Introductions

[Laurenthesheild3534]

Hi! I was just trying to introduce my two girls, Michi and Macaroon, and I think it went badly? I’ve never introduced two guinea pigs before, but someone sent me some articles to read in a thread I made awhile ago about guinea pig introductions. I started them out in a divided pen, with hay and vegetables. They both seemed fine at first, just eating near each other, and each of them had come up to the bars and jumped up to put their paws on them, like they were trying to get into the others area. After about half an hour, I took out the divider, and let them meet. They walked over to each other and were sniffing each other for a bit, and Mac was following Michi around. Macaroon nibbled at Michi’s ear and Michi didn’t run away or anything. Macaroon then started trying to hump Michi, and Michi started running away. This went on for a few minutes, and Mac started chattering at Michi pretty loudly, and showing her teeth. Michi showed her teeth too, and both of their fur started bristling. Mac nipped Michi once, didn’t draw any blood, and that’s when I separated them. I’ve had their cages near each other for awhile and they seemed to get along just fine. What should I do now?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Unfortunately living next to each other does not tell you how they are going to be when they physically meet.

You say they started out in a divided cage and then you took the divider out. Was the divided cage their normal cages with the divider in or was it a completely different cage?
If it was their normal cages, the cages they’d been living in separately, then removing the divider and allowing them to go onto each other’s space will be seen as a territory invasion and will cause fights.

from your description of the point at which you separated them, it sounds like things may have been turning to being a bit more worrying. If they don’t like each other, then unfortunately there is nothing you can do. They will need to live as neighbours in separate cages.

Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

 

[Laurenthesheild3534]

Unfortunately living next to each other does not tell you how they are going to be when they physically meet.

You say they started out in a divided cage and then you took the divider out. Was the divided cage their normal cages with the divider in or was it a completely different cage?
If it was their normal cages, the cages they’d been living in separately, then removing the divider and allowing them to go onto each other’s space will be seen as a territory invasion and will cause fights.

from your description of the point at which you separated them, it sounds like things may have been turning to being a bit more worrying. If they don’t like each other, then unfortunately there is nothing you can do. They will need to live as neighbours in separate cages.

Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

It was in a different cage that neither of them had been in before. I know they can get a bit territorial, so I didn’t want to put them in each other’s habitat, until I knew they would get along.

 

[Laurenthesheild3534]

Unfortunately living next to each other does not tell you how they are going to be when they physically meet.

You say they started out in a divided cage and then you took the divider out. Was the divided cage their normal cages with the divider in or was it a completely different cage?
If it was their normal cages, the cages they’d been living in separately, then removing the divider and allowing them to go onto each other’s space will be seen as a territory invasion and will cause fights.

from your description of the point at which you separated them, it sounds like things may have been turning to being a bit more worrying. If they don’t like each other, then unfortunately there is nothing you can do. They will need to live as neighbours in separate cages.

Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

Also is it fine to keep their cages next to each other after the introduction failed, or should I move one of their cages to another room?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Also is it fine to keep their cages next to each other after the introduction failed, or should I move one of their cages to another room?

If they don’t get on and can’t live together then their cages must be next to each other permanently to enable through the bar interaction. Don’t move one of them to the other room as they won’t be able to communicate and they will get lonely.

 

[Laurenthesheild3534]

Ok

If they don’t get on and can’t live together then their cages must be next to each other permanently to enable through the bar interaction. Don’t move one of them to the other room as they won’t be able to communicate and they will get lonely.

Ok, thank you very much for the help.

 

[Wiebke]

Ok

Ok, thank you very much for the help.

Hi!

I am very sorry. Key to any successful piggy bond is mutual liking and character compatibility. If your sows cannot come to an agreement as to which of them is top lady then the bonding fails.

They can live as next door neighbours with their own territory but round the clock interaction and stimulation through the bars.

You can find some helpful information in these guides here:
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
(Takes you through all stages of the complex bonding process with typical behaviours and dynamics, including how to spot that the bonding has failed)

Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities