bonding

[crunchy]

i have a female guinea pig which is 5 years old and lost her female partner at christmas, i would like a small group of female guinea pigs to keep together. I know of a single female of 8 months that needs rehoming, would i be able to put it in with my female? any advice welcome.

 

[piggyfan]

You would have to bond them both first. This has to be done on neutral ground. Give them plenty of space and you can try some food too for them to be distracted. They will teeth chatter for dominance. You only need to intervene if they draw blood. Once they are happy together you can place them both in their clean cage but it may take a few attempts to try and bond them so you will need to ensure you have a spare cage for the new girl.

 

[Wiebke]

You will need to see whether they will gel; not all older sows that have been on their own for some time are keen on new company.

Here is our collection of tips on how to stage introductions with the best chance for success: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38562

 

[lilmisscavy]

I can't see any reason why they wouldn't get along, just be sure you understand how to read piggy body language and vocal signals, or have someone experienced with you as you bond them.

Also, be aware that 5 years is quite old for a guinea-pig and once she passes away, you'll have to get another companion for the 8 month old. It may be an idea to find a pair or a trio of sows to put with her instead, then when your 5 year old passes, they will have company still and you won't be left with this situation again.

Something Piggyfan mentioned, on neutral grounds isn't always an ideal option because the younger would need to know their place in the elder one's home. If you attempt to bond them on neutral grounds and then put them back into somewhere they would be living, they would need to find their status with each other twice. If that makes sense?

Hope that helps

 

[Wiebke]

With older piggies, it can pay to take things slowly and let them live next to each other for a few days. That way, they can get to know each other through the bars and you can judge the lay of the land from their reactions; it also helps the newbie to settle down and learn your dialy rituals, so when the two meet, it is not all new and a less stressful.

Intros on neutral ground don't have to be very long, just as long that acceptance happens. Anyway, if you transfer piggies to a thoroughly cleaned and rearranged cage/hutch, you won't get dominance twice, unlike with putting them into one of the piggies' cage with her scent all over it - then you will get inevitably a much stronger reaction. If you stage intros in an already inhabited cage, the piggy living in there may feel invaded and can react much more aggressively than on neutral ground.

 

[crunchy]

thanks for all your advice, i think i may leave my girl on her own and go to our local rescue and get a pair or more females from them.

 

[Angeladeedah]

With older piggies, it can pay to take things slowly and let them live next to each other for a few days. That way, they can get to know each other through the bars and you can judge the lay of the land from their reactions; it also helps the newbie to settle down and learn your dialy rituals, so when the two meet, it is not all new and a less stressful.

That's the way I have bonded all my piggies. I split a section in my C&C cage and put the new piggie in there so that they can get to know the other piggies through the bars, then after about 4 or 5 days I lift the separating grids and let them all live together. So far, so good with all my bonding!

 

[crunchy]

thanks for the advice, i would love a group of guinea pigs as have always had pairs and when one dies the other is left alone.