Hi, my family have just “adopted” 3 guinea pigs 2 weeks ago.
I say adopted as they were in the rehoming section of Pets at Home saying they were up for adoption, my daughter and I fell in love with them and we agreed to take them in and then they advise that they were unsold stock from another store. I feel a little cheated on the adopting front as I had wanted to rescue.
The thing is we have adopted what we are told are 3 bonded males and we’re told they must stay together . All are unneutered and all about 5 months old. We have had them 2 weeks in a 6x2 c and c cage. Despite all my research before adopting and getting the set up right for pigs, I now see the chance of them staying bonded as a trio is minimal. I’m also suspicious that one may not be originally related as he is much bigger than the others and even his claws were much longer (had to cut them this week as they were terrrible).
We have had rumble strutting from them all, although they will then go and snuggle next to each other . I’m just scared this could escalate as a trio and one or more get hurt.
We have multiple of everything, all hides have 2 exits, nothing is against the edge of the cage so no one can get blocked in anywhere. They are living indoors in the playroom and mostly someone is around all day.
Is there anything I can do or do I need to realistically look at removing one? I’m devastated at this thought as they are already much loved members of the family.
Any advice and guidance is very much appreciated.
I say adopted as they were in the rehoming section of Pets at Home saying they were up for adoption, my daughter and I fell in love with them and we agreed to take them in and then they advise that they were unsold stock from another store. I feel a little cheated on the adopting front as I had wanted to rescue.
The thing is we have adopted what we are told are 3 bonded males and we’re told they must stay together . All are unneutered and all about 5 months old. We have had them 2 weeks in a 6x2 c and c cage. Despite all my research before adopting and getting the set up right for pigs, I now see the chance of them staying bonded as a trio is minimal. I’m also suspicious that one may not be originally related as he is much bigger than the others and even his claws were much longer (had to cut them this week as they were terrrible).
We have had rumble strutting from them all, although they will then go and snuggle next to each other . I’m just scared this could escalate as a trio and one or more get hurt.
We have multiple of everything, all hides have 2 exits, nothing is against the edge of the cage so no one can get blocked in anywhere. They are living indoors in the playroom and mostly someone is around all day.
Is there anything I can do or do I need to realistically look at removing one? I’m devastated at this thought as they are already much loved members of the family.
Any advice and guidance is very much appreciated.
bunged in with two you get piggies. It may be that if the five month olds (they are sometimes overestimated in age by P@H are behaving because of the older boar, but might challenge him when they are a few months older. This is a good age to neuter one or both of your youngsters as they will recover from the op much more easily at their age and also it makes it easier to find partners for them in due course if you lose a piggy. Male female bonds are usually easier to set up and maintain.
They look very healthy, which counts for a lot and is good news. You should start looking for a good vet as soon as possible as you need a vet who treats piggies regularly and knows, for instance, not to give them penicillin or steroids as these are routinely used in dogs and cats, but are dangerous to rodents. 
