Understanding the Pre-Natal Pelvic Separation Without Dabbling in Proctology

Kinsa, my Peruvian guinea pig, is pregnant. The story of how she got pregnant is a long one, but the good news is that she is not too old or too young and I have plenty of room for her babies when they are born. About 48 hours before a guinea pig goes into labor, her pelvic bones are supposed to separate about a finger's width or two. Apparently, you can actually feel this separation and it is a good idea to check her butt in the last week of pregnancy so you can be sure that everything is going normally.

Well, I had some issues trying to figure out what this separation felt like and despite reading all kinds of descriptions on the internet, I was still pretty confused. So... I am pasting in an email exchange that I had with my brilliant breeder friend, Sheryl Newland, which should clear everything up for anybody who needs help understanding it.

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to: sheryl
from: me

sheryl!!!!!

this morning i did the routine feeling of my guinea pig's butt and i have felt a separation!!!! but the problem is i don't really know what a real separation feels like.... at this point i can basically stick the tip of my finger in this hole that seems to have formed... i tried sticking my finger in the same spot in my other guinea pigs and there is no space!!!

what does this mean!?!?!

are these the beginnings of a pelvic separation??

this hole is right underneath her tail....

does this mean she has a ton of babies in there??? if it is a separation, will they be premature??


to: me
from: sheryl

this hole......
no, it isn't a hole that you feel.
it's the lower part of the pubic bone in the front of the animal. like yours.
where your pubic hairs are. you reach underneath the pig in front of the vulva and feel on the outside of her where the bones are inside. hard to explain.
you don't stick a finger in any hole.
usually the bones are together. when they have seperated then you can put about half of the finger width between them, on the outside.

maybe you have to come over and have me show you?


to: sheryl
from: me

oooh.. i see what you mean... man, i'm sorry.. i'm going a little whacko.. ok i will let you know when the pelvic bones actually separate...

lol... she is probably hating me right now for sticking my fingers in her butt!!!

i'd better go read some of those buddhist books and relax.


to: me
from: sheryl

this is too funny!
maybe you missed your calling? you should have been a proctologist?