Bonding time

[R-stony]

Hello, update on Bumble and Honey.

They seem to enjoy each other’s company and hate when i lock them away (due to intense rainfall) and popcorn like crazy when they can see each other again.

I have started holding them together and they don’t bicker and actually are civil with each other. But if put on the ground, they just can’t stand each other. There’s been no fighting as such just a lot of strutting and teeth chattering. Is this an improvement?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Hi,

Why is they are separated? Have the fought in the past? We advise only separating bonding guinea pigs if a fight breaks out in which blood is drawn- this ultimately means a failed bond. However teeth chattering, chasing and some nipping is all typical bonding behaviours and it's best to just leave them to sort it out (hard ik. I was a mess when I bonded mine).

 

[R-stony]

Hello, so about 4 months ago now they were fighting constantly including tuffs of hair being pulled out, and both guinea pigs ended up being stressed/not sleeping/eating as constantly on edge. One of them had a small cut to the nose (I wouldn’t say blood) but no serious injuries. But I knew it was stressing them and myself I was always so worried when I left the house. They both now have their own hutches and little garden run that are connected so they always see each other.

 

[Wiebke]

They really enjoy the interaction with each other but are not prepared to share territory with each other.
What we call a 'can't live together and can't live apart' bonded pair with each their own territory but full-on stimulation through the bars.

Can you organise an indoors run with a divider (a panneled rabbit run would be ideal where you can use one or two panels as a divider) for interaction on rainy or cold days?
All you need is some plastic underlay, some old beach towels and a cheap acrylic or polyester bedspread, which you have pre-washed to get the surface-sealing softener out. Everything can be neatly put away when not in use.
I have posted a solution with C&C grids in this thread here, but the principle is the same: Temporary Housing Solutions?