Experience of odd numbered groups

[garfieldette]

Hi

I have 3 girls: Melody, Mo and Dora. I have had them since January this year. I have noticed that Mo and Dora seem to spend a lot of time together and Melody is often on her own. Mel is a bit of a drama queen, she squeels loudly if either of them try to get in a cozy with her, or an ingloo, or get to the food bowl whilst she is eating and she will snatch food out of their mouths so I don't suppose she is endearing herself to them.

What are your experiences of keeping an odd numbered group? Is this common? Should I be worried about her? I worry that she is lonely and feels left out.

 

[Wiebke]

Your experience is quite common; 3 are often 2+1.

However, adding number 4 won't necessarily mean that you will end up with 2+2; you might as well end up with 3+1 or 2+1+1... There are as many outsiders/groups in piggy society as in human!

If you are thinking about enlarging, I'd rather recommend thinking along the lines of introducing a neutered boar, as he has to get on with ALL girls and won't upset the hierarchy.

 

[flintstones]

I used to have a trio, neutered boar and 2 girls. I found my girl Pebbles was alot closer to me and didn't look at the other 2, and they didn't really look at her either even though the girls were originally bonded but my girls are spayed so they don't go into season.

I decided to get her a boar friend and separte my trio into 2 pairs. I must say I hit the jackpot with my new boar, We arranged some piggy dates so she could meet her potential hubbys. The only reason I ended up with Patrick I wouldn't have picked him but it was very clear that both him and Pebbles were smitten and now I am too x).

 

[CiaraPatricia]

I had a trio of girls, one very old and two very young, and the two young ones were closer friends. They all used to cuddle up sometimes but sometimes the old one got a bit annoyed at them (when they wanted to play) and would chase them! Sometimes piggies just like being on their own more I think. I'm sure she's happy, because she still has company. Getting a neutered boar would be awesome though.

 

[Toodlums]

I have four girls but one tends to make her bed up the far end of the cage from the others.
She stands up for herself and makes her way to the food bowl fine (I have placed an extra one in the cage as well, to be sure) but she seems to prefer being on her own. Sometimes she will cuddle up with the dominant female but mostly she stays on her own.

I give her extra cuddles and check she's OK. She's the only guinea pig I have that makes that funny bird song chirpie sound. The first time I heard it I thought a bird was trapped in the house!

 

[tinso]

the biggest group of piggies i had was 5 i sadly had lola and ruby mother and daughter pass away last year i now have lilly and lucy sisters and patch still living together i have 2 boxes 1 either end of there hutch i find that lilly and lucy snuggle up together and patch is alone in the other box she comes out to eat with the other two this dident happen when i had the 5 together she is shyer than the other two but seems happy enough

 

[Wiebke]

I have a group of nine, yet I have still two "outsiders" who are more into doing their own stuff, Nerys and Cariad.

Nerys has been the odd one out since the beginning whether she's been squabbling with her sister Nia, been in a trio or in a bigger group.

However, both piggies are as firm and important part of the tribe as all the others. Neither is unhappy, it's just the way they are!