Guinea pigs washing new baby piggies

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Curlywhirly

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Hello all, my first post but have read lots on here and it’s so helpful. I tried to search for a similar topic on this but couldn’t find anything so just wanted some reassurance.
We got two gorgeous girl pigs about 3 months ago. They are extremely chilled out and get along so well together. We are so in love with them that we decided to add to the gang and last weekend we got two girl babies, around 10 weeks old. We have kept them separate from the older two until today when we introduced them. We did neutral territory and one baby pig at a time with the two older ones. The older ones immediately started washing the babies, quite roughly actually (was nerve racking!) although neither baby seemed to mind and remained calm, lifting their heads up for a wash under the neck etc. Both babies then followed one of the older ones around and was sniffing it constantly, especially around the belly. We have separated them again now - just want to make sure this is all normal behaviour? When do I know to keep them together for longer? I was so nervous the whole time! Thanks for reading.
 
Welcome to the forum.
Now they have been put together, please don’t separate them - please put all four of them back together straight away And leave them together from now on.
Bonding is a one time thing with all guinea pigs involved in one go (not each baby with the older one at a time), and separating after the first time they have been put together interrupts their bonding processes and causes them stress as they need to start all over again each and every time you introduce and separate (therefore it takes them so much longer to fully for a relationship).
It will take them two weeks of living together before they are fully established so they need to remain together to get through the process.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
 
It should be fine if you put them back on neutral territory now and leave them for a few hours to go through the early steps of settling the hierarchy.
While they are in a neutral territory bonding pen, clean down and rearrange the cage they are all to live in together so that it doesn’t smell of the original piggies. After a few hours you can move all four of them into their cage to live together from then on.
 
You may find it helpful before you put all 4 in the cage together to rub it down with something that smells of all 4 of them so that they see it as all their territory ie all four of them. This is a tip I got from the rescue when I adopted Pretty Patsy.
 
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