Adding In A 3rd Pig

Beans&Toast

Beans&Toast

Adult Guinea Pig
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So I'm thinking of adding in another sow.
I'm just a bit worried that Maple is learning bad habits from Beans. As Beans is old she spends a lot of time sleeping and Maple has started to copy her, she just lies down napping a lot of the day, which worries me because she doesn't eat as much hay.

Beans and Maple generally get on well, Beans does play with her and have a run around but as her arthritis is getting worse she can't manage it for very long. So I think/hope getting another younger pig would help Maple to run about and play..?


My worries are:
  • How will Beans cope with 2 young pigs? Will they try and bully her?
  • Will it be too stressful for an older pig who likes to sleep a lot?
  • What if the new pig and Maple gets on but Beans doesn't?
  • What if it causes all 3 to not get on?
Plus, and I know this seems like a strange thing to think about, but when Beans is ready to pass on... at least Maple won't be left on her own..
Any thoughts? :hmm:
 
I got the babies exactly for that reason - when the older ones passed they would not be on their own. We know biscuit is on limited time and Jet is constantly *not quite right* so I got 2 babies.

In my experience the babies play (and will run around together), uncle Jet (middle aged) will play but will sleep, Biscuit sits there watching it all, offering cuddles when needed but not really partaking (occasionally she will but not often).
 
Thanks. I'm hoping that's what would happen, That Beans can just sleep until her wee hearts content (she is old) and Maple and another baby could run around. But I worry that another young pig would annoy Beans especially if the 2 of them are running riot while Beans is trying to nap. How did you bond your old and new ones together?
 
Biscuit takes no nonsense from them. They get put in their place often enough that they respect her boundaries. However unlike Beans she has never ever wanted to keep up, if they visit her great, if they want to snuggle in and sleep and she feels like it, great, if they want to sod about she will go for them.

I put her and Jet side by side in my C&C cage (just a divider down the middle) whilst I was waiting for the babies to get better. I swapped toys and bedding between sides each day and put beds by the barrier so they could sleep either side together. Once they were all healthy I piled a load of food into the outdoor run which I had put in the dining room and some tunnels for the little ones and I piled them all in, watched them for an hour them left hubby in charge whilst I rearranged the C&C cage! It was an incredibly relaxed bonding, they were all go good, I was so lucky.

In the C&C cage I made sure that there were loads of places to 'get away'. Biscuit chose an area upstairs which is now 'hers' and when its all too much she sleeps there.
 
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