Confused About Bonding Advice

[amhmcrm]

Hey everyone,

For a bit of context, we adopted two roughly 8-week-old guinea pigs (Oreo and Peanut) at the end of September.

Sadly, after just four weeks, Oreo passed away. She initially had pneumonia, then relapsed, and we couldn’t save her.

Since then my anxiety has been through the roof, and I’ve probably been watching Peanut a little too closely. She’s been absolutely fine overall, but recently seemed slightly off her food. I panicked and took her to the vet, where we saw a nurse (who’s very experienced with guinea pigs — she’s owned quite a few herself). She assured me Peanut is healthy, but said she may be eating less because she’s lonely.

Peanut has been on her own for two weeks, and I’ve been trying so hard to find her a companion — ideally through a rescue that offers bonding. Unfortunately, there’s a waiting list, and I was worried that Peanut needed a friend sooner rather than later. So today, we brought home a new youngster, Cookie.

Following the nurse’s advice, I introduced them in a large neutral space (our lounge). She said only to separate if nipping caused fur loss or blood. We left them for about 30 minutes while I cleaned their cage (in my daughter’s room). There was some sitting together, a bit of grooming from Peanut, and also some nipping (always Peanut towards Cookie). One nip upset Cookie quite a bit and she whined for a while — no blood drawn, but it scared me, so I separated them.

They’re now in the same enclosure but with a partition between them. Peanut keeps chewing the bars, which is worrying me.

I’m now completely confused because I keep reading conflicting advice — some say to keep them separate for two weeks and scent-swap, while others say to keep them together with supervision. The nurse didn’t mention anything about a long separation.

My head is spinning, and I’m so stressed I feel sick. I just want to do what’s right and make sure Peanut and Cookie both stay safe and happy. I’m also worried Peanut might damage her teeth from chewing the bars.

What should I do next? Any advice or experience would be really appreciated.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Bonding is putting them in a neutral space for several hours. If all goes well you move them to their cage together and never separate them again.

Babies are desperate for company so you have to bond them (ie put them in neutral territory) straight away.
Piggies can live in a side by side cage for a week or so before bonding day but that only applies if they are adult.

Definitely do not do scent swapping - in our forum experience it can set the bonding up for failure before it’s even started. Allowing the scent of another piggy into the cage of another can be seen as a territory invasion and then when those piggies meet it sets them up on hostile ground.

Nipping is a gesture of power, it does not break the skin. Whining is a submission. It was perfectly fine behaviours for bonding.

So now you have separated you have to start over again.
Put them in neutral territory and leave them in there for many hours - all day if needed. Do not add any hides in a bonding pen - just hay and water is needed.
If everything is ok (you are going to see dominance behaviours while they get to know each other) then you can move them to the cleaned out permanent cage and then leave them to it! At this point you can add in two exit hides (never use any single exit hides).
Do note that you cannot just remove the divider between them now and allow them to wander together as that will also be seen as a territory invasion now each half has become their own space.

It will then take two weeks for them to fully sort out their bond. You must not separate them after introduction except if the bond outright fails.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

 

[amhmcrm]

Bonding is putting them in a neutral space for several hours. If all goes well you move them to their cage together and never separate them again.

Babies are desperate for company so you have to bond them (ie put them in neutral territory) straight away.
Piggies can live in a side by side cage for a week or so before bonding day but that only applies if they are adult.

Definitely do not do scent swapping - in our forum experience it can set the bonding up for failure before it’s even started. Allowing the scent of another piggy into the cage of another can be seen as a territory invasion and then when those piggies meet it sets them up on hostile ground.

Nipping is a gesture of power, it does not break the skin. Whining is a submission. It was perfectly fine behaviours for bonding.

So now you have separated you have to start over again.
Put them in neutral territory and leave them in there for many hours - all day if needed. Do not add any hides in a bonding pen - just hay and water is needed.
If everything is ok (you are going to see dominance behaviours while they get to know each other) then you can move them to the cleaned out permanent cage and then leave them to it! At this point you can add in two exit hides (never use any single exit hides).
Do note that you cannot just remove the divider between them now and allow them to wander together as that will also be seen as a territory invasion now each half has become their own space.

It will then take two weeks for them to fully sort out their bond. You must not separate them after introduction except if the bond outright fails.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours

Thank you so much for the clarity — that really helped.

After reading your reply, I reintroduced them immediately, in a large neutral space in our lounge with clean fleece, plenty of hay, veggies and nuggets. They’ve been absolutely fine — hardly any nipping, lots of sitting together and some grooming.

Assuming it stays this way, would you suggest gradually reducing the bonding pen down to the size of their enclosure throughout the day before moving them in?

Really appreciate all your advice.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m glad it’s gone well.

No need to reduce bonding pen size. Just leave them as they are and then move them back to their cage when they are ready.

Any change in territory/environment can set off a new round of dominance so reducing the cage size gradually and then to the cage is just too many changes. Just moving them to their cage is just one change and much easier for them to get used to .

 

[Roselina]

Thank you so much for the clarity — that really helped.

After reading your reply, I reintroduced them immediately, in a large neutral space in our lounge with clean fleece, plenty of hay, veggies and nuggets. They’ve been absolutely fine — hardly any nipping, lots of sitting together and some grooming.

Assuming it stays this way, would you suggest gradually reducing the bonding pen down to the size of their enclosure throughout the day before moving them in?

Really appreciate all your advice.

I'm wondering if you might need to neutralise the cage again as it’s been divided
Good luck …bonding is always a nerve wracking experience

 

[amhmcrm]

I'm wondering if you might need to neutralise the cage again as it’s been divided
Good luck …bonding is always a nerve wracking experience

So nerve wracking.

Thank you, I've thoroughly cleaned the entire cage again. And placed fresh bedding.

 

[amhmcrm]

I’m glad it’s gone well.

No need to reduce bonding pen size. Just leave them as they are and then move them back to their cage when they are ready.

Any change in territory/environment can set off a new round of dominance so reducing the cage size gradually and then to the cage is just too many changes. Just moving them to their cage is just one change and much easier for them to get used to .

Ok, great, thank you.

Thankfully all seems to be going well. At times they look so settled sleeping next to each other. But still few moments of Peanut asserting herself.

Fingers crossed it remains.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Peanut is going to continue to asset herself for the next few weeks while they finalise the details of their bond

 

[Roselina]

Ok, great, thank you.

Thankfully all seems to be going well. At times they look so settled sleeping next to each other. But still few moments of Peanut asserting herself.

Fingers crossed it remains.

We have our for you
Everyone is very supportive here and will have experience of the very things you’re dealing with
Keep in touch and we’d love to see some pigtures of Peanut and Cookie
You will also be grieving the loss of Oreo so look after yourself too

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

Nipping is normal mild sow dominance behaviour. Sows don't usually fight unless one of them feels badly cornered and defence bites out of fear. Their equivalent to a boar bite is a mouthful of painfully ripped out hair; this always signal a relationship fail. Just make sure that there are no huts and corners in the cage in cage where one of them can be 'locked in'.

That said, youngsters under 4 months want to belong; the worst thing for them is to be alone so any bonding success between them is virtually a given. What can be more a problem is when a very insecure leader who feels in need of guidance themselves hides behind strong dominance and throwing their weight around but this will ease as they gain their confidence and are not challenged.

You may also find this guide here helpful for the post-intro group establishment phase ('dominance') phase in which piggies establish or re-establish their group in its territory.
One chapter details the typical behaviours that you see in sow pairs/groups during this time: Sows: Behaviour and Female Health Problems (including mounting and ovarian cysts)

If you have any concerns, we can help you double-check the gender of your piggies.
Sexing Corner

New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

You may want to bookmark this link to our New Owners Information Collection, which addresses the most commonly asked questions and problems - nearly 20 years of collective forum experience have gone into our guides, which are as practical and how-to precise as we could make them. It's good for browsing, reading and re-reading at need since you will pick up on different things at different stages of experience:
Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners

All the best but trust that your two little girls want to be together and will make it through.