i currently have 2 male guinea pigs (both bought at the same pet store and time) and i keep them in a cage at the moment. we’re going to buy them a hutch soon because its warming up and it says we can keep upto 4 piggies in it. is it possible to add more as these are males and one of them is quite mean to the other one but hes still fine. i’ve had them since last september.
Can I Get More Guinea Pigs?
- Thread starter ash231421
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Hi! Boars are best kept in pairs; even more so when they are in the middle of their unstable teenage months! Boar quartets have a fall-out rate of nearly 100% unless they are old age pensioners whose testosterone has run out and who have had the option to accept each other moving in or if you are dealing with a disabled/carer pig scenario.
More information on boar quartets and the teenage months in boars:
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Please treat guinea pigs like you are treating tender plants!
It is the big temperature swings in spring and autumn as well as the cold nights that always bring us a big flush of guinea pigs with respiratory and urinary infections as a result of them being put out on the lawn and into hutches too early. These guides here will hopefully help you avoid any problems:
Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
Hot Weather Management And Heat Strokes
thankyou, a very nice lady at my pet store seemed to know what she was talking about. she told me to acclimatize my piggies slowly by putting them outside through the day and take them back in at night everyday for a few weeks (if its warm enough). she said this way they'll get used to the temperatures better and to also put carpet or anything soft on top and at the back of the cage to keep it warm. the hutch also comes with a cover so it'll be fine in the rain too.
That is similar to what I was meaning about 'treat guinea pigs like tender plants' - they also need to be accustomed to the outside. We have got more tips in our cold weather care guide.
Please be careful when putting your piggies on the lawn; follow our tips to avoid urinary tract infections; a sunny spring day can be very deceptive when the ground is still cold and damp.
Please also read our tips for hot weather - guinea pigs need special protection to prevent a hutch or the lawn run from becoming a death trap.