A new friend for Smokey Joe!

metalhead

metalhead

Junior Guinea Pig
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So....the visit to the rescue went well and Smokey joe chose a friend! I have read all the guides but would like your experience, advice etc about how long the bonding process takes on average? How long to i have to watch them before i can take my eyes away!? They seem to be getting on ok, the usual mounting, rumbling etc but nothing at all that looks like its going to go bad, i have done the neutral ground thing for a couple of hours already.....advice please would be greatly appreciated, when can you call it a successful bond?
 
That’s good news!

Keep them on the neutral territory for a few hours so they can get through the initial stages. Clean down the cage they are to live in and then when you can be sure they are ok, then you can move them to the cage.
The whole bonding and forming a relationship process takes around two weeks.
 
chill said:
So....the visit to the rescue went well and Smokey joe chose a friend! I have read all the guides but would like your experience, advice etc about how long the bonding process takes on average? How long to i have to watch them before i can take my eyes away!? They seem to be getting on ok, the usual mounting, rumbling etc but nothing at all that looks like its going to go bad, i have done the neutral ground thing for a couple of hours already.....advice please would be greatly appreciated, when can you call it a successful bond?
Click to expand...

Hi!

Please wait at least until they have had a nap together and still get on when they wake up. If in any doubt, leave them longer in the bonding pen (even overnight) so they can work more through the hiearchy establishing dominance and be more relaxed when finally hitting the cage.

The whole bonding process takes on average two weeks. Most people are not aware that it takes as long as that to establish/re-establish a new group/a group in new territory.

Here is more detailed info with pictures and some videos on the whole complex bonding process and all its phases and special aspects with a view to both key behaviours and dynamics: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Make sure that remove any huts and furnishings with only one exit and sprinkle feed around the cage rather than bowl feed. Have two water bottles well space apart from each other and also make sure that access to hay cannot be blocked for an easier ride during the post-intro dominance phase.

All the best!
 
Piggies&buns said:
That’s good news!

Keep them on the neutral territory for a few hours so they can get through the initial stages. Clean down the cage they are to live in and then when you can be sure they are ok, then you can move them to the cage.
The whole bonding and forming a relationship process takes around two weeks.
Click to expand...
Thank you. What should i do overnight? I obviously dont want to separate them if they are still getting on when i go to bed but i dont want to get up in the morning to something awful?
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Please wait at least until they have had a nap together and still get on when they wake up. If in any doubt, leave them longer in the bonding pen (even overnight) so they can work more through the hiearchy establishing dominance and be more relaxed when finally hitting the cage.

The whole bonding process takes on average two weeks. Most people are not aware that it takes as long as that to establish/re-establish a new group/a group in new territory.

Here is more detailed info with pictures and some videos on the whole complex bonding process and all its phases and special aspects with a view to both key behaviours and dynamics: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Make sure that remove any huts and furnishings with only one exit and sprinkle feed around the cage rather than bowl feed. Have two water bottles well space apart from each other and also make sure that access to hay cannot be blocked for an easier ride during the post-intro dominance phase.

All the best!
Click to expand...
Thank you, I'm worried about overnight as my bonding pen is not suitable for them to be left in, they have already had a nap and woken and are fine, but I'm really scared to go to bed! Think I'm going to end up sleeping on the couch in the lounge with them!
 
chill said:
Thank you, I'm worried about overnight as my bonding pen is not suitable for them to be left in, they have already had a nap and woken and are fine, but I'm really scared to go to bed! Think I'm going to end up sleeping on the couch in the lounge with them!
Click to expand...

If they had a nap and have been in the pen for several hours, you can move them into the cage.
 
That's really good news that Smokey Joe has a new friend. Well done for thinking of his needs above your own when you are still grieving the loss of Gizmo. Hope the bonding continues to go well. What's the name of Smokey Joe's new pal?
 
Betsy said:
That's really good news that Smokey Joe has a new friend. Well done for thinking of his needs above your own when you are still grieving the loss of Gizmo. Hope the bonding continues to go well. What's the name of Smokey Joe's new pal?
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Thanks, i do feel guilty for getting another one so soon but Smokey Joes needs come first. His rescue name was oliver but i cant stick with that cos its my sisters exes name! At the moment i am thinking "Yinyang" because his face is half white and half black and because of what he (hopefully) means to Smokey Joe, a restoring of balance. I will post some pics on this thread when i can, too busy not taking my eyes off them at the mo!
 
chill said:
I am very hopeful, just dont know what do do tonight, they are getting along fine now in the cage, both asleep! but i dont feel safe leaving them all night!
Click to expand...

If things are still going well, then they will be fine left. You cannot separate them now you have started so try not to worry!
 
So if the whole process takes about 2 weeks, does that mean i have to watch them all the time? Sorry if its a stupid question but this is my first bonding, Gizmo and Smokey Joe were brothers and bonded when i had them xx
 
chill said:
So if the whole process takes about 2 weeks, does that mean i have to watch them all the time? Sorry if its a stupid question but this is my first bonding, Gizmo and Smokey Joe were brothers and bonded when i had them xx
Click to expand...

No such thing as a stupid question!
No you don’t need to watch them that closely, obviously keep an eye and make sure things are still calm between them but If they were going to have a character clash, you would have seen it by now. Acceptance has occurred and you can relax.
They will now spend the next two weeks working out the fine details of their bond and relationship. You will see dominance throughout the time.
 
Piggies&buns said:
No such thing as a stupid question!
No you don’t need to watch them that closely, obviously keep an eye and make sure things are still calm between them but If they were going to have a character clash, you would have seen it by now. Acceptance has occurred and you can relax.
They will now spend the next two weeks working out the fine details of their bond and relationship. You will see dominance throughout the time.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much, they do seem to be happy!
 
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