New pig in cage

Tatu Eugen

Tatu Eugen

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hey people, i have 3 guinea pigs, i buy first two 1 month ago, they feel very good each other, the thing is, i buy one more and i added in cage after 3 weeks, so he is in cage for 1 week, one of the oldest try to bite the new one, he go very close to him just wait and after 2 seconds he jump to bite him, the new one is scarred and when oldest one go next to him he make some cry like sounds, i separate the angry one for couple of days, after i put back, but he still do the same thing... what do you think? What i should do for them and no agressive behaviour? Cheers :D
 
How big is your cage? Boars need space to get along. Ideally a minimum 140cmx60cm for a pair and even larger for a trio (if the trio get on.. see my next point).

Unfortunately there are several issues with what you have done. Firstly it is worth noting that boar trio's very rarely work out and even those that do work often end in fall outs during the teenage hormones.

Secondly you have popped a newbie straight into the cage of an established pair. You need to do any introduction on neutral ground before putting them in a cage together.
 
Welcome to the forum.
You can’t just add a guinea pig into a cage with others - that’s not how they work.
Also you can’t separate temporarily- they have to start bonding from the beginning again.

Read the bonding threads on the forum. They will advise on what works and what doesn’t work as well as how to bond guinea pigs.

Are all yours male?
3 boars is unlikely to work.

If they are separated at the moment then leave them until you can tell us more about your guinea pigs and your housing.
We will do everything possible to help and support you
 
Cage is 120x60, the agression of the pig is not so high as in the beginning but still he jump to bite and runs over new one a little bite, sometimes he ignore him, sometimes not...he don't start a fight with the new one, just jump for a bite... the agressive one is in another room for now, but every day i put him with others, guides is very confusing...the thing is the other one is getting very good with the new one... Thanks for answers :)
 
Tatu Eugen said:
Cage is 120x60, the agression of the pig is not so high as in the beginning but still he jump to bite and runs over new one a little bite, sometimes he ignore him, sometimes not...he don't start a fight with the new one, just jump for a bite... the agressive one is in another room for now, but every day i put him with others, guides is very confusing...the thing is the other one is getting very good with the new one... Thanks for answers :)
Click to expand...

Hi!

Guinea pigs don't like invaders. Three teenage boars rarely work. Your cage is very small for two boars; it is much too small for three - and this will lead to fights because they cannot get away from each other.
Please separate and please read the information in these links here:
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
The new boy, really, needs to be removed and kept separate from the other two permanently. You could consider getting him a friend and having 2 boys in one cage and 2 boys in another. This may not be easy or ideal, especially since your cage is already too small for 2 guinea pigs. Is it possible you could give your new Guinea pig back?
The people who have replied already have given you good advice, they know what they are talking about.
Best of luck!
 
As advised above, you have to get him another boar to live with.

The first thing you need to do is to take the new pig out the cage and put him alone. Then put the other two together again. You will have to do it somewhere they haven’t both been. Maybe a play pen with hay, veg and no one way hides.

They have to be re-introduced because they’ve been living separately. You have to make sure they will tolerate each other. Hopefully the bond isn’t broken. And before you put the two back in their cage, you need to clean it out.

You may have to put the new boy somewhere else in case it may cause arguments between the older two.

Secondly, and very importantly, you need to get new cages for them. Boys need at least 140cm. 120cm is the recommended size for two, but boys need more space. It also helps their relationship and they can get away from each other.

You should also have two of everything - hides, bowls, bottles, hay piles and so on.

Please do keep us posted on how you get on.
 
Well no... i will try to make them living together, even fighting.... thanks anyway.
 
Tatu Eugen said:
Well no... i will try to make them living together, even fighting.... thanks anyway.
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It's not going to work out, they have already shown you that and all that's going to happen is you'll get injured piggies or worse.

I really can't understand why you came here to ask for advice only to dismiss everything you get told. We have some highly experienced members who have taken the time to respond to your thread
 
Tatu Eugen said:
Well no... i will try to make them living together, even fighting.... thanks anyway.
Click to expand...

I find your response quite baffling.

You joined here and asked for advice. You’ve been given the best advice but you seem intent on ignoring it.

Leaving 3 boars together in a cage that is barely big enough for 2 and far too small for 3 and allowing it to continue with fighting is only going to escalate and serious injuries will occur. No one on this forum is going to agree with that. Please think of your piggies’ welfare. This is unkind.
 
Sorry to pile in but your response is very dismissive of guinea pigs’ natural behaviour and their right to a safe environment.

It will NOT be safe to put all three together. I don’t know if you want one to die but that is what would very potentially happen if you decided to have them in one cage. And the one you have isn’t even enough for two boars. Would you enjoy living in a wardrobe with 3 other people that you hate? I don’t think you would, so why are you doing that to your piggies?

Please listen to the advise and take it on. Otherwise I don’t know why you asked for help in the first place. You’ve been given a solution but you’re deciding not to listen 🤷🏾‍♀️

I hope your piggies survive this situation you plan to put them in.
 
In fact they get better now, no more bites and they are in same cage right now and everything works. I just wanted to get some advices to make all three works faster.
 
Yes, i don't know because cage is not so small... but if needed i buy bigger one... :) This is the cage:
 

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118cm x 58cm ... is too small? :hmm:

Edit: Oke, thanks for reply :) :P
 
Can I ask why you are so set on them living together? Why don’t you want to get the new pig a friend and have two sets of two?

You really need to get a bigger cage tomorrow. But have a plan B because it’s highly likely they won’t survive their teenage years. I don’t know if you said how old they are. And be prepared to pay out vet bills when any of them are seriously injured after a fight. That’s if they don’t die.

On that note, have you found a vet who knows guinea pigs?
 
Tatu Eugen said:
118cm x 58cm ... is too small? :hmm:

Edit: Oke, thanks for reply :) :P
Click to expand...

Yes that is too small. Animal welfare have said the absolute minimum space is 120x60 for 2 pigs. However it is widely accepted that two boars need more space than this so a 140x60 floor space is recommended for 2 boars. Plus then you need to add additional space on for a 3rd so the minimum cage size you would need is 170cm x 60cm. This is if you are intent on having all 3 living together and of you do I would urge you to have a back up plan incase of fall out. A fall out between a trio can result in all them refusing to live with each other which can mean you are left with 3 single pigs and that is another reason we strongly recommend not adding any more pigs to a bonded boar pair
 
Hello there,

Good to hear that things have settled down for the moment. It is very worrying when things don’t seem to be working. Especially when the alternative is either saying goodbye to the new pig or having to get another cage. I think we all know those things take up a lot of room!

Now, of course no one here can MAKE you do anything, forum members can only talk about what they believe, or know from similar experiences that you should do. You may not be keen or able to get another, or bigger cage, but if nothing else, then at least it’s worth having a look online to see what options are out there, or by asking forum members for recommendations on which cages work for them. You might decide you like one of those better and that would give your pigs much more room and happiness, which I’m sure is what you want for them, or else you would have never posted for advice.

There are also wonderful threads on toys and homemade boredom breakers and things to keep them busy in the cage so they have something to do other than respond to their crazy hormones right now, or when the next flare up happens. A bigger cage would allow for more hides/houses, maybe cardboard boxes filled with hay, tunnels (they love tunnels) and several different food bowls so they don’t have a disagreement about who eats when.

Also, a nice large cage filled with fun items is a nice thing to have in your house. It’s nice for people to look at and you will have hours of fun watching your guinea pigs being so happy and busy. So although you may not want to get a new cage, it won’t do any harm to have a look and will definitely be worth it in the long run. Plus, it’s really exciting to plan a new setup! There are guinea pig ‘cage tours’ on YouTube which are good to watch for ideas.

Of course, as people have warned, there is the possibility for a fight to the death if your pigs continue to not get along. Hormone flare ups will come and go as they creep towards adulthood, so please do make sure to monitor them carefully and be prepared to remove the new pig if things get too ferocious. He needs you to look out for him and be his protector, as he won’t be able to get away from his cage mates in the event of a huge fight without you there to step in and rescue him.

I’m sure you love your guinea pigs and sometimes the best thing for them isn’t the easiest, cheapest or most preferable option, but unfortunately that is part of our job as pet owners and the promise we make when we take on a little life.

Wishing you the best of luck with your situation.
 
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