinea pig(s), at least for the first few weeks of their lives.
A Hiding Place
Make sure to provide your guinea pig with an additional shelter within the guinea pig cage, or a hiding place, or a hide-out spot (igloo, small wooden box, anything will do, really). This “safe house” will make them feel more safe.
Beware of The Early Maturity
Male guinea pigs become sexually active around 3 weeks of age. If you want to avoid potential new pregnancies, separate your guinea pigs by their gender before the week 4.
For optimal social development, it is recommended to pair a young guinea pig with one older guinea pig that is the same gender.
Socializing
In order to become more comfortable with human interaction, you should handle your young guinea pigs fairly often. Slow and gentle movements, calm and gentle voice. However, don’t keep them away from their mother for too long (if there is a mother). Don’t try to handle a baby guinea pig when they are sleeping or nursing.
The fastest way to build trust between you and your guinea pig definitely goes through the stomach: bribe your guinea pig with food and treats.
Any thoughts or experiences? I would love to hear from you on the forum!