Question about a single male guinea pig...

[Carlton1]

I adopted Carlton from the shelter 3 months ago and they said he was 1 year old (no idea of his birthday). The lady said he chased around the male he came in with, so they had to separate them. She said he would be fine by himself. I didn't know a ton about them, so I adopted him. He has a 5X2 cage and everything he could want, but about a month later I realized he was probably lonely. Someone told me to adopt another male and keep him in a separate cage, then let them play together. I did that, introduced them on neutral territory, etc and the new one attacked Carlton. Bit his face and made him bleed. He would just tear up his entire cage, so I called the SPCA and they told me to bring him back. He was just too aggressive
My friend then had me watch her 3 month old male for a few weeks and I put the cages together. I let them play but Carlton just tried jumping on him and chased him around the entire time. They didn't fight but didn't really play together either. Carlton started eating peppers and things he didn't eat before. Then the baby left and he has just been sleeping all day. He isn't eating peppers anymore either. He still eats a lot but sometimes just chatters his teeth when he has food, water, hay, etc. I feel like he was happier with another Guinea Pig in the room but i'm not really sure what all the noises mean. Also, I have read that most guinea pigs sleep all day and as long as he's eating, drinking and gets floor time, he's fine. I work from home and take him out occasionally, then my kids do when they are home. I have two dogs as well, so I can't just let him run all the time. Some people say they are fine by themselves with enough attention. I don't want to have 2 separate cages and have 2 males that will potentially not even get along.

I was thinking about neutering him and getting him a female friend. It's over $500 where I live for the surgery, but I don't want him to live alone for the rest of his life either. Any advice? Would he be able to eventually be caged with another female? I have an addition I can put on the cage with a divider at first. It's a lot to go through if he may not be able to live with her either.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum.

It’s such a shame you’ve not received helpful advice before finding us. It’s also a shame a shelter told you he’d be ok on his own as this isn’t true. There is the right piggy out there for him to be bonded with!
Chasing is a normal behaviour and does not mean he needs to be alone. Fighting with another piggy is not normal and only occurs if the two piggies are not compatible, but still does not mean he needs to be kept alone.

Sadly, they are not ok by themselves no matter how much attention you give them. Human interaction is not enough for them and they do require the constant companionship of another piggy. A lot of interaction is via body language and scent so it’s not something a human can replace.

They don’t sleep all day. They are active animals and only sleep for very short periods of time. This is also why living with another piggy is so important because a human could not spend enough time with them to keep them occupied.

A successful bond comes down to character compatibility - the two piggies need to like each other and be able to
form a hierarchy with one dominant and one submissive. Two dominant piggies together will not work and will cause fights.

The mounting and chasing he did is entirely normal boar behaviours - even well and long term bonded pairs do it.
If you were only letting them play together but they then went back to their own cages, then that is not a good thing to do for piggies. For them each meeting is a full on bonding session which needs to be seen to conclusion Which is that if successful, they then live together permanently and for the rest of their lives. Repeated introduction and separation means they never fully form a relationship, it heightens dominance as they need to go right back to the beginning each and every time.

So, going forward you can either find a compatible boar for him to bond with and doing so with the help of a shelter is important so you don’t get left needing two separate cages. Or
Neuter him, have the six week wait following surgery for him to become infertile and then bond him with a sow.
A neutered boar /sow pairing is more stable in the long run, but a boar/sow bond does still come down to character compatibility (and in this case, the sow needs to accept him).

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities

 

[Swissgreys]

Welcome to the Forum.


You have had great advice about and it is fantastic that you want to try and get Carlton a friend.
Guinea pigs really do need company of their own type and there really is a friend out there for pretty much any pig.

Please feel free to post pictures of Carlton too - we all love piggy pictures.

 

[Carlton1]

Thank you for the advice I guess my questions in response would be, how do I go about getting him a companion? The shelters here won't let you introduce them beforehand, because of liability issues. You have to actually get one, then see if they get along. Also if I was to get a female companion, should she be of similar age and closer to his size? Can I go get a 3 month old from a pet store if I can't find one to adopt? I'm nervous to get him neutered, then find a female and they don't get along. I feel like it would be a huge disappointment, would still need 2 cages, etc.

Next question, He has been alone now for a while. By the time I get him neutered and wait a month, is that going to be harder for him to get along with another? If he is used to being alone? I didn't realize this was so difficult and I just want to do the right thing for him.

 

[Carlton1]

Welcome to the Forum.


You have had great advice about and it is fantastic that you want to try and get Carlton a friend.
Guinea pigs really do need company of their own type and there really is a friend out there for pretty much any pig.

Please feel free to post pictures of Carlton too - we all love piggy pictures.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for the advice I guess my questions in response would be, how do I go about getting him a companion? The shelters here won't let you introduce them beforehand, because of liability issues. You have to actually get one, then see if they get along. Also if I was to get a female companion, should she be of similar age and closer to his size? Can I go get a 3 month old from a pet store if I can't find one to adopt? I'm nervous to get him neutered, then find a female and they don't get along. I feel like it would be a huge disappointment, would still need 2 cages, etc.

Next question, He has been alone now for a while. By the time I get him neutered and wait a month, is that going to be harder for him to get along with another? If he is used to being alone? I didn't realize this was so difficult and I just want to do the right thing for him.

If you can’t date at a shelter beforehand, then there is always going to be a risk of a failed bond. However, if they are happy for you to try at home and then return the piggy if they don’t bond, then that is the thing to do. That way, you arent then left needing two cages.

Physical sizes and age does not matter. Character is the vital factor as to whether a bond will work. This is the case whether he has a sow or boar as a new friend.
It’s literally a case of try to bond and see what happens. This is where getting from a pet shop is a risk because you would be left needing two cages if the bond fails. Equally, buying a sow from a pet shop does come with its own risks - not necessarily going to happen but something to be aware of - we see people buying sows from pet shops to find they are already pregnant having not been separated from boars early enough.

It’s never too late to find a piggy a new friend!

I know you’ve said you don’t want two cages, but having two piggies who can only live side by side (ie because they aren’t compatible and don’t bond) is better than being totally alone in the room. They still get the interaction, companionship and a bond of sorts through the bars. I mention this also because of cage size.
Of course you want to give as much space as you possibly can but if two pigs don’t bond, you wouldn’t necessarily need a second 5x2 cage (two 5x2s would obviously take up a lot of room side by side!).

In terms of cages, a 5x2 is the right size for two boars to live together.
A 4x2 is the right size for a neutered boar/sow pair (of course, a 5x2 would be lovely for them).

if two piggies need to remain single but live side by side, then a 3x2 is the absolute smallest cage for a single piggy (a 2x4 would be better though). So what I am thinking is that if he is already in a 5x2, if he doesn’t bond with another piggy, making it a 6x2 and then dividing up the middle so each piggy has a 3x2 would meet minimum sizing, would mean not a lot more space is taken up in your room, but more importantly, Carlton still gets to interact and have companionship with another piggy even if it is only ever through bars.

 

[Carlton1]

I have 2, 4x2 cages that I can put together with a divider & ramp in the middle. Right now He is actually in a 6x2, I can add one more 2 foot section on if need be. So they would each have 4x2 if it didn't work out. I can also find one that's being fostered maybe and go that route to test them together. Would I put them in the cage with the divider at first, then just let them in each others sides? How long would I wait to remove the divider and try to let live together, since you're not supposed to introduce them over and over again? Sorry for all the questions and thanks again

 

[Piggies&buns]

I have 2, 4x2 cages that I can put together with a divider & ramp in the middle. Right now He is actually in a 6x2, I can add one more 2 foot section on if need be. So they would each have 4x2 if it didn't work out. I can also find one that's being fostered maybe and go that route to test them together. Would I put them in the cage with the divider at first, then just let them in each others sides? How long would I wait to remove the divider and try to let live together, since you're not supposed to introduce them over and over again? Sorry for all the questions and thanks again

Dont be sorry to ask questions, we are here to help!

No you don’t just remove a divider and allow them to wander into each other’s side - that is a sure fire way to cause a fight! It will be seen as a territory invasion.
Any bonding needs to be done on neutral territory, outside of the cage, somewhere neither piggy sees as their territory and space.

You can allow them to live side by side for a few days before bonding day to get to know each other. This can help them settle before carrying out the bonding.
It is important to note that bonding is a one time event. Success or failure on that one bonding day. If you put them together you do not separate unless the bonding fails. Introducing piggies, then separating for the night, then putting them together the next day means the bonding is constantly interrupted, the piggies don’t get through the process and have to start right at the beginning each and every time. Piggies do not do these kinds of play dates. This is stressful for them to never get through the bonding process due to constant separations, and in some cases can ruin a bond before it’s started.

You set up a secure, neutral territory bonding pen/area (separate playpen, bathroom floor, kitchen floor etc), put both piggies into it with just hay and water (no hides in the bonding pen), and leave them for several hours. During this time they will go through several stages of bonding from acceptance to starting to sort the hierarchy.
If the piggies are getting on well then while the piggies are still in the bonding pen, you remove the divider in their main cage, clean the cage out thoroughly and rearrange it. After several hours in the bonding pen, you can then move them both together into the cage to start their life together. You can add in two hides at this point and ensure all hides have two exits (Single exit hides can cause problems). Make sure you also have multiple hay piles, and water bottles.
It will then take them the following two weeks or so to fully settle their hierarchy.

If things are not successful in the bonding pen, if neither piggy backs down into a submission position, and/or a fight occurs, then the bonding has failed and they must immediately be separated (and live side by side).

i added green links into my previous reply, you can find more detail on bonding in the bonding guide. It explains the kinds of behaviours you are looking for as positive and also negative behaviours

 

[Carlton1]

The only guinea pig rescue I have here is petfinder.com. There are usually 1 or 2 at different foster homes. So I should ask if I can set up a time for him to meet another male guinea pig? I'm a little confused on how that would work. They just meet briefly somewhere to see if they would fight or not? Then if they don't, I would bring the other male home, put the cages side by side for a few days so they can get used to each other, then do the bonding session? Others are telling me that neutering is dangerous and I should just stick with a younger male. I would love to get him a little girlfriend though, I think he would be so happy

 

[Piggies&buns]

The only guinea pig rescue I have here is petfinder.com. There are usually 1 or 2 at different foster homes. So I should ask if I can set up a time for him to meet another male guinea pig? I'm a little confused on how that would work. They just meet briefly somewhere to see if they would fight or not? Then if they don't, I would bring the other male home, put the cages side by side for a few days so they can get used to each other, then do the bonding session? Others are telling me that neutering is dangerous and I should just stick with a younger male. I would love to get him a little girlfriend though, I think he would be so happy

Basically, yes. If you were to take him somewhere to meet a potential new friend for a short meeting - this is ‘speed dating’. You would be able to tell if acceptance occurred but nothing more (they wouldn’t be able to tell if they can form a hierarchy). You would then bring them home and have to carry out the proper neutral territory bonding to see if they can actually form a relationship. Living separately if they can’t.

Neutering is a safe operation provided you have a vet experienced in neutering piggies.

Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care

 

[Cheekypigs]

Just want to chip in to say Carlton is gorgeous and I'm rooting for him to find a new cage mate. He's lucky to have an owner who's so keen to solve this problem for him!

 

[Carlton1]

Just want to chip in to say Carlton is gorgeous and I'm rooting for him to find a new cage mate. He's lucky to have an owner who's so keen to solve this problem for him!

Thank you; I love that little man. He's so calm and sweet. I will find him someone

 

[Carlton1]

Basically, yes. If you were to take him somewhere to meet a potential new friend for a short meeting - this is ‘speed dating’. You would be able to tell if acceptance occurred but nothing more (they wouldn’t be able to tell if they can form a hierarchy). You would then bring them home and have to carry out the proper neutral territory bonding to see if they can actually form a relationship. Living separately if they can’t.

Neutering is a safe operation provided you have a vet experienced in neutering piggies.

Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care

I took him to the vet today and she said he is in perfect health! The dr there does tons of neutering so she is very experienced; he goes in on Tuesday morning for the surgery. Thanks so much for the advice. I will post again next week

 

[Carlton1]

My little man came home on Wed from the neuter and is doing great! The vet tech said he is the best Guinea Pig he has ever delt with . He said most are a little paranoid after the surgery and have trouble eating, etc. He was just calm and let them hold him, give meds and ate almost immediately.

 

[Carlton1]

Dont be sorry to ask questions, we are here to help!

No you don’t just remove a divider and allow them to wander into each other’s side - that is a sure fire way to cause a fight! It will be seen as a territory invasion.
Any bonding needs to be done on neutral territory, outside of the cage, somewhere neither piggy sees as their territory and space.

You can allow them to live side by side for a few days before bonding day to get to know each other. This can help them settle before carrying out the bonding.
It is important to note that bonding is a one time event. Success or failure on that one bonding day. If you put them together you do not separate unless the bonding fails. Introducing piggies, then separating for the night, then putting them together the next day means the bonding is constantly interrupted, the piggies don’t get through the process and have to start right at the beginning each and every time. Piggies do not do these kinds of play dates. This is stressful for them to never get through the bonding process due to constant separations, and in some cases can ruin a bond before it’s started.

You set up a secure, neutral territory bonding pen/area (separate playpen, bathroom floor, kitchen floor etc), put both piggies into it with just hay and water (no hides in the bonding pen), and leave them for several hours. During this time they will go through several stages of bonding from acceptance to starting to sort the hierarchy.
If the piggies are getting on well then while the piggies are still in the bonding pen, you remove the divider in their main cage, clean the cage out thoroughly and rearrange it. After several hours in the bonding pen, you can then move them both together into the cage to start their life together. You can add in two hides at this point and ensure all hides have two exits (Single exit hides can cause problems). Make sure you also have multiple hay piles, and water bottles.
It will then take them the following two weeks or so to fully settle their hierarchy.

If things are not successful in the bonding pen, if neither piggy backs down into a submission position, and/or a fight occurs, then the bonding has failed and they must immediately be separated (and live side by side).

i added green links into my previous reply, you can find more detail on bonding in the bonding guide. It explains the kinds of behaviours you are looking for as positive and also negative behaviours

So quick question If I were to adopt a female and bring her home, do I necessarily have to have them live separately for a few days? I would hate to set up a whole new cage for 2-3 days. Another person said "Putting them in a cage side by side achieves nothing in terms of introducing them, they won't get to know each other through the bars, and it just encourages bar chewing which can break teeth. Only do this if you do not have time to introduce them properly on the day." So I also read about bathing them so there's no smell. Could I maybe bring her home, bathe both of them and do the bonding that same day?

 

[Piggies&buns]

You don’t have to keep them alongside each other for a few days but it is beneficial. It will allow the new piggy to have a few days to settle in and relax before bonding - moving to a new home is stressful and bonding is a stressful process so being put into both on the same day may mean she overreacts through fear.

Bathing for the process of bonding is not recommended and bathing itself is also a stress factor - the advice of such buddy baths is outdated. It doesn’t do anything to help them bond. Bathing should only be done for a medical need ie if a piggy is unwell and not keeping themselves clean.

Living side by side won’t tell you whether they are going to be compatible, but saying it achieves nothing is incorrect. It absolutely will mean they are indeed getting to know each other and each other’s scent prior to bonding - it will mean they are not total strangers when you put them in the bonding pen which can help the bonding process.

The ‘fear aggression’ section in this guide explains how stressed piggies can overreact during bonding
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

Also bear in mind where you are getting a sow from. If you are not getting the new piggy from a rescue centre, then any piggy over four months of age should actually be quarantined in a separate cage which is put in a separate room for two weeks. Then after those two weeks, move the new piggy‘s cage next door to Carlton for a few days, and then carry out the bonding.
Any piggy under four months of age must not go through quarantine and does need to be bonded straight away.

Also, if you need to do an on spec bonding without the ability to date first or without the ability to return the new piggy if they bonding fails, then having a second cage prepared would be wise. A bonding which fails either during the first few hours in the bonding or within the two week settling period, means you would need to separate and have somewhere to put the other piggy.

You can carry out the neutral territory bonding on the day you bring the sow home if you wish though.

You must make sure he is six weeks post neuter before you bond them.

Please do read the guide below as the answer to allowing them to live side by side for a few days is also answered fully in this guide

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck with the bonding. I hope they like each other and want to live together

 

[Carlton1]

Good luck with the bonding. I hope they like each other and want to live together

Thank you! I'd like to rescue one but it will just depend on whether or not I can find a single female that does ok with others. Usually they are in a group or prefer to live on their own. I have to wait 5 more weeks, so we shall see.