New Male Companion For Mine

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PiggieNE

Junior Guinea Pig
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So looking for advise and help. Bought our 1st guinea pig last August and after thinking about it for a while we decided to get another piggie as a friend for one we have. After seeing many sites saying they prefer company of others.
Well couple days ago we got another (And it's own cage for now anyway). We kept them near each other in own cages so could smell each other. On the 1st meet the older one confidently walked straight over to new piggie (neutral space) and basically walked over the top of him as if he wasn't there. The new little one kinda purred and froze on the spot. I kept the introduction fairly short to not have him stressed to Mich and put them back in the own cages. Today they've both been up at the bars of their cages making noises at each other. Where's before the little one would stay in his hideout and keep away. When they had floor space today both pics were sniffing away at each other and kinda following each other around and then my older pig tried to jump the little one.
What am I to do? Or is this normal? Ideally wanna put them in same cage at some point but don't know if this is possible if this behaviour will occur.
Any advise welcome
Thanks
 
Hello and welcome.
I’m no expert on bonding but this sounds like normal behaviour to me - there is helpful information on the forum for you.
There are also experts who will be along to help.
Looking forward to more news and pictures
 
Are these both boars? If so, with boars you should not keep introducing and separating. You really need to do one introduction on completely neutral territory. You really need to read all these threads so that you know what to look for Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Only separate if behaviour escalated to a full on fight.
Once acceptance has taken place only then do you move them into one cage that is completely cleaned to remove all scent, and has only hides that have multiple entrances so that no-one can get trapped. What age are the boars and what size is your cage? With 2 boars you need plenty of space to keep them happy.
 
I only separated again as I was told to wait a few weeks before kept them in same cage. The pigs are beside each other in cages and can see each other. Both seem pretty chilled out laying on top of the platforms in their respective cages. I got one pig back in August and he was very small so I'd say couple months ( pets at home said around 10-12weeks). He's huge now but new on is I'd say around the age of 10-12 weeks. Not sure on size of cage as I'm not home, showed lady in pet store cage I intend them to be together in and she said shouldn't be a problem provided they bond.
VickiA said:
Are these both boars? If so, with boars you should not keep introducing and separating. You really need to do one introduction on completely neutral territory. You really need to read all these threads so that you know what to look for Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Only separate if behaviour escalated to a full on fight.
Once acceptance has taken place only then do you move them into one cage that is completely cleaned to remove all scent, and has only hides that have multiple entrances so that no-one can get trapped. What age are the boars and what size is your cage? With 2 boars you need plenty of space to keep them happy.
Click to expand...
 
If, once you've (hopefully successfully) bonded them, I believe the biggest factor for boars, other than personality, is space, space and more space. A 120x60 cm cage is the minimum, but best to go bigger if you can. I wouldn't necessarily trust pet shop advice, as few of them routinely stock cages large enough.
If you find that your cage isn't big enough, don't despair - there are ways to extend by attaching a run or suchlike. You'll see some examples on this thread (some pics are missing) Member Gallery: Commercial Cages
 
I think what you have to do is put them in a run for about 6 hrs make sure they have nuggets & plenty of hay. Let them get on with it, unless they fight & draw blood. They will get so confused if you keep separating them. While they are in the run clean out the cage they are staying in. Make sure in the run & cage they have plenty of hidies with 2 entrances so neither will be trapped by the other. Clean all the plastic things so they are neutral.
 
PiggieNE said:
I only separated again as I was told to wait a few weeks before kept them in same cage. The pigs are beside each other in cages and can see each other. Both seem pretty chilled out laying on top of the platforms in their respective cages. I got one pig back in August and he was very small so I'd say couple months ( pets at home said around 10-12weeks). He's huge now but new on is I'd say around the age of 10-12 weeks. Not sure on size of cage as I'm not home, showed lady in pet store cage I intend them to be together in and she said shouldn't be a problem provided they bond.
Click to expand...
Curious who told you not to put them together for a few weeks?
 
Thanks for the information everyone. The two cages are sode by side now so that they can see/smell each other. My older of the two is chewing the bars of his cage that is facing the other pics cage...whilst he's done this now and then before we had the new pig, I've noticed him doing it a bit more since new arrival. Should I be concerned by him doing so?
 
Tiamolly123 said:
Curious who told you not to put them together for a few weeks?
Click to expand...
It was a pets at home staff member.
Seen as they've been side by side for a few days then, I may just go for it tomorrow then and give them a good few hours. Larger one I suspect will deffo go to hump then smaller one again.
 
I thought it probably was, pets at home can do a lot of damage with staff ignorance. Don't forget if they do fight DONT separate them with bare hands. You have got the ideal ages there for it to work.
Let us know, how it goes.
 
I’m afraid pet shop staff are not a reliable source of information about piggies. Some are much better than others but all too frequently we see bad and downright wrong advice given to new owners.
I would also not accept the advice of staff about cage size. Sadly many shops sell cages that are far too small for piggies. The absolute minimum cage size for 2boars is a 120cm cage and preferably much larger is beneficial. If you bought the cage in store I would be surprised if it would be large enough as almost all of us have had to buy suitable sized cages online rather than in store (but if you were sold a 120cm cage then that would be a better store than many others).
Before you introduce the pigs again please make sure that you have
1. A large enough cage for them to live in (120cm absolute minimum) once bonding is completed
2. Houses with multiple exits (made from cardboard boxes or a stool)
3. A neutral bonding pen.
4. Fully read the guides I gave you before, any queries please ask before you put the boars in together,
5. An oven glove, towel or something to separate the pigs if they fight and to protect yourself against injury.

Once you introduce them you MUST see the bonding through to its conclusion. Either a happy bonding and living together or a failed bonding and keeping them separate.

Any queries please ask. We are happy to help.
 
So what I could do is, as I have two cages that each have their own hideout with a place on top for them to lay down and space for bowl. If the bond works I could just remove side from each cage and face them together. The cages would technically be separated at the base but with them having the option of being able to jump into the other side via the top of the hideouts that both usually sit on. Would this be suitable? They'd day have large area of space then and the option for some lone time should they want it
 
PiggieNE said:
So what I could do is, as I have two cages that each have their own hideout with a place on top for them to lay down and space for bowl. If the bond works I could just remove side from each cage and face them together. The cages would technically be separated at the base but with them having the option of being able to jump into the other side via the top of the hideouts that both usually sit on. Would this be suitable? They'd day have large area of space then and the option for some lone time should they want it
Click to expand...


What is the size of each cage? You need an uninterrupted floor space of 120cm in Length. If you have less than this then it doesn’t meet minimum welfare standards and is likely that the bond will fail.

If you are planning to use 2 cages together please remove the shelf with hiding hole underneath in each. As those will cause strife (only one entrance/exit). You will need to THOROUGHLY disinfect every bit of each cage to remove the original occupant’s scent. And provide 2of everything - bowls, beds etc. As I have suggested, stools, stick arches and cardboard houses with multiple exits are the order of the day so no one can get trapped.

You may do best to build a c and c cage as this can offer much more flexible space than shop bought cages. And can be bought relatively cheaply.
 
PiggieNE said:
It was a pets at home staff member.
Seen as they've been side by side for a few days then, I may just go for it tomorrow then and give them a good few hours. Larger one I suspect will deffo go to hump then smaller one again.
Click to expand...
so long as the humping is not relentless & the young one can still get to food, water, & have a nap its fine.
 
So we're around an hour into the bond. Pigs are in a run, 135 x 75. They have a bowl each for nuggets, each have owl hay. Couple hideouts with 2 exits. Big bowl of greens in the middle.
Started out with bigger boar chasing little one around trying to hump, little one didn't fight him off ( sometimes ran away) but hasn't tried to return the favour. That's calmed down now, and they've had some time away from each other in hideouts. Bigger one was teeth chattering near other but that o my lasted a few seconds and he hasn't done it again. The bigger one has chased him odd time since to try and hump but little one runs. They're both making lots of nice squeaking noises, (little one has purred now and then) not really sure if that's a good thing or not?
Generally they are giving each other some space now and there has been no fighting thus far. Hopefully as the day goes on they continue to get along.
Last night whilst they were in their own cages side by side. The big one was chewing at his bars to get the attention of the little one, and then the little one was coming up to side of his cage to see the big one and making that purring noise
 
I’m not that experienced at bonding but it sounds positive.
Hope they go settle well together
 
Big one just outside the hideout, little one laying right next to him inside. Been like this around 15 mins after chasing each other around for a while. Around 4.5 hours together in run now without either trying to bite a chunk out of the other

20180401_152536.webp
 
Pigs been together 7 hours now. What constitutes a successful bonding? Early stages seemed like big pig would be dominant, but over last couple hours the little one has not allowed big one to hump him, rumbles at him and runs away to a hideout. If big one comes into the hideout he's in he rumbles then big one walks away looking like he's sulking lol. They've ate from same bowls of greens etc without fuss. Seems little one is showing he won't be a pushover ha. They've both been popcorning around the run. Find it a little funny how despite being around half the size the little one isn't scared.
 
Those signs are positive and will probably go on for a few days, but if they have been together that long without any fighting then I would be happy to place them into the same cage together, as long as it is big enough. The setups needed will be in the above linked guides.
 
Thanks flutterby. Yeah so we're about 9 hours into them being together. Now the smaller pig is trying to force his dominance over the larger one, after rumbling at him for a while he's now found the bravery to try humping the larger one from the front. I don't wanna make mistake of separating them, though it did look like it coulda broke into a fight not long ago before little one mounted big one.
 
Well seems all went well. They survived the night without fighting with each other, though does seem little one is showing he plans on being the boss lol.
 
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