Bonding males

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rachie66

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Okay so i have a 8month old and a 7week old male. Ive waited 2 days till the baby gets settled.
I'm wanting to bond them and have them together. Ive been watching all YouTube videos i can before i do so. I just wanna know am i making the right choice as I'm scared the older male will hurt the baby. But i think my older boy is lonley as he rumbles while just sat there. He did have a brother but the brother got to dominant.
 
:wel:

To bond them, you need to put them in a neutral territory area without hides and onoy with a pile of hay and leave them to see if they accept each other and can form A relationship. They will need to be in the bonding pen for several hours. If all goes well, then you need to clean down the cage they are to live in together and then you can move them to the new cage. The cage for two boars needs to be 180x60cm or a 5x2 c&c. You can then add in some hides but do all ensure all hides have two exits so no piggy can get trapped inside by the other (this will be a flash point for injury)

As any bond comes down to character compatibility, then do ensure you have the back up plan of living separately if they arent compatible. Often babies are accepted by older piggies but it’s not a guarantee with any on spec bonding or in the future once baby becomes a teen. He will not hurt the baby though.

Rumbling is a normal dominance behaviour, not loneliness, and now he is in the presence of another piggy, he is trying to assert his dominance through the bars.
You are going to see a lot of dominance behaviours, but you only separate boars if there is a full on fight, don’t separate for normal dominance behaviours (rumbling, chasing, mounting)

Do carry out the bonding as baby piggies really need constant companionship.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Let us know how you get on, we can help answer any questions.
 
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How long should i put baby with him. And i know he has to be in a neutral room. I have been reading up I'm just nervous i guess lol
 
rachie66 said:
How long should i put baby with him. And i know he has to be in a neutral room. I have been reading up I'm just nervous i guess lol
Click to expand...

Bonding is a one time thing as you must see it through to conclusion. You put them in a bonding pen and leave them for several hours. If all goes well after those few hours, then move them to the cage together and leave them permamently
You don’t separate them unless the bonding clearly fails. Separating them after you’ve put them together will interrupt everything and mean they bonding isn’t being completed.
 
My older piggy has been mounting but hes laid down near him. No teeth chattering. But alot of squeeks and rumbling they have even been eating together so I'm guessing all is okay so far.
 
Yes that’s good. Mounting is very normal.

The guides I have linked in will also help
 
Everything has gone quiet big man is eating and laying down and baby is just following around eating only noises is minor squeeking like they are just talking.
 
Thanks so much for sitting through this with me i was soo nervous. Watching youtube and reading about it doesnt really stop the nerves. I'm glad i went through this to get shadow (older piggie) a friend.
 
No problem, we are all here to help.
Leave them in neutral territory for several hours and then clean down the cage they are to live in together before transferring them to it
 
So after meny hours of being together and great signs they are now in there cage. The older male still rumbling but from what i can see no sign of aggression at all. Will he calm down eventually?
 
You are going to see a lot of dominance for quite some time. It’s something they will do throughout life.
It will take around two weeks for them to fully form their relationship so you will continue to see dominance for that time. Also though, your older boy is a teenage so seeing hormonal dominance is also going to continue. Your baby will also possible show some of these behaviours once he hits his teens
 
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