Females or mix?

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ninz

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I want to keep two sows however, at the rescue they have neutered males. Does a neutered boar live happier with a sow? Or would two sows be better for a beginner?

Once I am more experienced, will I be able to have more sows with a group of sows? or more sows with one boar?

Thanks for any comments and advice, all is appreciated! :)
 
You can have one neutered boy with any number of sows or sows on their own. I would get either two sows or one boy and one girl until you are used to piggies before thinking of getting any more.
 
I have three pairs of guineas

-One neutered male and one female
-Two females
-Two males

And although they all get along, the neutered male and female are the happiest with eachothers company. It's your own personal choice though really, that's just my experience :)
 
Thank you!

I am only going to go for two until a couple of years later when I feel more confident, then I shall get more sows.

I think I am going to go for a neutered male and one sow and then later on... I'll go for more sows. I'll just keep options open and see what I fall in love with, if it's two sows then fair enough :)

Thanks for the help guys, I know what I want :)
 
If you are going to Bobtails, they do have a pair of sows needing a home, who are already bonded. I think they are more likely to keep their lone piggies for people who have a pig needing to be paired up. But then I could be wrong.

I hope not as I am on the reserve list for one of their single piggies to hopefully bond with Noodles!
 
Hi Doeylicious,

Yes I am hoping to buy from Bobtails, I love their website and they look like a good rescue. I have seen some of their guinea pigs on the website and theres two golden coloured sows and I love them so much... :( problem is I have not even gotten ready yet.

I need to build a cage, a run, food etc.. and I am still not knowledgeable about them yet and I feel quite scared of having them here especially as I don't feel confident. I would rather know what I am doing and bring them home and make them feel happy, than bring them home, panicking and doing the wrong thing and end up making them ill. I'd hate myself if they suffered because of me.

I am sure there will be more lovely guinea pigs to come and I'm not fussed as to what I get long as I can make them happy. I'd prefer two sows or single ones. I don't mind :)

Awww I hope Noodles finds a lovely friend! x
 
aww I think you will find piggies very rewarding pets. I got two sows in January.... then came Peter in April who we had neutered.... then last month came Jemima... I have to stop at 4 for now :)) thats what I keep telling myself anyway
 
:)) It's like pringles, once you pop... you can't stop!

My boyfriend said that once he's living with me, he would like his own guinea pigs. I have a feeling we will have many!

Guinea pigs should be interesting as I have budgies and they are completely different to guinea pigs. I think one thing that I can forget is that each guinea pig will have its own personality.
My budgies have their own unique personalities, my eldest one is sooo affectionate and very wise, whereas the younger one is very naughty, always annoying the older one and very territorial lol
 
ninz said:
Hi Doeylicious,

Yes I am hoping to buy from Bobtails, I love their website and they look like a good rescue. I have seen some of their guinea pigs on the website and theres two golden coloured sows and I love them so much... :( problem is I have not even gotten ready yet.

I need to build a cage, a run, food etc.. and I am still not knowledgeable about them yet and I feel quite scared of having them here especially as I don't feel confident. I would rather know what I am doing and bring them home and make them feel happy, than bring them home, panicking and doing the wrong thing and end up making them ill. I'd hate myself if they suffered because of me.

I am sure there will be more lovely guinea pigs to come and I'm not fussed as to what I get long as I can make them happy. I'd prefer two sows or single ones. I don't mind :)

Awww I hope Noodles finds a lovely friend! x
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Bobtails are great, I have been there before and they are really lovely.

You are doing brilliantly by wanting to be ready first, and especially taking the time to research and come on the forum. Bobtails will give you some help too of course, so if you do go to their open afternoon and meet some piggies they will give you a care sheet and housing requirements and all sorts so you get it right first time, pass their home check, and might even get those two lovely girls (I know the ones you are thinking of, they are really pretty!)

Please do consider boars, as if you have no other piggies they can form a brilliant bond and can (though my sows would kill me for saying it) be more friendly and cuddly than sows. You could have a pair, and your boyfriend a pair (both pairs kept in their own cages) then a 'joint pair' - after all cages stack well ;)

Thank you for your good wishes for Noodles, it is very early days and we are taking it very slowly and letting fate come our way, so we will see what things bring :)
 
Fate is the best way, I'm sure Noodles will be very happy! Rushing never works out too well (sometimes but it's wiser to take things slow)

I don't mind boars but the books have been a little bit mean about them, they say that boars are likely to fight with eachother whereas sows do not fight. Obviously, it is never 100% but all the books I have read so far have said that boars can grow up to fight etc. I initially wanted boars until I read the books. Is this true?

Thank you for your post Doeylicious :D I think its the sensible thing to do. So many times I start a painting and I do not finish it... I do not want that with animals. I do not want to get excited, buy it, then get bored. It's why I took ages in buying my budgies too. Money is another thing, I want to have enough for emergency vets etc

I am going to Bobtails on Sunday 6th November and I am so excited I cannot stop talking about it. I wonder what guinea pigs feel like, I wonder if they feel as soft as feathers?

I wish I could have those girls, they were named after cheese...
That's them... http://www.bobtailsrescue.org.uk/adopt_guineapig.asp

So CUUUTE!
 
My two boars are lovely and seem to be more content than the girls. They cuddle in more when picked up. But its true they can fall out, when they do a reconsiliation is doubtful.
Last august we started with 2 girls. Then 2 boys in november. Another 2 girls in january. Boys were nuetered in April because they fought (could smell the girls) and now live happily with 3 girls each. Ruby came along in July and then Minnie came to live with us a few weeks ago she is about 3 and had been on her own for ages cos her cage mate had died.
So you can see that once you get the guinea pig bug....... they are just so adorable. I have spent ages tonight watching them running about on my lounge floor.
 
I have groups of females, a pair of boars and a female/neutered boar. To be honest they all get on equally within their groups or pairings.

Occasionally the females bicker but not often and it never leads to anything, it's usually just over food. They are partial to removing it from each others mouths if needs be! Godzilla and Nemo, my boars, are totally inseparable - Nemo is about 5 and Godzilla is just a few months old (he's so chunky already though!), Godzilla just follows Nemo everywhere and does everything Nemo does it's very cute. Boars can be lovely and usually when they are properly bonded, as they would be from a rescue, the relationship remains stable. Nemo and Godzilla have never had a fight, neither of them are aggressive at all. I wouldn't believe what the books say but you really can't get more than two boars living together.

Pickle and Ed who are female and neutered male are just too funny. Pickle pretty much hated all other sows but she loves Ed and he is firmly in his place, she wears the trousers. They are lovely together though, they cuddle and sleep next to each other and because Pickle is so confident she has really brought Ed out of his shell, they are always there waiting for me. I wouldn't put any other sows in with them because Pickle would hate it but realistically if you had good natured or not overly dominant piggies (unlike Pickle!) you could have one neutered boar to many sows!

Just see what happens I guess, when you fall in the love with the perfect piggies for you it will all fall into place. For example I never intended to get a neutered male, but then I saw Ed's picture on here and I had to have it, Pickle was lonely and it's worked out perfectly!
 
My two boars are lovely and seem to be more content than the girls. They cuddle in more when picked up. But its true they can fall out, when they do a reconsiliation is doubtful.
Last august we started with 2 girls. Then 2 boys in november. Another 2 girls in january. Boys were nuetered in April because they fought (could smell the girls) and now live happily with 3 girls each. Ruby came along in July and then Minnie came to live with us a few weeks ago she is about 3 and had been on her own for ages cos her cage mate had died.
So you can see that once you get the guinea pig bug....... they are just so adorable. I have spent ages tonight watching them running about on my lounge floor.
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LOL I know I will get the guinea pig bug! I have watched youtube videos and I saw two piggies eating cucumber. Another one eating grape and all the juice running down it's chin. I couldn't stop laughing. I'm a very hugsy person, I want to cuddle everything, my budgie doesn't like kisses on his head but I do it anyway and then he 'ARRK ARRKs' at me lol I bet the guinea pigs will get annoyed lol
I will just see what happens, even though I want them so badly right now, I am going to give myself another few months and see if I really do want them.

I have groups of females, a pair of boars and a female/neutered boar. To be honest they all get on equally within their groups or pairings.

Occasionally the females bicker but not often and it never leads to anything, it's usually just over food. They are partial to removing it from each others mouths if needs be! Godzilla and Nemo, my boars, are totally inseparable - Nemo is about 5 and Godzilla is just a few months old (he's so chunky already though!), Godzilla just follows Nemo everywhere and does everything Nemo does it's very cute. Boars can be lovely and usually when they are properly bonded, as they would be from a rescue, the relationship remains stable. Nemo and Godzilla have never had a fight, neither of them are aggressive at all. I wouldn't believe what the books say but you really can't get more than two boars living together.

Pickle and Ed who are female and neutered male are just too funny. Pickle pretty much hated all other sows but she loves Ed and he is firmly in his place, she wears the trousers. They are lovely together though, they cuddle and sleep next to each other and because Pickle is so confident she has really brought Ed out of his shell, they are always there waiting for me. I wouldn't put any other sows in with them because Pickle would hate it but realistically if you had good natured or not overly dominant piggies (unlike Pickle!) you could have one neutered boar to many sows!

Just see what happens I guess, when you fall in the love with the perfect piggies for you it will all fall into place. For example I never intended to get a neutered male, but then I saw Ed's picture on here and I had to have it, Pickle was lonely and it's worked out perfectly!
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I love your description of Nemo and Godzilla! They remind me of my budgies... the little one follows the big one! It's cute when they copy. I wonder if Nemo is bothered by it?
It seems that most people on here end up getting loads of guinea pigs lol For now I can only afford two and it will be good for me to start off slow.

Ed and Pickle sound like couple of the year x) That is so sweet... nothing better than two guinea pigs who are happy together. I hope I also have guinea pigs who are just as happy :)

Wonder what fate has in stall for me rolleyes
 
It's so good to hear of someone doing all their homework and making sure guinea pigs are the right pets for them and visiting a rescue rather than rushing out to a petshop and buying one. I think you're going to be a great forum member and piggy slave! :laluot_03:
The rescue will give you lots of information and support as well so don't worry.

As far as pairings go 2 girls, 2 boys or a neutered boy and girl can all be great pairs it's all about personalities. If you're getting a ready bonded pair from a rescue then I really wouldn't worry about what combination you get.
I've got a neutered male and female and a pair of boys and to be honest the boys are the soppiest ever, they're much more snuggly with each other than Hector and Matilda but that's just them!
There are a lot of books that say 2 boys will fight but if they choose their own friend and with the right combination of temperaments they can have a great partnership.
If you are thinking you'd like to expand in the future this could make the difference as to what you go for. If you're after a big herd all living together then you have one neutered male with as many females as he can handle! I think boys find it harder to find homes because you can usually only have a maximum of 2 together but you can always add a second set up and get another pair.

What is it with rescues naming their pigs after cheeses?! Tracy at Rugby Rescue has an Emmental, Feta, Mozzarella and Camembert as well! :))
 
It's so good to hear of someone doing all their homework and making sure guinea pigs are the right pets for them and visiting a rescue rather than rushing out to a petshop and buying one. I think you're going to be a great forum member and piggy slave!
The rescue will give you lots of information and support as well so don't worry.

As far as pairings go 2 girls, 2 boys or a neutered boy and girl can all be great pairs it's all about personalities. If you're getting a ready bonded pair from a rescue then I really wouldn't worry about what combination you get.
I've got a neutered male and female and a pair of boys and to be honest the boys are the soppiest ever, they're much more snuggly with each other than Hector and Matilda but that's just them!
There are a lot of books that say 2 boys will fight but if they choose their own friend and with the right combination of temperaments they can have a great partnership.
If you are thinking you'd like to expand in the future this could make the difference as to what you go for. If you're after a big herd all living together then you have one neutered male with as many females as he can handle! I think boys find it harder to find homes because you can usually only have a maximum of 2 together but you can always add a second set up and get another pair.

What is it with rescues naming their pigs after cheeses?! Tracy at Rugby Rescue has an Emmental, Feta, Mozzarella and Camembert as well!
Click to expand...

Thank you :D I cannot wait to be an experience forum member and then give advice to the future newbies :)

I will definately be asking millions of questions at the rescue and I am sure they will be able to give me some advice to help me make up my mind. After all, any guinea pig will do, whether sows or boars. The only thing I am a bit picky about is what type of guinea pig. I want a normal guinea pig, and one that does not have too much hair as I would be worried about cutting hair.

Overall, the one neutered male with many sows is quite appealing at the moment lol

Thank for everyone for the advice. I am so glad I am on here, I have actually learnt a lot more than I have from the books on here. The books do not mention everything. The next problem I have is what brand of hay do I buy... I'll just keep researching for now lol
 
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