Guinea Pig Castration

Status
Not open for further replies.
hazelbeth

hazelbeth

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
41
Reaction score
17
Points
145
Location
Berkshire
Hiya!
We got my two lovely guinea pigs, Ziggy and Zorro castrated at the beginning of October, the vet said 6weeks would be fine to mix the boys and my two girls, felicity and verity together. It has been 8 weeks and they are just as eager to mount the girls as they were before the castration. Just wondering, is it too early to introduce them? Thoughts please, thank you! :D
 
I am sure you will have some more answers soon but 8 weeks after neutering should be fine.

Are you planning to put all four piggies together or in two mixed sex pairs?
It is very unlikely that two males, neutered or not will stay friends when introduced toa group of females. In the wild, one boar would have his group of piggies and other single males would be off doing their own thing, occasionally challenging the male for control over the group of sows. I would seriously advise against putting both males in with the females as serious fighting and injury may well result and you don't want to end up with 3 sets of piggys who can't live together.

Unlike in bigger mammals like cats and dogs, neutering in piggies has no effect on behaviour, only the ability to make babies, so males will still challenge for dominance of a herd even in a domestic situation.

If you want to keep all four then I would suggest two mixed sex pairs.
 
I agree, we weren't planning to permanently mix them as such. The girls are very much older (6years) and the boys are 7 months, they are in different hutches.

We bring the girls in to handle separately from the boys at the moment, and plan to bring them in and handle them all together, but not make them live together.

I haven't thought of the mixing of different sex pairs, however I feel that as the girls are elderly and have lived together as a pair they will find it stressful living apart with another male.
 
Thank you very much, I will take into consideration your thoughts!
 
Hi! Your boys are safe to meet sows 6 weeks after a neutering operation.

However - are the two boys still living together? In that case, it is very likely that they will start to fight and even permanently fall out once they meet sows, even more so as they are currently right in the middle of the big hormones. I would also be very wary in view of the big age difference between two elderly ladies and two boys at their "juiciest". Personally, I would leave be, as much as you would cherish the idea of all your piggies going to together! It's like putting great grannies with two macho teenage boys and expecting a love fest...

Piggies can get used to just meeting for play, but there is usually quite a lot of stressful aborted bonding going before.

If your two boys run into trouble, rather split them up and get a younger sow for each.
 
Okay- the boys were trying to mount the girls, I guess this is normal?

The boys are living together yes as they are from the same litter! I have kept an eye on them for fighting but have not seen any signs yet! When we split the boys up they start becoming anxious, squeaking away!

Do you think I shouldn't bring them in all together for play?
 
As long as your boys are OK with it. Whether they get on, is down to how dominant they are, not whether they are related or not; that is sadly a persistent breeders myth! You are very lucky with your twosome!

They will continue to mount whenever they meet the girls; that is what boars do! You have to see how happy and willing your two girls are about that. If they get fed up, please separate them.
 
Ok thank you, just a little bit worried is all! The girls do not seem bothered at all about the boys! Just munching away on whatever they have, it's just the boys that go crazy!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top