Bugs mum
Junior Guinea Pig
can you house for example 3 male and 3 females together
Male And Female
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Cavy Kung-Fu
Adult Guinea Pig
You can't I'm afraid, the males will fight badly. You can either have 2 males together away from females or 1 neutered male with 3 girlies.
Hank288
Adult Guinea Pig
Not to mention if you male piggies are not neutered, there would be so many babies. You can easily keep 3 girls together as girls do well in groups. Trios of boars rarely work out and usually end in one pig needing to be separating.
With your three males, if they start to fight (which is likely) the best thing is to split them into two groups, leaving the two that get along best together and finding a friend for the single boar. A friend can usually be found from a good rescue through a process known as boar-dating, where you arrange to bring your boar along and the rescue introduces him to several other boars, one at a time, to see if he can find a harmonious companion. The alternative is to have him neutered and placed with a sow (again they would ideally have been 'dated' as not all sows will automatically accept a boar). Neutering must be done at least 6 weeks prior to the meeting with the sow.
The thing to be aware of is the boar-pair may be able to smell the sow and this may result in a few scraps and generally an increase in tension between the two, maybe even a full-blown fight.
It's always lovely to hear from new owners who take on their guinea pigs and want to do the best for them, but it is very annoying that so many pet shops and even some breeders will sell three boars to live together. Because they are social animals and you see quite a few baby boars together when you go to buy it is natural to assume they will continue to get along. Pet shops should warn people, and they often don't. x
There ARE a few members here who are fortunate enough to have trios of harmonious boars. Sadly these are the exceptions and the three boars involved are generally all very easy-going. Sadly there's no magic- trick to get yours to get along, it's luck of compatible personalities, and three tends to be a bad number for boars.
Things you can do to maximise your chances are to have the largest hutch you can get, have three of everything, have more than one hay area, lots of enrichment and places where all three can go to be alone. Space and enrichment are important for helping guinea pigs to get along, but even then there's still a high chance that it won't work as it will still be down to the personalities of all three in the end. Even so, it may be worth giving it a try whilst thinking of a back-up plan for if and when they fall out.
The thing to be aware of is the boar-pair may be able to smell the sow and this may result in a few scraps and generally an increase in tension between the two, maybe even a full-blown fight.
It's always lovely to hear from new owners who take on their guinea pigs and want to do the best for them, but it is very annoying that so many pet shops and even some breeders will sell three boars to live together. Because they are social animals and you see quite a few baby boars together when you go to buy it is natural to assume they will continue to get along. Pet shops should warn people, and they often don't. x
There ARE a few members here who are fortunate enough to have trios of harmonious boars. Sadly these are the exceptions and the three boars involved are generally all very easy-going. Sadly there's no magic- trick to get yours to get along, it's luck of compatible personalities, and three tends to be a bad number for boars.
Things you can do to maximise your chances are to have the largest hutch you can get, have three of everything, have more than one hay area, lots of enrichment and places where all three can go to be alone. Space and enrichment are important for helping guinea pigs to get along, but even then there's still a high chance that it won't work as it will still be down to the personalities of all three in the end. Even so, it may be worth giving it a try whilst thinking of a back-up plan for if and when they fall out.
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BertisKing
Teenage Guinea Pig
I am one of those very lucky people who have a harmonious boar trio, but it is purely down to the fact my two old boars (they are 6) are very tolerant and have been together since they were born and have an unshakable bond. Billy was introduced as a very little baby to them in the short term while I was arranging somewhere permanent for him to live, but Fred and George adopted him and he's been there ever since (8 months)
They live in a large c&c, where they each have a retreat where they can go to get some alone time as well as a few hours free ranging in the evening, but it was sheer luck and I wouldn't recommend just putting any old boars together.
They live in a large c&c, where they each have a retreat where they can go to get some alone time as well as a few hours free ranging in the evening, but it was sheer luck and I wouldn't recommend just putting any old boars together.
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