# Is my potbelly pregnant?



## HollyH8 (Nov 8, 2014)

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 I "rescued" Penny and her brother from a neighbor who was neglecting them. I couldn't get the male neutered until 2 weeks after I got them and I felt horrible seperating them since they were so skiddish and clinged to eachother. So Penny I think may be pregnant and if she is she should be due within a week. I'm just not absolutely positive she is (I'm hoping she's not). She has gotten huge in the belly and her teats have enlarged and become more noticeable and I could swear I felt a baby move but I can only feel it sometimes but other than that no changes. Does she look pregnant in the pictures? I know it's hard to tell. How much longer do you think she has? Her vulva has been swollen for the past few days but no discharge. Also, what are the chances of birth defects since they are brother and sister (gross I know). I have her seperating from all of the pigs in a 10x10 baby proof area. Hamlet (the dad) got neutered July 21, 2014 and I got them both on July 8, 2014..they were roughly 4 months old when I got them.*


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## HollyH8 (Nov 8, 2014)

Here's a picture I took of her around the time we first got her.


 


HollyH8 said:


> *View attachment 5634 View attachment 5635 View attachment 5633 I "rescued" Penny and her brother from a neighbor who was neglecting them. I couldn't get the male neutered until 2 weeks after I got them and I felt horrible seperating them since they were so skiddish and clinged to eachother. So Penny I think may be pregnant and if she is she should be due within a week. I'm just not absolutely positive she is (I'm hoping she's not). She has gotten huge in the belly and her teats have enlarged and become more noticeable and I could swear I felt a baby move but I can only feel it sometimes but other than that no changes. Does she look pregnant in the pictures? I know it's hard to tell. How much longer do you think she has? Her vulva has been swollen for the past few days but no discharge. Also, what are the chances of birth defects since they are brother and sister (gross I know). I have her seperating from all of the pigs in a 10x10 baby proof area. Hamlet (the dad) got neutered July 21, 2014 and I got them both on July 8, 2014..they were roughly 4 months old when I got them.*


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## secuono (Nov 8, 2014)

You see the milk line (line of filled mammary glands)? Obvious she is bred and due very soon when you see that.


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## HollyH8 (Nov 8, 2014)

secuono said:


> You see the milk line (line of filled mammary glands)? Obvious she is bred and due very soon when you see that.


I was hoping she wasn't since it was her brother with birth defects etc. not to mention how young she is. Is there any signs I should look out for so I know how close she is to delivering? Thank you!


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## secuono (Nov 8, 2014)

One generation of inbreeding shouldn't cause any weird issues. 
Does she have a hut to sleep in? Lots of hay? She'll start nesting, carrying around hay/grass/blankets and trying to make a nest. She could get more angry and unhappy about you being near. Some stop eating or eat less the closer it is to their due date. Swollen, leaky hoo-haa. Might get wax covering over nipples or start dripping.
Yes, you can definitely feel them kick, I've felt them before, too. Or you might see it if she's not fat and laying on her side. 
But all are different, yours might do all of those, none of those or a random mix. =/


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## HollyH8 (Nov 8, 2014)

secuono said:


> One generation of inbreeding shouldn't cause any weird issues.
> Does she have a hut to sleep in? Lots of hay? She'll start nesting, carrying around hay/grass/blankets and trying to make a nest. She could get more angry and unhappy about you being near. Some stop eating or eat less the closer it is to their due date. Swollen, leaky hoo-haa. Might get wax covering over nipples or start dripping.
> Yes, you can definitely feel them kick, I've felt them before, too. Or you might see it if she's not fat and laying on her side.
> But all are different, yours might do all of those, none of those or a random mix. =/


She does have a large dogloo that I've placed a couple blankets in with a heat lamp. I've been giving her about 1/4 flake of alfalfa hay twice a day and she's been eating most of it so not much left to make a nest. I haven't noticed her nesting at all yet, is it because all she has is blankets? Or is she just not that close? As far as moodiness she's been just as sweet, loves her belly rubs unless I'm purposely trying to feel for a baby then she likes to move away but I have felt hard lumps and a couple of times I swear I felt it move.


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## secuono (Nov 9, 2014)

Blankets are no good, hay or straw only, since the babies will walk around and get stuck in the folds of the blankets and mom will squash them if they can't easily move. 
Heat lamp, I don't know how the plastic hut hasn't melted yet, but once you add hay in there, it's a massive fire hazard. Plus, they might not have room to get away from the heat if they need to and overheat and die. 
Lots of things can kill them, heck, she might end up a bad mom and kill the babies or they're born dead. 
Do you work? Might be a good idea to spy on her from afar for awhile until she has them and at least a week after to make sure there's no trouble and piglets aren't being sat on.


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## SheepGirl (Nov 9, 2014)

I have two ewes in my flock from breeding twin siblings. No issues.


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## secuono (Nov 10, 2014)




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## HollyH8 (Nov 10, 2014)

She had 4 babies last night, 3 boys and 1 girl. All seem to be doing well and momma is being awesome. My only concerns are that the girl is a lot smaller than the boys and she has a hard time nursing by herself (she latches on fine if I hold her bit if I don't she struggles to find the nipple and staying attached). I have been holding her while she nurses every couple of hours, hoping she'll gain some strength. Also, all of the babies are pooping and peeing a lot but the poop is a bright yellow and super soft diarrhea like. Is that normal within the first 24 hours?


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## SheepGirl (Nov 10, 2014)

Yes, it's from the colostrum.


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## secuono (Nov 10, 2014)

It's just baby poops, from getting rid of the stuff in their guts when in the womb, at least that's what I've always been told. 
In a few days of you helping her getting milk, she should be able to do it on her own. Normal to have a smaller one in first litters and in larger litters. 
They soon choose their own nipples and always go to that one. 
Do they have any hay to hide in? If you notice them piling together or on mom and shivering, they're too cold.


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## HollyH8 (Nov 11, 2014)

secuono said:


> It's just baby poops, from getting rid of the stuff in their guts when in the womb, at least that's what I've always been told.
> In a few days of you helping her getting milk, she should be able to do it on her own. Normal to have a smaller one in first litters and in larger litters.
> They soon choose their own nipples and always go to that one.
> Do they have any hay to hide in? If you notice them piling together or on mom and shivering, they're too cold.


I have tried putting shavings down but momma pig wouldn't have it. I took them out because she wouldn't go inside to nurse. I have since changed the old blanket with a clean sleeping bag (house is on the edges of blanket so it's tight so babies can't get stuck in the folds or under it). I also bought a stronger heat bulb, a 250w because they weren't warm enough with the other, now they are fine and no longer huddling. Do you think I should take the little girl inside and feed her formula? It just seems like when I go out there to get her to nurse momma isn't ready and is up and about. I know the milk from her mom is the best option but I just found her outside of the house huddling under a piece of blanket, the boys all know how to get back inside and are fine with their mom but I worry that the little girl will get lost again and get too cold/miss her chance to eat. The longest I have left them alone was 4 hours and that was when I came out to only find 3 babies in the house. What do you suggest I do? My heart says to bring her inside as the safest option but at the same time she needs that nutrition from mom.


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## secuono (Nov 11, 2014)

Can you add a 6in tall wood board to the front of the dog house so they can't go out?


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