1. Guinea pigs have mammary glands that produce milk to feed their young.
2. The mammary glands are located on the underside of the mother guinea pig's body, near her hind legs.
Nursing behavior:
1. When the young guinea pigs (pups) are born, they instinctively crawl towards the mother's mammary glands.
2. The mother guinea pig will lie down and allow her pups to nurse.
3. Each pup will nurse from a specific mammary gland, and they may maintain that gland throughout the nursing period.
4. The mother guinea pig may alternate which side she lies on to allow all her pups to nurse.
Nursing frequency and duration:
1. Guinea pig pups nurse frequently during their first few weeks of life. They may nurse every few hours or even more often.
2. The nursing sessions typically last for a few minutes each time.
3. As the pups get older, the frequency and duration of nursing sessions decrease.
4. By the time the pups are about three weeks old, they are usually weaned and no longer reliant on their mother's milk.