Boar Bonding Advice Please

[Sstuk]

I have a 2 month old boy and am picking up a second 2 month old boy this weekend and I am going to of course do the 3 week quarantine and they both have a health checkup on Tuesday coming. Then I was thinking about putting them side by side in a c&c cage to get used to each other's smell and be able to see each other but with them both getting ready to come into adolescents I am a bit nervous to put them together too soon. Should I just put them side by side with a divider until they pass that adolescent stage? Any advice would be wonderful!

 

[Keiko The Pig]

From what I've read the sooner/younger you introduce them the more likely they are to get along. I have 2 boys, one being 6 months now and the other 4 months. They've been together since they were 2 and 1 month old and are absolutely devoted to each other. They cry when separated and always sleep beside each other. It's your choice if you want to avoid the hormonal phase but from my understanding the last hormones hit around 1 year old so you'd be in for quite a wait! After quarantine it's completely your choice good luck with your new boy no matter what you decide to do!

 

[Wiebke]

I have a 2 month old boy and am picking up a second 2 month old boy this weekend and I am going to of course do the 3 week quarantine and they both have a health checkup on Tuesday coming. Then I was thinking about putting them side by side in a c&c cage to get used to each other's smell and be able to see each other but with them both getting ready to come into adolescents I am a bit nervous to put them together too soon. Should I just put them side by side with a divider until they pass that adolescent stage? Any advice would be wonderful!

The majority of boys make it through the teenage months together. Personally, I would give them the chance to work it out and only go for the live alongside option if their adult identities don't mesh. Tou have no guarantee that they will click as adults.

 

[Sstuk]

Well I was lucky enough to get both pigs to the vet today and both have a clean bill of health so we decided to go ahead with the introduction. Since poor Potter my new baby Rex was covered in urine we decided to start out with a buddy bath and have had one mounting and maybe 1 minute of rumble strutting and they are curled up together sleeping! I couldn't be happier with how smoothly it has gone.

 

[Wiebke]

Lucky you! I hope that it continues! But it looks like a meeting of minds...

 

[Sstuk]

Another update. After putting them in a brand new 2x5 with 2 1x2 lofts on either side there was a little more mounting and grumbling and chasing but they seem to have sorted it out. If they get startled they come together but for the most part they seem to be going their separate ways. Makes me a little sad because I was hoping they would snuggle up together but I am hoping that in time they might start to do that. And I also found out that Potter my Rex is only 1 month old and Pika is definitely taking the dominant role. The picture is one of the moments they were a little afraid...but it was super cute

 

[Wiebke]

Another update. After putting them in a brand new 2x5 with 2 1x2 lofts on either side there was a little more mounting and grumbling and chasing but they seem to have sorted it out. If they get startled they come together but for the most part they seem to be going their separate ways. Makes me a little sad because I was hoping they would snuggle up together but I am hoping that in time they might start to do that. And I also found out that Potter my Rex is only 1 month old and Pika is definitely taking the dominant role. The picture is one of the moments they were a little afraid...but it was super cute

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It is normal for most guinea pigs to go their own ways when they have enough space to get away from each other! Having constant snuggle-uppers is a human misconception, going hand in hand with their (mostly wrong) cuddly image.

This does not mean that they aren't bonded or don't get on!