Guinea Pig Gestation Calculator: Find Out Your Cavy’s Due Date

Whether you’ve bred your guinea pig on purpose or it happened accidentally, you’ve only got a few weeks to prepare yourself for 2-4 pups, or in rare occasions up to 14! But, when will your guinea pig actually give birth? Use our guinea pig gestation calculator to find out.

The form below calculates your guinea pig’s due date based on the date she was bred. This takes into account the typical guinea pig gestation period of 59 to 72 days, with an average being 65 days.

How to Use Our Guinea Pig Gestation Calculator

By entering the date the cavy was bred, the guinea pig gestation calculator generates an expected date of birth, as well as the earliest and latest potential due dates. Of course, these dates are approximate, as typical gestation periods span from 59 to 72 days. Nonetheless, a guinea pig gestation calculator is a very effective tool to help pet parents plan for the birth.

All you need to do is plug in the date your guinea pig was last exposed to a male. You’ll get three dates that estimate when your cavy can give birth.

  • The first will be the average, which is 65 days from when your guinea pig mated. 
  • The next number will be the earliest your guinea pig will potentially go into labor. This is 59 days from exposure. 
  • Lastly, you’ll get the latest potential date for your guinea pig to give birth, which is 72 days from the breeding date.

How Long Does a Guinea Pig Pregnancy Last?

Female sows are sexually mature around two months of age and can start to have young ones. Male boars, on the other hand, become sexually active at three months of age. Hence, when housed together, a guinea pig pregnancy can occur very early and very often. 

  • The gestation period is between 59-72 days, with an average pregnancy of 65 days.
  • Duration of guinea pig pregnancy depends on the number of pups: the larger the litter the shorter the pregnancy.
  • Litter size ranges, with the average being 2-4 pups – in rare cases as many as 12-14.
  • A sow can birth up to 5 litters per year, though miscarriages and stillbirths are common.

You can learn more about guinea pig pregnancy here.

Stages of Guinea Pig Pregnancy

The following guinea pig pregnancy timeline will simplify the entire gestation period and demystify the experience, so you can provide a stress-free environment for your little mama and her tiny pups. 

Week 1-4

During the first month or so, there aren’t a lot of physical signs to indicate your sow is a mom-to-be. Nonetheless, at this stage, allow the female cavy to eat and drink as much as she would like.

In general, the two main tell-tale signs early on are:

  • The cavy is eating and/or drinking more than usual. 
  • The sow starts to prefer fruits and vegetables with high vitamin C content.

Week 5-7

Weigh the female guinea pig weekly to monitor gradual weight gain. Do not restrict her diet or her exercise, so she can keep her strength up. 

  • Somewhere around week 5-6, the abdomen and hindquarters of the pregnant guinea pig will be markedly enlarged. 
  • By the 7th week, you’ll start to see movement in the abdomen of the sow, as the pups move around. The litter, at this point, will make up approximately half of the female’s total body weight.

Week 7+

After the 7th week, the movement of the pups will be even more noticeable. At this stage, the sow will appear quite swollen in the midsection.

Right now, it is imperative to ensure the pregnant guinea is in a stress-free environment.

  • Place any cavies that appear to annoy her in a different cage.
  • If you have not removed males yet, do so at this point. 
  • Ideally, relocate cagemates elsewhere rather than removing the pregnant sow, so she can remain in familiar surroundings. 

The Week Before Birth

Guinea pigs don’t typically create a nest to give birth, but you may want to make a warm, comfortable space for the sow by:

  • Adding a soft, fleece blanket to her sleeping area.  
  • Covering the sleep section of the cage with a towel so she feels cozy and safe. 
  • Daily touch-up cleaning of her habitat to keep it as clean as possible without removing her.

Right now, the sow’s pelvic bone is under a lot of pressure, so minimize handling her to reduce added stress. 

What You Need to Know About Guinea Pig Labor

Guinea pigs usually give birth during the day rather than overnight. Once in labor, the sow will cry out, and it takes about 5 minutes for each pup to emerge. Pups will each have their own amniotic sac, which the sow normally removes and ingests. She does so, as well, with the placenta. Guinea pups, once born, will be completely furry. Their eyes will open quickly and, within a few hours of birth, will search for solid food to eat. 

If the female guinea appears to be in distress or is in labor for longer than 20-30 minutes without giving birth, then emergency veterinary care is imperative. A cesarian section surgery will likely be necessary.