Final Bonding Tips?

PiggyProdigy

PiggyProdigy

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hey guys

Final bonding questions? I'm about to bond my two male pigs bojangles and Chester. I've built a 6 by 3 grid area, which is also about to be there new home...

How do I know when they're done bonding ? I've heard it can take 30 minutes to 3 hours... so like when is it just humping and when is it they still need to work stuff out,,
Is it true no smells from either of them can be there? I've placed their fleece blanket down but they were seperated. I don't have much of anything else fleece like I can put down without their scent.

The first time I tried to bond them they fought. They lunged and nipped a lot and made the huff noise and all that mess. Is that fighting or bonding? I've read all this is to read here but heard other things from other sites. (So try to have grace)

I've also heard that if you put food in the middle one pig will try to be the "boss" of the food, but in this forum it says it's a "neutral zone" ... personal experience?

They have "their houses" as I like to call, I've had them 3 weeks and most of the time I've been in school (but also taking good care of them) should I re introduce them with their houses that they've mostly been in while they were separated ? Will that trigger some kind of dominence thing if one of them smells the others house ?

Also, I bought a new hidey from a local pet shop. Will one of them try to mark it as there's and fight when the other goes into it?

Is there any videos online that shows the whole process so I know what it looks like? That would be SUPER helpful.

Same goes for hay bin. I have a hay bin (1)
But one pig has always had it in their cage. If I get another will the one pig try to claim both of them?
For now I'll seperate them in the 6 by 3 ... once I get this stuff sorted out I'm bonding them tomorrow!

Also, in bonding males, how long has it taken for you guys? Is 6 by 3 ok for bonding? Any personal notes from just experience? Thanks
 
I've separated them into a divided cage and they are chattering and being aggressive to each other through the divider... what do I do? Should they not see each other ?
 
So basically what I've done is separate them with a divider in their 6 by 3 cage and I put a sheet over so they can't see each other but I think they're just being aggressive cause it's a new cage but they'll calm down then I'll bond them but will they see their sides as territory and fight after I bond them even though their bonded like will they want to keep it split?
 
You can't make guinea pigs get on if they do not want to. All you can do is give them the best chance to find out whether they get along or not.

Please take the time to carefully read this step-by-step bonding guide. Make sure that you have oven gloves at the ready in case you need to separate and that you can plonk one of the boars into something right within reach of your arm if necessary. Guinea pigs that are very much on edge can bite deeply in defence as a reflex at anything that moves; those defence bites can do permanent damage to your hands. If the wrong kind of signals is being exchanged, things can blow up incredibly quickly.
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
 
@Wiebke Is there anyone I can pay to do the bonding for me? I feel like I'm going to mess it up, and this is my last chance for them to be bonded again. I know it's not incredibly good of an owner to not be able to do it on their own, but I'd rather a professional bond them than me mess it up... Please help.. I want them to be friends ;(
 
PiggyProdigy said:
@Wiebke Is there anyone I can pay to do the bonding for me? I feel like I'm going to mess it up, and this is my last chance for them to be bonded again. I know it's not incredibly good of an owner to not be able to do it on their own, but I'd rather a professional bond them than me mess it up... Please help.. I want them to be friends ;(
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I am very sorry, but the two pigy savvy guinea pig rescues closest to you that I know of are in San Antonio and in Austin. Texas is sadly not well endowed with guinea pig places, and we also don't have many members from Texas... :(
The best piggy rescue in your state is up North in the Dallas/Ft Worth area (Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue).
Second Chance Cavy Rescue
Austin Guinea Pig Rescue
 
@Wiebke I feel like an idiot right now. I just read through that attachment you sent, and according to that I seperated my pigs in the end of their bonding last time! There was mutual lunging, followed by chinning of my dominant pig, then humping, and it was calming down until I apparently didn't know what rumblestrutting was they did that then more mutual lunging then I seperated them! I'm a terrible owner! They may never bond correctly now because of me!
 
PiggyProdigy said:
@Wiebke I feel like an idiot right now. I just read through that attachment you sent, and according to that I seperated my pigs in the end of their bonding last time! There was mutual lunging, followed by chinning of my dominant pig, then humping, and it was calming down until I apparently didn't know what rumblestrutting was they did that then more mutual lunging then I seperated them! I'm a terrible owner! They may never bond correctly now because of me!
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If your boys haven't fought last time and have had no time to fully bond, then there is a good chance that they may do it now. However, they may confirm that they really do not like each other, and then you have to live with that result. It is of course very gutting, but guinea pigs have their own minds, and we need to respect that.
You are a good owner. Looking after pets is a life-long learning curve. ;)

All the best!
 
I can't advise on bonding, as I too failed at that, possibly because I didn't know what I was doing at the time, however what I can say is that you are NOT a bad owner. You are researching what you need to do, and trying to do the best by your piggies. When it comes to it, they will either get on, or they won't. All you can do is give them the best chance, which you are doing by doing your research. I hope you do manage a successful bonding, but if they decide they don't want to live together, well that's just the way it is, and not your fault. You obviously care a lot about them, so let them make up their own minds if they want to be cage mates or not. If it doesn't work out, just think about how you would feel if someone forced you to live with someone you didn't like, and accept that they have made that decision.
 
You're not a bad owner, introducing guinea pigs can be stressful, especially when we don't necessarily understand all the body language/communication that is going on. All you can really do it allow them to meet and decide for themselves whether they like each other. I know that boars can be more difficult to bond, especially when there is more than a pair, so give it your best shot and if it goes well, great, and if not, at least you have a large enough cage to put a divider up and allow them their own space while still being alongside other pigs.
 
Thanks, @Freela and @Reenie I'm about to built a 3 by 5 area in my living room and do all the stuff that thread says. (The hump toy, hay, hideys with two ends) If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I'm praying it does. Oh well. I'll update everyone :(
 
Ok, @Wiebke @Eileen's Mum @Freela I've got my area set up. Part way into this, I realized I don't have enough connectors to build an area for them so I made a make shift contained area out of couch cousins and furniture and pillows...

I have hay 2 leaves of lettuce and some carrot in the middle. I have a minecraft pig I've rubbed on both of them in hopes that they don't hump to much. I have 3 hideys all new made of cardboard and the only one they know of was in ones cage for like 5 minutes he didn't even touch it...

Here's a photo
Is there anything I should change?

IMG_0511.webp
 
Hey what's all this about a bonding bath? Should I try and bond bath them then re introduce them into a neutral envirement?
 
Hey so my two pigs bojangles and Chester and in their bonding area and they're not doing anything. They're just sniffing around eating hay and at first one was very still and submissive and they shared a chunk of carrot back and forth. Are they bonded? Are the good? It's been like 10 minutes
 
They have been in here for 42 minutes and all that's happened is bond like eating grooming and cuddling and occasional chattering which ends very quickly
 
PiggyProdigy said:
They have been in here for 42 minutes and all that's happened is bond like eating grooming and cuddling and occasional chattering which ends very quickly
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It sounds very positive; they will hopefully go together. Sorry, bonding is often like watching paint dry...

If your boys are still fine after their first nap together in the bonding pen (which is the crucial point where a goodly number of bondings can fail), then you can transfer them to the thoroughly cleaned cage (including walls/grids and furniture).
Still leave out any hideys for the first day or so, until you are sure that they get on and the worst of the hierarchy has been settled, and then ideally only ones with two exits, so no boy can be cornered if there is a flare up of hormones and fight in order to get out.
Make sure that you can give it some supervision in the first 2-3 hours after you have moved them to the cage to make sure that any dominance is within the acceptable range and they are fine together. If it is too late in the evening, leave them in the bonding pen overnight.

All the best! it is coming up to midnight here in the UK, so I am off.
PS: I have merged your threads, as they deal with the same issue. It is easier for the other members to keep track.
 
I didn't know the nap thing was crucial. I moved them out into their cage (no hideys) and they didn't act like before. I know took one out and he is on my bed. By accident my avoiding the nap have I ruined their chances at bonding ? Or can I possibly pick this up another time?
 
If he's back in now, and it still looks ok, you're fine. I would leave them without picking them up at least until tomorrow evening to let them get used to living together, and nor risk interfering with the process. I'm sure Wiekbe will be back soon with an expert answer.
 
@Reenie before you said that, I re divided them. They didn't look ok. Lots of rumblestrutting and loud chattering. I'll pick up the bonding again (for the last time) next weekend. Thanks for all your help everyone
 
PiggyProdigy said:
@Reenie before you said that, I re divided them. They didn't look ok. Lots of rumblestrutting and loud chattering. I'll pick up the bonding again (for the last time) next weekend. Thanks for all your help everyone
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Please be aware that every time you interrupt the bonding, boars have to start right afresh from square one on neutral space; your boys won't be happy. If they get into disputes pretty straight away again, then I would leave be and let them live side by side with interaction through the bars. They obviously cannot sort out who comes boss, or at least the underboy is not happy with it. :(

PLEASE read our bonding guide in full length before you give it another try. It is really all in there to help you avoid messing up things by finding them out the hard way. It has taken me several days to write the bonding guide to make sure that it is complete and holds up. I cannot repeat everything for everybody every time!
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

Please be aware that we all moderate on this forum in our free time without pay! We all have jobs, as well as our own guinea pigs and families to look after and hopefully spend some time with... ;)
 
PiggyProdigy said:
Thanks, @Wiebke . You are actually the best. My pigs will be fine. I believe in their relationship. I love your profile name btw! Also it's 6 am for me
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Thanks! My profile name is my first name. It is pronounced Veeb-ka.

Best of luck with your boys! If in doubt, leave them in the bonding area overnight.
 
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