Boar Trio?

Piggiesxoxo

Piggiesxoxo

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello! I have a bonded pair of guinea pigs. They get along very well and one is seven months older than the older. I recently got a baby and was wondering if it would work as a trio? The cage I have would be big enough for all three. They are all boars. And if this would work, how might I go about it? And if it doesn’t work, do I have to separate all three or just leave the bonded pair alone?
 
Don’t do it! Never do anything to risk the bond of a pair of boars.
Boar trios have a very high fall out rate. Not only is the likelihood of three bonding very low, you also run the risk of destroying the bond between your original pair. You would then end up with three single guinea pigs all needing separate cages and each a new friend.

The baby will need to be bonded with another single pig to make a separate pair. That new pair will need to be kept away at all times from your current pair.
 
Adding a third boar doesnt normally work. And can ruin the bond between your two existing boars. Lots of new members ask the same question. I have never tried to do this myself. It would be very risky from what i have read before
 
Can I keep the two cages next to each other? The bars don’t touch so they wouldn’t be able to reach through to each other
 
Piggiesxoxo said:
Hello! I have a bonded pair of guinea pigs. They get along very well and one is seven months older than the older. I recently got a baby and was wondering if it would work as a trio? The cage I have would be big enough for all three. They are all boars. And if this would work, how might I go about it? And if it doesn’t work, do I have to separate all three or just leave the bonded pair alone?
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Hi!
Please don't introduce a third boar to an already working pair. You can easily risk your bonded boys falling out and at the worst you can end up with three boys that are not getting on. Boars work best in pairs or in large bachelor groups with oodles of space. Trios and quartets are particularly prone to failure.
Better try to find a new character compatible friend for your newbie; if you can, by rescue dating to enhance the chances of the boys making it through the teenages months together.
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
 
Putting cages next to each other might see the hormones in your current boys rise and see more mounting/bickering. Things tend to calm down, but i wouldnt personally put the cages directly next to each other just I'm case.
 
Piggiesxoxo said:
Can I keep the two cages next to each other? The bars don’t touch so they wouldn’t be able to reach through to each other
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Yes, you can keep boars next to each other as long as they have their own territory. My two boar pairs have just a grid divider between their cages.
 
I'm sorry you cannot have playdates.boars or any pairing will mean they will go through the stages of bonding.this is no fun for your piggies.if it is boars you are setting up for a high failure with three,possibly fights.
 
Piggiesxoxo said:
Thank you for all your guys’ help. I won’t be putting my board together after all.
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I think you have made the wisest decision. Keep them separate and please do not let them out together at floor time (otherwise they have to establish dominance each time and this is very stressful for them).
 
When I let my pair of boars have floor time, where they can go right up to the cage of my trio, it used to cause a bit of a rumpus with the trio, but they are used to it now, and they just talk to each other through the bars, so I'd agree that that's not a problem. The dynamics of my trio are very complex, and rely very much on the head boy, Little Dude being so laid back - he keeps Chicco in his place, and defends Groucho if Chicco gets too much of a bully. Either of the other two would live happily with Little Dude, but if he wasn't there, I have no doubt that Chicco would bully Groucho relentlessly. Little Dude is an exceptional piggy and the lynch pin of the group. It is rare to have this combination, and most groups of three would end up with two Chicco types or two Groucho types which would be disastrous.
 
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