Wiebke
07-10-09, 03:54 PM
Introducing new guinea pigs
Make sure that you have plenty of time for observation and that you introduce your guinea pigs on neutral ground where none of them has ever been. The kitchen floor, bathroom floor, even the bathtub with a towel for grip will do. In summer, you can use a good sized run on the lawn.
Have a big flat plate of food ready; sharing food (grass, hay, fesh veg) is a good way to bond over.
Don't put anything in with them that hasn't got two exits, so a guinea pig can't be locked in a hut and be badly bullied. Block off all nooks and crannies in the space you are using for introductions for the same reason. If you bond a baby with an older boar, have a little hidey place ready where only the baby can get into, if things get too rough.
Try not to interfere unless there are bloody fights. Most biting will occur to mouth/nose, ears and on the back end. Acidental scratches can occur in the heat of a scuffle.
Be aware that guinea pigs always have to start right back in square one after you have separated them and that too many separations can severely hamper any efforts of developing a relationship. Once you have committed, you have to see it through unless there is blood.
You can keep guinea pigs next to each other for some time before putting them together, so they can get to know each other that way. Don't be surprised if there is some teeth chattering from territorial piggies - that is why the introduction has to be on neutral ground!
Guinea pig behaviour can look pretty rough to us, as they have to spell everything out. Bum sniffing, teeth chattering, yawning and putting the hackles up to appear more impressive, rumbling/rumblestrutting (shifting the weight from on back leg to the other), chasing, nipping, head butting, and (especially with boars) humping from all directions are all part of normal dominance behaviour.
To judge the signs of serious aggression, have a read through this thread first: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28949
Dominance behaviour can last for days, weeks or, in some cases with boars, be a regular part of their daily social interaction.
When you put the freshly bonded guinea pigs into their cage or hutch, make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned and freshly made up. If possible, rearrange the furniture and toys, so it is as "new" as possible for both parties.
The dominant guinea pig might also block out its new companion from the sleeping hut, the food bowl, water bottle, hay etc. to spell out the order of things. You best have alternative hides and bowls present. Ideally as many as there are guinea pigs.
To keep boars from fighting and falling out, you want to provide as much space as possible and have everything in twos, huts, bowls, water bottles, hay racks etc...
Re-introducing fallen-out guinea pigs
When guinea pigs have fallen out, you may want to get them back together after a cooling down period. Please be aware that it won't always work, especially after a bloody fight.
A good tip is to give them a bath with the same shampoo, so they smell the same and can rebuild their group scent together, ideally by grooming each other.
You have to treat them as strangers and have to go through the full introductions on neutral ground.
If there are bloody fights again, you will have to face up to the fact that your piggies may never be able to live together again, but may be perfectly happy to live side by side where they can still see and speak to each other.
Make sure that you have plenty of time for observation and that you introduce your guinea pigs on neutral ground where none of them has ever been. The kitchen floor, bathroom floor, even the bathtub with a towel for grip will do. In summer, you can use a good sized run on the lawn.
Have a big flat plate of food ready; sharing food (grass, hay, fesh veg) is a good way to bond over.
Don't put anything in with them that hasn't got two exits, so a guinea pig can't be locked in a hut and be badly bullied. Block off all nooks and crannies in the space you are using for introductions for the same reason. If you bond a baby with an older boar, have a little hidey place ready where only the baby can get into, if things get too rough.
Try not to interfere unless there are bloody fights. Most biting will occur to mouth/nose, ears and on the back end. Acidental scratches can occur in the heat of a scuffle.
Be aware that guinea pigs always have to start right back in square one after you have separated them and that too many separations can severely hamper any efforts of developing a relationship. Once you have committed, you have to see it through unless there is blood.
You can keep guinea pigs next to each other for some time before putting them together, so they can get to know each other that way. Don't be surprised if there is some teeth chattering from territorial piggies - that is why the introduction has to be on neutral ground!
Guinea pig behaviour can look pretty rough to us, as they have to spell everything out. Bum sniffing, teeth chattering, yawning and putting the hackles up to appear more impressive, rumbling/rumblestrutting (shifting the weight from on back leg to the other), chasing, nipping, head butting, and (especially with boars) humping from all directions are all part of normal dominance behaviour.
To judge the signs of serious aggression, have a read through this thread first: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28949
Dominance behaviour can last for days, weeks or, in some cases with boars, be a regular part of their daily social interaction.
When you put the freshly bonded guinea pigs into their cage or hutch, make sure that it is thoroughly cleaned and freshly made up. If possible, rearrange the furniture and toys, so it is as "new" as possible for both parties.
The dominant guinea pig might also block out its new companion from the sleeping hut, the food bowl, water bottle, hay etc. to spell out the order of things. You best have alternative hides and bowls present. Ideally as many as there are guinea pigs.
To keep boars from fighting and falling out, you want to provide as much space as possible and have everything in twos, huts, bowls, water bottles, hay racks etc...
Re-introducing fallen-out guinea pigs
When guinea pigs have fallen out, you may want to get them back together after a cooling down period. Please be aware that it won't always work, especially after a bloody fight.
A good tip is to give them a bath with the same shampoo, so they smell the same and can rebuild their group scent together, ideally by grooming each other.
You have to treat them as strangers and have to go through the full introductions on neutral ground.
If there are bloody fights again, you will have to face up to the fact that your piggies may never be able to live together again, but may be perfectly happy to live side by side where they can still see and speak to each other.