Advice needed for pairing up (tomorrow!)

[artPUNK]

Hey
So tomorrow I am going for my fourth attempt at bonding my single Male Piggy with a younger pig (male, around 2 months difference)

Do I put them together (in a pen) instantly, or should I let him settle in his own cage (which I intend on keeping next to Henry overnight etc).

I need this to work as I’m sure that Henry is depressed. (The Vet couldn’t find any other reasons for his behaviour).

 

[Wiebke]

Hey
So tomorrow I am going for my fourth attempt at bonding my single Male Piggy with a younger pig (male, around 2 months difference)

Do I put them together (in a pen) instantly, or should I let him settle in his own cage (which I intend on keeping next to Henry overnight etc).

I need this to work as I’m sure that Henry is depressed. (The Vet couldn’t find any other reasons for his behaviour).

Hi and welcome

If at all possible, please leave them overnight in a divided pen so they can get to know each other through the bars. this should remove some of the extraneous stress out of the bonding.

You will find out comprehensive bonding guide helpful. It looks at all the different bonding stages in detail (including the preparation) and not only includes behaviours but also dynamics and the specifics of different combinations.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities

All the best!

 

[VickiA]

Please have a good read of the guides and prepare yourself for what may happen. I always hope for the best but plan for the worst as piggies can be unpredictable. I hope you get a good result.

 

[Merab]

Hope the bonding goes well. It is stressful for us but do read the bonding guides.
I kept them open the whole time I was bonding mine last year - they saved my sanity, along with Forum support.
Keep us posted

 

[artPUNK]

Thanks guys.
Dylan is home now. I have put the 2 cages next each other on my bed (bars, so they can communicate) and have left the bedroom door open so that normal sounds can still be heard.
Am just going to leave them throughout the day and overnight.
I will update with any progress etc. Fingers crossed.

 

[artPUNK]

Hi and welcome

If at all possible, please leave them overnight in a divided pen so they can get to know each other through the bars. this should remove some of the extraneous stress out of the bonding.

You will find out comprehensive bonding guide helpful. It looks at all the different bonding stages in detail (including the preparation) and not only includes behaviours but also dynamics and the specifics of different combinations.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities

All the best!

Hey.
So there are a couple of things that I can’t seem to find in the guide.....

Firstly, I understand that breaking the pair can “reset” any progress made.
Does this mean that I put them in neutral grounds once and then have them in the cage together right after that.
Or do I ease them into it and place them in the pen together, often over the course of a few weeks?

Secondly, how long should I wait before my first attempt? They have now been living side by side (in their cages) for 2 days. (However, they don’t seem to be interested in each other at all. They always face away from one another).

 

[Wiebke]

Hey.
So there are a couple of things that I can’t seem to find in the guide.....

Firstly, I understand that breaking the pair can “reset” any progress made.
Does this mean that I put them in neutral grounds once and then have them in the cage together right after that.
Or do I ease them into it and place them in the pen together, often over the course of a few weeks?

Secondly, how long should I wait before my first attempt? They have now been living side by side (in their cages) for 2 days. (However, they don’t seem to be interested in each other at all. They always face away from one another).

Hi!

Once you have started the bonding process on neutral ground, the boars stay together forever unless the bonding fails. Lots of little meetings is exactly what you should NOT be doing.
Guinea pigs don't do play time. Every meeting is a full-on bonding session that is aborted by you before they can get anywhere. This goes for any gender.
But unlike boars, you can split sows and mixed gender couples overnight once they have got as far the hierarchy sort-out or the dominance phase and tensions are very high. Boar bonding dynamics differ in that they are generally more upfront and straight forward than sows. You can however leave any bonding pair or group you are not sure off in the bonding pen overnight before transferring to the cage.

You can bond anytime you like and have several hours' time . You can have a little meeting on your lap (have thick oven gloves and a box ready to drop one boy into). If they start teeth chattering very quickly, then the bonding is highly unlikely to work out.
It is not a fail-safe method and it is very easy to end up with deep defence bites to yourself that is why I am usually not recommending it.

What nobody can guarantee is a fail-safe character match with any bonding - as little as you can with an arranged human marriage or becoming best friends with your workmates. Make sure that you can implement a plan B immediately in case your piggies do not gel.

I hope that that answers your questions?

 

[artPUNK]

Hi!

Once you have started the bonding process on neutral ground, the boars stay together forever unless the bonding fails. Lots of little meetings is exactly what you should NOT be doing.
Guinea pigs don't do play time. Every meeting is a full-on bonding session that is aborted by you before they can get anywhere. This goes for any gender.
But unlike boars, you can split sows and mixed gender couples overnight once they have got as far the hierarchy sort-out or the dominance phase and tensions are very high. Boar bonding dynamics differ in that they are generally more upfront and straight forward than sows. You can however leave any bonding pair or group you are not sure off in the bonding pen overnight before transferring to the cage.

You can bond anytime you like and have several hours' time . You can have a little meeting on your lap (have thick oven gloves and a box ready to drop one boy into). If they start teeth chattering very quickly, then the bonding is highly unlikely to work out.
It is not a fail-safe method and it is very easy to end up with deep defence bites to yourself that is why I am usually not recommending it.

What nobody can guarantee is a fail-safe character match with any bonding - as little as you can with an arranged human marriage or becoming best friends with your workmates. Make sure that you can implement a plan B immediately in case your piggies do not gel.

I hope that that answers your questions?

Yes! Thank you very much.
This is all so very nerve wrecking.
I have work today, so will continue to leave them side by side and will try the bonding process in a pen tomorrow as I have a few hours.
Is it better to do it ASAP or does it not really matter? (Is it better to wait until this Thursday as I have a full day free, or will tension build if they can’t physically inspect each other without bats between them).
I am very grateful for your help

 

[Merab]

Be aware - bonding is very nerve-wracking for humans. The piggies understand what they’re doing.

They will be ok side by side until Thursday and it will be easier on you if you have a few hours to watch over them.

Hope it all goes well

 

[artPUNK]

Be aware - bonding is very nerve-wracking for humans. The piggies understand what they’re doing.

They will be ok side by side until Thursday and it will be easier on you if you have a few hours to watch over them.

Hope it all goes well

At this rate, I’m almost confident that Henry and Dylan may not get along.

When side by side in a divided run, they tend to take little bites at each other (definitely not grooming as the other jumps in shock) and seem to be sizing up one another.

Is this normal?

Here is their set up

 

[Wiebke]

Here are two videos of how boars size each others up; you can hopefully spot the difference in tone. I hope that comparing the behaviour and body language helps you to assess your boys:

Good naturedly upon meeting a new neighbour:

With grudge after meeting through the bars in the wake of a fall-out:

 

[artPUNK]

Here are two videos of how boars size each others up; you can hopefully spot the difference in tone. I hope that comparing the behaviour and body language helps you to assess your boys:

Good naturedly upon meeting a new neighbour:

With grudge after meeting through the bars in the wake of a fall-out:

Thanks for posting this.
They don’t look anywhere near as riled up as the 2nd video, but also seen not as interested in each other as the first.
It still could go either way. Haha.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for posting this.
They don’t look anywhere near as riled up as the 2nd video, but also seen not as interested in each other as the first.
It still could go either way. Haha.

All you can do is to give it a try and see whether it works or not. In the end it is all down to whether the boys mesh or not. There is nothing you can do about that because it is entirely personality based. All you can do is take any additional stress factors as much out of the equation but the rest is down to the dynamics between them.

 

[artPUNK]

Update: So the boys have been next to each other all day and they have begun to Rumblestrut At each other, through the bars.
There seems to be a lot of nipping happening, but I’ve also seen the older one washing near the younger.
Is Rumblestrutting a bad thing?
@Wiebke