do i get a second?

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

kcstevensk

New Born Pup
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Points
0
hi

i got a female piggie 2 weeks ago and am considering getting her a friend how easy is it to introduce them, can i just let them have floor time together for a bit them put them both in the same cage straight away?

i dont have her room for 2 cages as i live in a flat so need to know is it best to leave her on her own or get her a buddy

btw this is the cage i have http://www.petsathome.com/shop/rabbit-100-guinea-pig-and-dwarf-rabbit-cage-by-ferplast-37559
 
kcstevensk said:
hi

i got a female piggie 2 weeks ago and am considering getting her a friend how easy is it to introduce them, can i just let them have floor time together for a bit them put them both in the same cage straight away?

i dont have her room for 2 cages as i live in a flat so need to know is it best to leave her on her own or get her a buddy

btw this is the cage i have http://www.petsathome.com/shop/rabbit-100-guinea-pig-and-dwarf-rabbit-cage-by-ferplast-37559
Click to expand...

Yes definitely get a second, but as your query on the other thread says, if y ou haven't room for at least a 120 cm, then we may be able to give you ideas about a c&c set up that will fit where you need to put it.
 
Ill reply to your other question about intros here to keep it all together if thats ok :)
not slowly exactly, as they are both young, and if you get another female it should be easy. depending on where you are in the country there may be a rescue close by that could introduce them for you, meaning much less stress for you! :)

Do you have any idea/have you done any research on C&C cages? (dont want to go off explaining if you havnt seen them :) )
 
ok bit the bullet and got another little female they get along just fine smelling and sniffing them they just sat together in a tube and purred lol

the cage i have is big enough for the 2 of them, they have plenty of room to move, sleep and play, also they will get a hour or more of play time per day in a large room so plently of exercise

many thanks for the help guys

sorry for the multiple posts wasnt sure where best to post for my needs
 
thats great, but please be aware that when you piggies grow up your cage is not (no matter WHAT pets at home tell you) big enough for an adult pair of females. The minimum RSPCA requirement is 120 x 60 cms :) however it does give you alot of time to think about what to do. :)
 
This is the same square area as a 100cm cage, with 2 adult piggies and only the minimum things needed inside.
IMAG_0249.jpg


This is the same square area as a 120cm cage (rspca minimum) , with 2 adult piggies and only the minimum things needed inside
IMAG_0252.jpg


please excuse the poops, i havnt poo cleared the poo machines yet :P
 
Great that you have got your girl a friend! Please get a bigger cage when you can afford it; you can always find out about the current cheapest deal for cages in our housing section - you will find that you can get a much bigger cage or grid cage for less than you would pay in that shop!

PS: Here is an informative thread about sow behaviour, so you can brace yourself for when one of the girls comes into season; it is most likely a stronger one! http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38561

Please don't hestate to ask any questions you may have, but you will find that you get the most and best answers if your do it in the appropriate sections.
 
No pictures just yet new girl is still pretty nervous - names are chip and creed

So left them together over night and no blood shed and I didn't hear them fighting, only really seem to nudge and push when I go to feed them but I think this is because the new one is still nervous off me am I right? Also when would it be enough to separate them if I needed to?
When there's blood shed?

Also creed the older one seems to have been pushed out of her hidey hole and into a new one and she also seems to lie flat to the floor after they have nudged a little is she ok?
 
Last edited:
also, when will they be fully sized so i can think about a bigger cage, at the moment i think they are about 8-12 weeks old and are still quite small will get pictures up asap!

thanks so much for you kind help guys i feel like a complete novice and am worrying about every little detail, worse than having kids lol
 
black one is the new addition and by the looks of things is the most dominant
her name is chip and the ginger one is called creed i do feel a bit sorry for creed as chip has come into her home and took over lol
 
very pretty piggies.

I started off with a top level to the hutch as mine were still young and small enough to be ok in a smaller space, using this time to get them used to me and being handled as they were easier to catch in a smaller area. Once I got them used to me, it was time to extend their area into the bottom section of the hutch so (had to replace the ramp as it didnt come with the second hand hutch) when they were out on the grass it was time to put the ramp in and open up the whole hutch. This extra space was brilliant for the girls, then added the male (neutered) to have 4 in a 5 x 3 hutch - I am now looking to add a 3ft two level hutch to the side and give them even more space.

The down side is harder to catch them, but they have loads more room and hopefully even more. When they came in for the winter I had them in a larger over all area in a pen on a double bed, this is why having seen them have this much space I want them to have more in their hutch.

I think it took a couple of months for them to be noticably bigger, it was a month before I built and gave access to the ramp and bottom area, but as I say, use this time to get them used to you and then give them a bigger area when they are ready. I know mine popcorn more in a larger area than a smaller one, popcorning is my favourite thing piggies do, it make me happy to see them enjoying life (and to begin with popcorning was seen as they had to relax in their home and with me)
 
just a little video of the 2 piggies spending there play time together, as you know they have only been together for a day so if you see anything you feel needs commenting on let me know but it looks to me like normal behaviour (lots of squeaking but the sound on my video wouldnt work lol)

enjoy!

 
Please don't leave it too long before you gt your piggies more space, as they need to zoom around - particularly when young. You might like to get some cage squares anyway and set up a temporary larger area from time to time to give them floor space to run in!

Good luck with the settling in period.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top