Does seeing other Guinea pigs work in the same way as us having friends?

[NoodlesandRice]

My piggies sometimes stay with my friend who also has 2 male piggies and they seem to get along but they do always start by rumbling at each other ect then they are fine does this mean they don't remember each other or is it just checking if they are the same pigs

 

[Betsy]

Piggies don't do play dates. It's like a full on bonding session every time they meet.

 

[NoodlesandRice]

Does this mean that they shouldn't see other piggies or not?

 

[Betsy]

They can as long as they meet each other through bars.

 

[NoodlesandRice]

Ok I'll do this in future

 

[new_pigsitter]

I believe what was meant is it's ok for them to see each other as long as they can't get to each other. It's not necessarily beneficial and I wouldn't outright encourage it.

 

[Wiebke]

Does this mean that they shouldn't see other piggies or not?

Play dates are unfortunately only for humans; for guinea pigs they are always full-on bonding sessions that are frustratingly aborted.

Same sex neighbours are OK and are actual enrichment. The piggies in my room live cheek by jowl and comprehend themselves as part of a large over-herd. Having neighbours gives them an enriched life because there is always something happening. For safety reasons I only have neutered boars and prefer sow or mixed gender combos although I have had the odd laid back boar pair living on one of the tables well above the sows and their pheromones.


However there are some rules you need to respect:
- Any bonded boars-only pairs or groups should always be kept out of sight of sows and reach of their pheromones, ideally in another room or at a distance or on another level. But boar neighbours (entire or neutered) are can live next to other boars.
Please note that neutering just takes away the ability to make babies but doesn't change behaviour or personality in any way.
- You can keep single boars next to sows (ideally in a cable tied cage with a lid they cannot get out of) or neutered boar/sow pairings because they haven't got anybody to fight or fall out with.
- Sow groups and mixed gender pairs where at least one gender is de-sexed can live next to sows and mixed gender combinations without problems.

 

[VickiA]

Do you mean they stay in their respective cages or that they mingle on the floor or in a run?

 

[NoodlesandRice]

Previously the have shared a floor time that was closely watched by my friend and I

 

[VickiA]

Previously the have shared a floor time that was closely watched by my friend and I

Well, then that is a complete no no. Please ask your friend to keep their floor times separate at all times.

 

[NoodlesandRice]

Will do