Does size matter when bonding guinnea pigs
- Thread starter Nfrye
- Start date
Cavy Kung-Fu
Adult Guinea Pig
It shouldn’t be, it’s generally more about personalities when it comes to bonding. Have you got girls or boys?
If it’s boys it’s recommended to have a house that only the baby boy can get into if he needs a break from big boy humping. Other than that it should be completely fine
If it’s boys it’s recommended to have a house that only the baby boy can get into if he needs a break from big boy humping. Other than that it should be completely fine
Bonding success always comes down to whether the piggies like each other and are character compatible. If you can, please let your piggies choose at a rescue that offers dating/a play session/meet&greet with their own rescue piggies to make sure that acceptance has happened before you come back home with a companion.
If you are trawling the free-ads, you need to keep some things in mind:
a) you need to conduct a quarantine for all guinea pigs that have not undergone one at a good rescue with mandatory quarantine or be prepared to have both piggies vet treated.
b) you need to sex any new guinea pig; we've come repeatedly across members acquiring mis-sexed piggies.
c) if you cannot test for mutual liking before you bring home another piggy you need to have a plan B at the ready in the form of a next door cage for mutual interaction and stimulation as next door companions in case bonding doesn't work out.
d) owners keen to get rid of a no longer wanted guinea pig as quickly as possible can be amazingly economical with the truth. They are also often not exactly keen it spend a penny (or a dime, if you are from the US) on good care, including vet care. In sows, this can also involve an undisclosed pregnancy. The risks are all on your side. If you cannot pay for vet care straight away, please think twice about getting a free-ads piggy. It has been a very steep and expesnive learning curve for some forum members over the years.
As to ideal bonding ages:
Boars are at their most difficult to bond during the hormonal teenage months (4-14 months of age). That is generally the typical age when they are dumped because of fighting with their shop bought not compatible mate in a too small cage. If you plump for a baby boy, you have to take into consideration that not all adult boars click with every baby and that your baby will go through the teenage months and may turn out to be not character compatible.
Conversely, boars tend to mellow as they age and their hormone output decreases, but older age is no guarantee for the boys to get on. Rescue dating has shown that it takes around 1-3 introduction on average to find a new Mr Right of any age for a bereaved or fallen-out boar. It can take more for a 4-10 months old teenage boar.
A few US and one Canadian rescues have spayed sows. Very occasionally they turn up on free-ads.
Baby or young sows usually work better for a bereaved sow, especially a dominant one. Older sows can get very cranky and may not want to share their personal space with another piggy; they still need interaction and stimulation with another guinea pig through the bars. With sows you can also consider a neutered boar. The success always depends however on whether the piggies are compatible and like other above any other consideration (age or gender). Again, dating is the best way of finding a suitable companion.