In fact, breeding guinea pigs at home is not difficult. These animals reach sexual maturity quite early and quickly move on to the reproductive process. But this only happens if there are favorable and comfortable living conditions. If you decide to start breeding these unusual animals, you can be sure of success - they have colossal fertility.
Instructions
Step 1
As you know, female guinea pigs reach sexual maturity at an early age - 30-35 days after the moment of birth. Males, on the other hand, mature a little later - on days 65-75. It should be borne in mind that the sexual maturity of guinea pigs depends on the conditions of keeping and feeding, as well as on the breed of the animal. Optimum conditions and complete and balanced feeding contribute to the accelerated maturation of guinea pigs.
Step 2
However, you should not pair the animals at such an early age. Guinea pigs during this period have not yet reached full development, respectively, and are not able to give viable offspring. In addition, early coated pigs can remain small and underdeveloped for life. Due to the underdeveloped pelvis, the death of females is often observed during childbirth. Reproduction can be done only after the female is 5 months old, and the male is 6. But experts say that it is better to mate pigs at the age of at least 10 months.
Step 3
It is necessary to choose the right pair for breeding guinea pigs. None of the future parents should carry vices and diseases that children can inherit. Females selected for breeding must be well-nourished and healthy, have a beautiful and shiny coat. Consider maternal qualities and fertility. Do not mate a female who is aggressive towards her cubs or who feeds on her offspring.
Step 4
It is not recommended to mate a guinea pig more than twice a year, since with more frequent births it weakens somewhat and brings offspring that does not develop well and die. The reproductive capacity of male guinea pigs is also impaired with frequent mating, after which the females remain unfertilized.
Step 5
When keeping one pair of guinea pigs, there is no need to urgently separate the female from the male. But after the birth of the babies, put the male in a separate cage, since after giving birth, the female is already ready for fertilization and can become pregnant again, which is undesirable.
