Bonding And Dominance

[JuliaKK]

Hello, I have read the articles about Bonding and Dominance etc. that you have shared with me, and I am very grateful for the detailed information. I have also watched the video which was very helpful too.
I am planning to start with our Guinea Pig and our Neighbour's Guinea Pig in two separate hutches next to each other - would a day or two be enough? Then we can use our family bathroom which is quite spacious as a neutral space for them to be together to start with. Depending on how the introduction in the neutral space go, we will put them together in a disinfected and re-arranged hutch with everything in quantity of two (water bottles, food bowls etc.).
If they are OK with each other in the hutch during the day - what do we do for the night? Do we leave them with no supervision? I read that separating them would mean the start of the introductions again but feel very nervous about leaving them at night time? I guess it all depends on how the relationship develops, but we will have to go to work/school (for the kids) after the weekend, and I am not clear at which point it is safe for them to be left together with no supervision? How do the rescue centres handle bonding at night-time or is it usually clear after a full day if they are safe with each other or not? With best wishes, Julia

 

[DM030819]

@JuliaKK Yeah, it depends on how well you think the bond has gone. Ultimately you need to leave them to it overnight but I know how stressful bonding can be.

If you're not happy to leave them overnight then please feel free to keep them apart overnight. But, the bonding process will begin again, so you will need to introduce them again in a neutral space.


Good luck!

 

[Wheekallweek]

When we bond pigs at the rescue, we leave them together at night but place a piece of play pen or something in between, so they can still see, hear, touch, smell each other etc. but not hurt each other!