Caring for Mom and Babies

There's not a lot of difference in caring for pups as caring for adult guinea pigs. The only differences have to do with their size and nutrition.
Picture
Basket full of 2-day old pups.
Size:
In case you haven't guessed, baby guinea pigs are small. Therefore, they can fit in places the mom cannot. For example, they can fit through the holes of a c&c cage grid. This can be problematic as they could get lost, get into things they shouldn't, or get stuck as they grow bigger.

A good solution to baby-proofing a c&c cage is to overlap grids to make the holes smaller, as seen below. This is a good temporary solution.
Food & Abilities:
The pups are born with their eyes open, fully furred, and able to eat regular guinea pig foods such as hay, pellets, and veggies. You can substitute timothy-based products with alfalfa-based products for the first 3-6 months. Baby guinea pigs need more calcium in their diet to help them grow. However, I find that giving them calcium rich veggies are a good substitute for switching. Although they are able to eat these foods right away, it is important that they nurse on mom, too.

The babies could start suckling mom within their first hour, but sometimes it takes up to a day. This is fine. If they still do not suckle mom after a day, seek vet advice. They need mom's milk to help them develop.

​Weight:
It is important to weigh the pups to be sure they are getting the nutrition they need for growth and development. 

In a litter of 3-4 pups, the average weight at birth is 85-95 grams. Pups that weigh 50 grams or less at birth usually don't make it.
  1. Weigh them a few hours after birth when they are clean and dry.
  2. Weigh again the next day. They most likely will lose weight. This is normal as they are adapting to their new environment outside the womb.
  3. Weigh again the third day. They should start to gain weight from here on out. 
I keep a journal with records of all my guinea pigs' weights in it. This is a good habit to get into as any sudden drop in weight can be an early indicator of illness.

Weaning & Separation:
Mom should start to discourage nursing around 2-3 weeks old. 

Pups can be separated from mom when they are 3 weeks old and weigh between 165-240 grams.

The male babies begin to display mating behavior around 3 weeks old. Many people claim they are able to get mom and/or sisters pregnant at this time, however, through research and experience I've found that it is rare that males are fertile before 8-10 weeks old. We separate at 3 weeks to be safe from inbreeding problems. 

Females are okay to stay with mom as long as you would like.

Young pups prefer to be with an older guinea pig. So housing the males with an older male is ideal upon separation. This is also the time to bond any males together that you would like to be together long term. Pups are more easy going and will submit to the older guinea pig. Bonds made early on will last longer and make going through puberty easier on them and you. For more information on puberty visit Behavior.