1 Guinea Pig Or Two!?

[Thea]

I am asked to take in a guinea pig in endive done all my research and I understand guinea pigs are pray animals and need to live with another guinea pig. However the guinea pig that I'm taking in kept fighting with the other one. Idk if i should get another one to pair it with since if they start fighting i would have to get another for the other guinea pig which would cost a lot more than i want to.
So do i get another with it or no? the guinea pig is a 4 month male if that makes any difference which i don't think it does.
Thx!

 

[Maisy and Poppy]

I would get him let him settle in then get another piggy and put thier cages side by side and if that goes well. Divide a neutral territory that no piggys have been in I.e bathroom, kitchen ... And put a divider in between like wire or c and c grid so that they can see each other and make minimal contact. If this goes well then you can swap the piggys sides every day or two until they are really friendly and introduce them. Would neutering him to live with a girlfriend be an option?

 

[Wiebke]

It is great that you want to give that Little boy a loving home and that you are thinking about making him as happy as possible!

It is much more difficult in the US without access to dating at a knwoledgeable guinea pig rescue. Boars hit the teenage hormones at around 4 months old. That is often the time when it becomes apparent whether two baby boars are actually character compatible in their adult identities. This phase will last until boars reach a more hormonally settled adulthood around 15 months of age.
Here is a list of rescommended US rescues (in cooperation with Guinea Lynx): http://www.guinealynx.info/rescue_organizations.html

Would you have the space for two Cages next to each other or a two-level C&C Cage with a hay loft on the other boar's main floor if you have space considerations? That would ensure constant stimulation and interaction with perhaps another fallen-out boar that is no longer wanted, as one of the possible scenarios. You can still try if they will be able to live together at the best, but you wouldn't not have to rely on success going down the live-alongside route. The little boy you are taking on is just at the beginning of the most difficult time, but he would really profit from having round the clock company throughout, even if it just through bars.
You would need to think about a quarantine first if your second boy is rehomed privately or from a shelter without mandatory quarantine.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/importance-of-quarantine.108034/

Neutering sadly only removes the ability to make babies in guinea pigs, but it does not change any (dominant) personalities.

 

[Caviequeen]

Guinea pigs are companion animals and they need a best friend or a few best friends.