teadragon
Adult Guinea Pig
- Guinea pigs live in groups and herds
- Human third wheel
- Dominant pig
- Speaking pig
- Learning pig
- Myths on companionship
- Where to I best find a suitable companion?
When researching guinea pigs, one of the first thing many newbie owners of single pigs will come across is their need for companionship.
Guinea Pigs Live in Groups and Herds
The wild relations of our domestic piggies are herd animals who live in small groups of a boar paired with a few females. As prey animals they find safety in numbers; many pigs mean extra eyes to look out for predators. This "safety in numbers" need is still present in our domestic piggies, even when they have learned to trust us completely; nothing can beat the reassurance of another pig. Piggies in groups feel safe!
Guinea Pig Facts - An Overview
Human Third Wheel
Many people hesitate when they are told their single pig would be better off with a piggie companion; won't a second pig cause their human-bonded baby to reject them? Will they become a human third wheel?
Many humans find that they have to put a lot of work into bonding with their guinea pigs. One of the reasons for this is that we simply don't understand each other instinctively. It can take years and a lot of lettuce for a guinea pig to warm to its human companion. If that pig is alone, often they have no choice but to warm to their human companion as the sole source of stimulation. Guinea pig to guinea pig bondings happen quickly (or slowly) during introductions and can last a lifetime.
Guinea pig relationships are very different to pig to human relationships. While we will spend time grooming and cuddling with our pigs, pig on pig interaction is different. Sometimes they'll cuddle, sometimes they'll happily thrust their noses into each others bottoms and other times they'll chasing each other around the cage. Other piggie pairs don't seem too fussed with each other and simply seem to enjoy sharing a cage.
Lone guinea pigs will often appear depressed or become extremely bored no matter how many cuddles and toys are provided. They are also much more prone to picky eating and developing annoying attention seeking behaviours.
Cashew, Mimic and Koda group shot.
Getting a piggie companion for your guinea pig will not affect that pig's relationship with you. But it is impossible for you to spend enough time with your guinea pig to compensate for a piggie companion - pigs sleep less than we do and require companionship around the clock. Beyond this, we are simply unable to speak with them in a way that will fill the social void.
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters
Dominant Pig
Guinea pigs in the herd have a strict hierarchy at the top of which is the dominant pig. The dominant pig is more than just the fattest pig who gets first pick of the veggies; they are the peace keeper of the herd. Often the removal of a dominant pig can cause a sudden flare of bickering among the rest of the piggies.
Cashew during his illness hiding.
When Cashew became unwell and was unable to keep the other two boys in check, a sudden flare of bickering, chattering and nipping disturbed my usually (and unusually for boys) quiet cage. I could tell he was beginning to feel better when the bickering stopped; all it seems to take from Cashew is a rumblestrut toward a misbehaving pig to settle a potential argument. Some people also report that by taking their dominant pig on a vet trip with a sick pig, their sick pig seems to become less stressed by the ordeal than if it were taken alone or with another herd pig.
In boars the need to establish and reinforce the hierarchy seems to demand more attention, especially around 4-6 months of age when they hit adolescence. It is unwise to attempt to introduce two (and even less so three) young boars together who may hit puberty at the same time or are currently in their adolescent stages of life as they are much more hormone driven.
Both males and females will partake in dominance behaviour which includes rumblestrutting, humping chasing etc.; if another pig has crossed a line attack-peeing, tooth chattering and nipping will occurr. This behaviour is more worrying for the protective owner than the pigs in question and is all completely normal.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
- Human third wheel
- Dominant pig
- Speaking pig
- Learning pig
- Myths on companionship
- Where to I best find a suitable companion?
When researching guinea pigs, one of the first thing many newbie owners of single pigs will come across is their need for companionship.
Guinea Pigs Live in Groups and Herds
The wild relations of our domestic piggies are herd animals who live in small groups of a boar paired with a few females. As prey animals they find safety in numbers; many pigs mean extra eyes to look out for predators. This "safety in numbers" need is still present in our domestic piggies, even when they have learned to trust us completely; nothing can beat the reassurance of another pig. Piggies in groups feel safe!
Guinea Pig Facts - An Overview
Human Third Wheel
Many people hesitate when they are told their single pig would be better off with a piggie companion; won't a second pig cause their human-bonded baby to reject them? Will they become a human third wheel?
Many humans find that they have to put a lot of work into bonding with their guinea pigs. One of the reasons for this is that we simply don't understand each other instinctively. It can take years and a lot of lettuce for a guinea pig to warm to its human companion. If that pig is alone, often they have no choice but to warm to their human companion as the sole source of stimulation. Guinea pig to guinea pig bondings happen quickly (or slowly) during introductions and can last a lifetime.
Guinea pig relationships are very different to pig to human relationships. While we will spend time grooming and cuddling with our pigs, pig on pig interaction is different. Sometimes they'll cuddle, sometimes they'll happily thrust their noses into each others bottoms and other times they'll chasing each other around the cage. Other piggie pairs don't seem too fussed with each other and simply seem to enjoy sharing a cage.
Lone guinea pigs will often appear depressed or become extremely bored no matter how many cuddles and toys are provided. They are also much more prone to picky eating and developing annoying attention seeking behaviours.
Cashew, Mimic and Koda group shot.
Getting a piggie companion for your guinea pig will not affect that pig's relationship with you. But it is impossible for you to spend enough time with your guinea pig to compensate for a piggie companion - pigs sleep less than we do and require companionship around the clock. Beyond this, we are simply unable to speak with them in a way that will fill the social void.
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters
Dominant Pig
Guinea pigs in the herd have a strict hierarchy at the top of which is the dominant pig. The dominant pig is more than just the fattest pig who gets first pick of the veggies; they are the peace keeper of the herd. Often the removal of a dominant pig can cause a sudden flare of bickering among the rest of the piggies.
Cashew during his illness hiding.
When Cashew became unwell and was unable to keep the other two boys in check, a sudden flare of bickering, chattering and nipping disturbed my usually (and unusually for boys) quiet cage. I could tell he was beginning to feel better when the bickering stopped; all it seems to take from Cashew is a rumblestrut toward a misbehaving pig to settle a potential argument. Some people also report that by taking their dominant pig on a vet trip with a sick pig, their sick pig seems to become less stressed by the ordeal than if it were taken alone or with another herd pig.
In boars the need to establish and reinforce the hierarchy seems to demand more attention, especially around 4-6 months of age when they hit adolescence. It is unwise to attempt to introduce two (and even less so three) young boars together who may hit puberty at the same time or are currently in their adolescent stages of life as they are much more hormone driven.
Both males and females will partake in dominance behaviour which includes rumblestrutting, humping chasing etc.; if another pig has crossed a line attack-peeing, tooth chattering and nipping will occurr. This behaviour is more worrying for the protective owner than the pigs in question and is all completely normal.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
