Mike and the new girls how to bond advice needed please

tabelmabel

tabelmabel

Adult Guinea Pig
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Mike's cagemate, benson, was pts this morning. I already have 2 new girls, mabel and belle and i am hoping all 3 can live together. Mike is a 3 year old neutered boar and the new girls are unrelated but bonded 4 month olds.

So we have already put them in a large c and c split with a divider. That was about 4 hrs ago. How long should the divider stay in is my first question and also is it ok to remove the divider or should we move all 3 to neutral territory when they do meet (just wondering if they will now be teritorial over their own halves of the cage?)

Thank you
 
They need to be in neutral territory, a fight will break out if one of the guinea pigs thinks its territory is being invaded. Hopefully a professional will be with you soon because I don't know much. :)
 
Also I would start in maybe a large playpen that has none of their smells on it. It should have plenty of water bottles in there giant hay piles that they feel don't need to be guarded and make sure there is no signs of a fight that will break out. Teeth chattering will be normal and sniffing bums too. Make sure no one is getting ready to lunge either.
 
Thanks @Betsy - i had already had a good read through of them and it does seem to say just remove the divider - but it doesnt say when to lift the divider?
 
tabelmabel said:
Mike's cagemate, benson, was pts this morning. I already have 2 new girls, mabel and belle and i am hoping all 3 can live together. Mike is a 3 year old neutered boar and the new girls are unrelated but bonded 4 month olds.

So we have already put them in a large c and c split with a divider. That was about 4 hrs ago. How long should the divider stay in is my first question and also is it ok to remove the divider or should we move all 3 to neutral territory when they do meet (just wondering if they will now be teritorial over their own halves of the cage?)

Thank you
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Unless my piggies are pining acutely or not being OK with being on their own, I prefer to give them 2-4 days for grieving; that is about the time my own piggies individually or as group take for grieving. Give Mike and your girls time to get to know each other and make friends through the bars during this time.
Many caring owners tend to overlook the need to grieve in their remaining piggies; it is not as long as we humans can afford but the feelings are no less deep, even in piggies that are carrying on. The only ones that need instant company within 2 days are piggies that are not eating/drinking at all, which is thankfully rare.

Otherwise I always give a minimum of an overnight separation or longer unless it is very young and especially single babies under 4 months. Yours are just on the verge of teenage. I would recommend that you make your judgement tomorrow, seeing how Mike is getting on, but you can introduce anytime over the bank holiday.

Then introduce in an area that is new to both parties and not part of their own regular territory to even the odds. I would not introduce in a divided cage unless it is new to both parties.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

I hope that helps you? Acceptance at this age is generally pretty much guaranteed.
 
Ah that is brilliant thank you. Mike is eating no problem. He was even munching hay when he was next to benson's body, he has a hearty appetite so i would be surprised if he stops eating.
Mike is normally very vocal but benson hadnt been up for long chats latterly so mike had gone quiet.

He has been more animated since we popped him in this new set up with the divider. Thanks again
 
PS: I have done this in the last weeks with both Nye and now Pioden after they lost their own partners only 3 weeks apart.
Although I used an outdoors run on a sheet of plastic with an underlay of old towels with a spare acrylic bedspread on top. And initially a divider down the middle overnight or even for several days if they were not acquainted with each other by having been neighbours.
In the pen, I just removed the divider and any housing for the bonding, as it is not their regular territory.

Here is a picture of big Pioden with group evictee Llawen (sadly didn't last more than a quarter of an hour through the grids before she freaked out), but it gives you an idea:
IMG_9513.JPG
 
This is where they currently are on my dining room table. We just built this cage this afternoon and none of the pigs previously lived in the dining room. This is my biggest table and i wanted the cage up off the floor as one of my dogs is very interested in pigs and i didnt want belle and mabel to be stressed if she keeps staring at them.
I havent put any hideys in as they were all in the wash and also i wondered if the girls would just hide away. The fleece tunnels are washed and dried now. Would it be better if i popped them i ?20190523_200453.webp
 
tabelmabel said:
This is where they currently are on my dining room table. We just built this cage this afternoon and none of the pigs previously lived in the dining room. This is my biggest table and i wanted the cage up off the floor as one of my dogs is very interested in pigs and i didnt want belle and mabel to be stressed if she keeps staring at them.
I havent put any hideys in as they were all in the wash and also i wondered if the girls would just hide away. The fleece tunnels are washed and dried now. Would it be better if i popped them i ?View attachment 113977
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I would chuck them in if they are dry ... good luck ! I hope it all works out for you x
 
Agree fine to pop hides in... they’ll be in and out of them. Hope you going okay x
 
tabelmabel said:
This is where they currently are on my dining room table. We just built this cage this afternoon and none of the pigs previously lived in the dining room. This is my biggest table and i wanted the cage up off the floor as one of my dogs is very interested in pigs and i didnt want belle and mabel to be stressed if she keeps staring at them.
I havent put any hideys in as they were all in the wash and also i wondered if the girls would just hide away. The fleece tunnels are washed and dried now. Would it be better if i popped them i ?View attachment 113977
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter, but you may want to place a sheet over the cage top and back to provide a feeling of security. Guinea pigs are wary of open spaces where they are exposed to danger, especially in any new territory.
They are going to take their cues from Mike and will come round much more quickly than otherwise.

I place any hides close to the divider and in a way that the piggies face each other if they are in the bonding pen for overnight or a few days.
 
We are almost 3 hrs in and it is a very lively bonding but, so far, i havent seen anything that concerns me. There have been positive signs like washing themselves and taking time outs from the chasing. What do you think:


 
tabelmabel said:
We are almost 3 hrs in and it is a very lively bonding but, so far, i havent seen anything that concerns me. There have been positive signs like washing themselves and taking time outs from the chasing. What do you think:


Click to expand...

If they are piggy-washing in between the lively rounds in sight of the others, then that is a mutual confirmation that they want to be friends and that the bonding is on track throughout the leadership establishment and the dominance phase. I am always very happy when I see piggies I am bonding doing this, as I know that the bond will come off. :tu:

So far, it is going well and they will make a trio. Youngsters are just sooo dramatic and vocal!
 
It looks like the girls are very interested in him and are only running away far enough that he'll carry on chasing them some more! This is what Tallulah did when she met Ollie (and she still does, they've been very happily married for almost 6 weeks now :) )
I really hope you have a successful bond but it looks very promising!
 
It all seems to be going really well with mike and the girls! It's a very vocal cage still and fascinating to watch. Nothing is worrying me at all. One bit of behaviour from mike (adult neutered boar) is puzzling me though and iwondered if anyone knows what it means - he points his face at the floor and does a rapid head nodding motion. Like a woodpecker. No sound comes from him when he does this.
They havent cuddled up together but have been sitting close together
 
tabelmabel said:
It all seems to be going really well with mike and the girls! It's a very vocal cage still and fascinating to watch. Nothing is worrying me at all. One bit of behaviour from mike (adult neutered boar) is puzzling me though and iwondered if anyone knows what it means - he points his face at the floor and does a rapid head nodding motion. Like a woodpecker. No sound comes from him when he does this.
They havent cuddled up together but have been sitting close together
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Do you think he is sniffing where they have been sitting or peeing?
 
He is most likely sniffing or licking up their wee. Gross, but that’s what piggies do. I see it quite often with bondings. Even sows do it sometimes!
Glad things are going well,
 
Well it's all fun and games again after a settled afternoon. Mike is making determined efforts to mount both girls. Mabel has taken refuge on top of a straw tunnel. I hope mike's neuter op was successful! (It was years ago now when he was a baby)
 
tabelmabel said:
It all seems to be going really well with mike and the girls! It's a very vocal cage still and fascinating to watch. Nothing is worrying me at all. One bit of behaviour from mike (adult neutered boar) is puzzling me though and iwondered if anyone knows what it means - he points his face at the floor and does a rapid head nodding motion. Like a woodpecker. No sound comes from him when he does this.
They havent cuddled up together but have been sitting close together
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Nodding is not a behaviour with a social meaning. I guess it's been just a bit too much exercise for him and he has got a bit winded! Girls can be such teases!

But glad that all is going to plan and that they get on like a house on fire. Lively times and a new zest for life for Mike - just what you were hoping for. It is also a real mood lifter for you.
 
Wiebke said:
I guess a bit too much exercise for him!
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Oh i do hope it isnt anything serious with his heart; i cant cooe with any more poorly piggies just now. He isnt doing it all the time and we never saw the behaviour til we popped him with the girls. He has been podging it out for months as benson was mr plod, even before he got ill. And mike has over indulged so hopefully it is temporary unfitness which can be fixed with diet and exercise.

I will get him checked though, to be safe. I remember when we introduced mike to benson. Benson was 4yrs and mike ran him ragged until he lay on his side, collaosed with exhaustion! We thought he had had a heart attack but he did revive himself just fine. It must take a lot out of them, this bonding process!
 
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