Bonding 2 girls + 1

Queenjellybeany

Queenjellybeany

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all!
I rescued a guinea pig a few months back as a partner for my angel pig, yenyen! Cookie (my 6 year old pig) bonded very easily with yen but unfortunately they only had 2 months together before yen’s illness took her away from us and she passed away.
Last month I rescued two new pigs, Daisy and Rosie, both around 7 months old! Super curious little pigs, not really scared of much at all and just over all the most fun pigs I’ve ever encountered!
They have been living next door to each other for over a month! I’m wondering whether to bond them. Cookies age is really showing and she doesn’t get out much but I feel bad for her having interaction just through the bars !

Do you think I should bond or just let them continue life as is? I’m worried to scare cookie too much but also can’t help but feel guilt for her being alone. Also if I am to bond, do I bond all three together or do I do the dominant pig with cookie first and then add the other if that goes well?
Many thanks
Ellie
 
If they are happy as they are then there is nothing wrong with them staying separated like they are - Living side by side with interaction between the bars is perfectly acceptable interaction for cookie (it gives the interaction without having to share territory). (It’s the set up I have, with a pair of boars in one side and single on the other).

The fact is that you won’t know unless and until you try.
They can go back side by side if things don’t work out - Older sows can be less willing to accept change so she may not accept them. Bonding a single with an already bonded pair can be one of the trickiest bondings to get to work.

If you do bond them, you need to put in all three into neutral territory at once.
(they need to form as a trio from the beginning so there is no point in trying cookie with the dominant of the pair and then adding the other in later as it’ll mean they’ve then got to start again).

Wiebke

Thread 'Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?'

1 Singles and Pairs
Singles: Challenges and solutions for different singles situations (link)
Pairs: A closer look all possible pairings (link)
2 Trios and More by Gender
Boars
- Trios and quartets - Why better avoided
- Large Groups...
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Wiebke

Thread 'Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours'

1 Introduction
2 Pre-bonding
- Quarantine and sexing
- The need for a plan B
- The rule-breaker: Youngsters under 4 months (sub-teenage)
3 Setting up an introduction
- Getting to know each other
- ‘Buddy baths’ – why not
- Scent swapping - why not
- Setting up a neutral bonding area
- How to start the bonding
4 Acceptance phase: Do we like...
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