Best Age For A Companion

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DylElla

DylElla

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I rescued a sow yesterday around 5 months old. I'm going to quarantine her for 2 weeks and let her settle then get her a female friend. Would a baby sow be better? Would a baby automatically be the less dominant one?

Can they both go in the cage my rescue is in at the moment?

I'd introduce on neutral territory in the run with veg, hay but no tunnels etc then after a few hours if it goes ok add some shelters with more than one way out. If that went ok could they both go in the cage if I cleaned it thoroughly?
 
Yes a Baby would be more likely to be less dominant. What size is the rescue cage? I would recommend a c&c cage but they can be really expensive sometimes so just plastic grids will do. Guinea pigs need a good size cage to do zoomies! Your introduction seems like a good plan but just remember that nipping, nudging, teeth chattering or little fighting is normal in introductions or you can ask the rescue to introduce or bond them for you.
 
Btw I dont think the age matters in companionship as long if you have the same gender or different gender as long they are neutured.
 
Rescues cage is 120cm by 60cm, the issue id have is its on a desk and fills the desk. Next to the desk there's a gap then a narrower unit (I've taken a photo, excuse the stuff, we're having a sort out). The rescue cage doesn't fit on the unit so not sure how I'd connect two cages or bridge the gap. I'd love a c&c but they're too pricey at the moment.

image.webp
 
I did see those but I could only build it the size of the desk which is the same size as the cage now.
 
Where does you cage open?. Can you open at the side
 
My old cages that i attached together

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I can't rotate the photo but it opens where the white bars are on the longest side

image.webp
 
Piggie buddies said:
Btw I dont think the age matters in companionship as long if you have the same gender or different gender as long they are neutured.
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:agr:It's more relevant with 2 boars I think where the ideal when pairing is to have an older one with a younger one as boars seem to be more likely to fall out if they both hit the teenage period at the same time.

If you can find any way to make the cage bigger I would. Could you move the narrower unit a few cm away from the wall and put a wooden board on top so you could then build using the grids along the whole area? It won't matter also if it is wider on the unit where the cage currently is and narrower going across to the other unit - it's all extra floor space on the same level for them.
 
That's an option - I could pull the unit flush with the desk, use wood as a little ramp with the grids either side then another cage on the unit. My other half is good with tools and creating things so he could maybe make an opening on the new cage on the side, round the edges of the bars off and connect it up that way. I have 2 young children so I want to make sure the cage on the narrower unit is secure incase they try to look in and pull it off but I can pull the unit away from the wall slightly too.
 
There would be a slight ramp as the unit is higher than
PiggySmitten said:
:agr:It's more relevant with 2 boars I think where the ideal when pairing is to have an older one with a younger one as boars seem to be more likely to fall out if they both hit the teenage period at the same time.

If you can find any way to make the cage bigger I would. Could you move the narrower unit a few cm away from the wall and put a wooden board on top so you could then build using the grids along the whole area? It won't matter also if it is wider on the unit where the cage currently is and narrower going across to the other unit - it's all extra floor space on the same level for them.
Click to expand...

There would have to be a slight ramp as the unit is higher and I don't want the floor space along the whole unit really but I'll do my best. The original plan was to move Holly into an outdoor hutch but the sale to me fell through so she'll be inside for a while longer. With Autumn/winter coming she may as well stay inside. Our boys will be moved into the insulated outdoor utility in the winter as they're outside so the girls may as well stay inside.
 
You could put a lip on the unit to make the cage more stable and harder to pull over.
 
I'll get a cage first, take some measurements and have a look. Another option is rob might be able to attach it to the wall like you do with a chest of drawers.
 
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