Owner of one and worried owner of 2

[Annita]

Hii! Ive own my sweet piggy Jericho since 2019 but at the time i had no idea that guinea pigs were supposed to be in pairs. A friend gave him to me cause he was to agressive with the other 3 he had and hes been with me ever since. I wouldnt say hes agressive but he most certainly has a lil sass. I want to get him a companion..i know its late in the game but I'm more financially stable to do so now. He isnt neutered but hes been on his own for a while and I'm scared he wont take to any new guinea i bring..I'm contemplating getting a very mellow male or another guinea thats confident. I'm not sure what would be best for him. Can anyone give me some advice please?

 

[Scooter Pie]

Hi! You'll get lots of good advice here. There are tons of threads on bonding too. It's great that you're getting him a friend! Ive only bonded females so not sure how much help I'll be. They say a younger/baby piggie can bond well with an adult because they aren't seen as a threat. With adopting though, it's harder to know their age, etc

Anyway, good luck! You do have to have a plan if it doesn't work. Would you be willing to have a separate cage where they could interact through the bars? Just having another pig to talk to is so beneficial

 

[Annita]

Hi! You'll get lots of good advice here. There are tons of threads on bonding too. It's great that you're getting him a friend! Ive only bonded females so not sure how much help I'll be. They say a younger/baby piggie can bond well with an adult because they aren't seen as a threat. With adopting though, it's harder to know their age, etc

Anyway, good luck! You do have to have a plan if it doesn't work. Would you be willing to have a separate cage where they could interact through the bars? Just having another pig to talk to is so beneficial

Hii! Yes i finally got those diy buildable cages so that i can give them some room to get to know each other! Ill definitely take a look at the threads (getting used to the sit hahaha) so i can maybe soothe my anxiety about it.
I have no idea wat to do if they dont get along though.. but thank you so much for your kindness! I was so scared id be scolded cause i only have one guinea baby

 

[My Piggies]

Don't feel guilty, we all make mistakes, it's part of becoming a better owner

Bonding boars can be tough, but as with any bonding it just comes down to their character compatibility. Have you considered adopting from a rescue? This is usually the best option as most rescues offer "dating" which allows the pigs to pick their own friend.

Ensure you have a big enough cage. Two boars require a recommend 180x60cm cage (2x5 C&C cage). Also try to have two of everything (two water bottles, hay areas, bowls, hides) and make sure hides have two exits/entrances so they can't corner each other.

Hopes this helps, good luck finding a friend for your boy

 

[Piggies&buns]

If he had been kept with three other boars previously, then this is why there would have been problems. Only two boars can be kept together - any more than two in a cage and there will be fights as boars cannot form functioning relationships in any more than a pair - four boars together is one of the worst combinations. Therefore any 'aggression' will have been because of that, not necessarily because he is aggressive himself.

Finding a friend for him comes down to compatibility, so if you can contact a rescue centre then they will help you find a compatible friend for him.
If a bonding fails, then living side by side with another piggy with interaction through the bars only is the next best thing.

Space is very important, as mentioned above, two boars together need a 180x60cm cage.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

This guide explains how a bonding is done. With boars is a one time event - put them together on neutral territory and see how it goes.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

 

[Annita]

Don't feel guilty, we all make mistakes, it's part of becoming a better owner

Bonding boars can be tough, but as with any bonding it just comes down to their character compatibility. Have you considered adopting from a rescue? This is usually the best option as most rescues offer "dating" which allows the pigs to pick their own friend.

Ensure you have a big enough cage. Two boars require a recommend 180x60cm cage (2x5 C&C cage). Also try to have two of everything (two water bottles, hay areas, bowls, hides) and make sure hides have two exits/entrances so they can't corner each other.

Hopes this helps, good luck finding a friend for your boy

Hii! I looked high and low for rescues in france but they only have them for cats and dogs. I found a link to one on a website but it was inactive
Id love for Jericho to be able to choose his own friend though but I'm worried they wont allow me to let him meet the other guineas directly at the pet store

 

[Annita]

If he had been kept with three other boars previously, then this is why there would have been problems. Only two boars can be kept together - any more than two in a cage and there will be fights as boars cannot form functioning relationships in any more than a pair - four boars together is one of the worst combinations. Therefore any 'aggression' will have been because of that, not necessarily because he is aggressive himself.

Finding a friend for him comes down to compatibility, so if you can contact a rescue centre then they will help you find a compatible friend for him.
If a bonding fails, then living side by side with another piggy with interaction through the bars only is the next best thing.

Space is very important, as mentioned above, two boars together need a 180x60cm cage.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

This guide explains how a bonding is done. With boars is a one time event - put them together on neutral territory and see how it goes.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Oohhhh! That makes sense! Because i dont find him to be aggressive at all, hes got a very bold and big personality but i understand better now why an all bois cage doesnt work out!
I most definitely want him to have a friend though even if its through the c&c grids

 

[Wiebke]

Hii! Ive own my sweet piggy Jericho since 2019 but at the time i had no idea that guinea pigs were supposed to be in pairs. A friend gave him to me cause he was to agressive with the other 3 he had and hes been with me ever since. I wouldnt say hes agressive but he most certainly has a lil sass. I want to get him a companion..i know its late in the game but I'm more financially stable to do so now. He isnt neutered but hes been on his own for a while and I'm scared he wont take to any new guinea i bring..I'm contemplating getting a very mellow male or another guinea thats confident. I'm not sure what would be best for him. Can anyone give me some advice please?

Hi and welcome

Unfortunately, rescues or sanctuaries are not very common in France; especially not for small pets.

Please take the time to read these links below so you have a better understanding of what you may be up against; it is not quite as easy as you think after such a long time. Some long term single guinea pigs will take to companionship easily while others can really struggle; especially when their early life socialisation has been cut short and they may have become very human orientated in some cases.
The guides look at all possible options, how to spot problems, and at different ways of going about companionship depending on your local conditions (which can vary enormously) in order to give you the necessary knowledge to work out the best way forward for you.

Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs