It’s important that the sow is removed to a nursery before the babies are born. Firstly, she is quite able to fall pregnant again within a few hours of the birth. Sixty to eighty percent of female guinea pigs will fall pregnant if mated at this time, but it’s too close to the production of the young for her to bear additional young safely.

Secondly, the other guinea pigs could trample the newborn and injure them and, thirdly, the sow is more likely to stay with her young and nurture them if she is not worried by other guinea pigs.