Tara95
Adult Guinea Pig
Hello everyone, I purchased two young bonded sows to go with my two older bonded sows of 15 weeks of age so each pair would have a friend and there wouldn't be an "outsider situation" Bonding has been successful and I feel like all the research I have done did not prepare me for seeing this young litter of only 3 (2 girls and one boy, with no other boy to pair up with despite their being 3 other younger litters of all girls) He was being kept with his two sisters who are part of my herd. Despite him being young he appears to be quite dominant and big for his age. (Small litter, only male, grass reared on a farm) so to cut to the point I decided to take him in (All I've seen on all these websites is single males constantly being rehomed, abandoned due to bonding issues/fighting etc all or supposedly bonded males with visible injuries from fighting when they are not bonded from a young age/brothers) apparently someone had also rung the breeder about just having a solo male guinea pig the day before my visit to keep him by himself which made me feel like I really didn't want to leave him there. The hope is to get him nuteured so in a few months he can be with his sister's again. All the information I've read is the forum has hinted the most successful match is one male to atleast 2 sows compared to male bond which are riskier. I took the difficult decision to seperate him from his female sisters despite him living with them for just over 4 weeks as I couldn't risk him making them or my older sows pregnant and the male cycle repeating myself all over again if there's not an even number etc. I wasn't sure if it was too soon but a week later he was getting too distressed living directly next to them, ( a piece of glass seperating) trying desperately to get to them and appeared to be trying to mate with them ( at only 5 weeks). It's really hard to seperate them as I don't want him to be by himself but equally I can't risk him making them pregnant. He's at the top now so he still talks to them and can see them from a height, but he doesn't get as distressed. Is this the right thing to do or do you think it's stressful for him being able to see them and not actually be in the cage with them? Many thanks,
Winston, Bear, Boo, Mittens & Bee
Winston, Bear, Boo, Mittens & Bee