Opinions On Buddy Baths

[Cuddles With Cavies]

Back in July I brought a new sow to join my two girls. I wouldn't say they gelled completely, but that did bond. Fast forward a couple of months and I had to split the new sow off due to some treatment. I'm now struggling to get them back together.

Introductions seem to start good, but it's like they get more irritated and less torable of each other as time goes by.

I've now got the very real and difficult choice of perhaps rehoming the new sow.

I've heard a little bit about buddy baths in the past and always been a bit dubious of them, for the simple fact that I'm not a fan of bathing pigs.

But what are your thoughts? Do they work? Is it something I should try before making a final decision?

 

[Claire W]

I don't think that there is any harm in trying a buddy bath before any final decisions are made as it would be awful if you had to make the decision to rehome.

Have you read the guides on rebounding piggies? You may find the guide helpful.

Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs

Good luck xx

 

[Wiebke]

Back in July I brought a new sow to join my two girls. I wouldn't say they gelled completely, but that did bond. Fast forward a couple of months and I had to split the new sow off due to some treatment. I'm now struggling to get them back together.

Introductions seem to start good, but it's like they get more irritated and less torable of each other as time goes by.

I've now got the very real and difficult choice of perhaps rehoming the new sow.

I've heard a little bit about buddy baths in the past and always been a bit dubious of them, for the simple fact that I'm not a fan of bathing pigs.

But what are your thoughts? Do they work? Is it something I should try before making a final decision?

Buddy baths are only indicated when you try to re-bond testosterone soaked boars after a tussle and a short overnight cooling down out-time. In this case, washing out the stink prevents them from getting riled up immediately again.

In all other cases, a buddy bath is not helpful; it is simply an added stress factor and not relevant to the ultimate outcome. It is one of these supposedly "fail-safe" bonding tips that unfortunately are handed down on the internet and social media often without personal experience, but that have in practice not stood the test of time as a fair number of our members can attest from their own experiences.
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

 

[Cuddles With Cavies]

Buddy baths are only indicated when you try to re-bond testosterone soaked boars after a tussle and a short overnight cooling down out-time. In this case, washing out the stink prevents them from getting riled up immediately again.

In all other cases, a buddy bath is not helpful; it is simply an added stress factor and not relevant to the ultimate outcome. It is one of these supposedly "fail-safe" bonding tips that unfortunately are handed down on the internet and social media often without personal experience, but that have in practice not stood the test of time as a fair number of our members can attest from their own experiences.
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

Thank you. That was the main thing I was worried about. I'm not a bathing fan anyway because of the stress is causes.

Is there any merit in keeping the completely sepereate (different rooms etc) so they can't smell or hear each other and then try and reintroduce them after a period of time?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. That was the main thing I was worried about. I'm not a bathing fan anyway because of the stress is causes.

Is there any merit in keeping the completely sepereate (different rooms etc) so they can't smell or hear each other and then try and reintroduce them after a period of time?

No; they will know and recognise each other at some point. Guinea pigs have a good memory, even if they operate differently to us when it comes to identity - which is what tends to throw many people.

I have had piggies recognise each other after several years of not meeting once they had worked past the group identity. If they'd been living together and been getting on well, they would just pick up where they left. My one time Elderlies group was basically a "welcome back" bonding affair with hardly any dominance as all sows knew exactly where they stood in relation to each other even though they had been separated in some cases for over a year. My sisters Nerys and Nia even recognised each other more than two years after joining different groups.

For guinea pigs, group identification always comes first - a piggy is either "us" or "not us". During bonding, you are operating in the category "maybe us". A failed bonding means that the piggy in question is identified as "not us". Piggies rarely change their mind on that score once they have made it up in that respect. You are in with a chance as long as you can keep things within the "maybe" category.

You can try again at some later point, but don't get up your hopes too much. If there has been a clear fail, the old grudge is going to resurface.