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Questions About Adding Another Piggie

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happy_piggy

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Hello! I currently have 2 male pigs, Umi and Kyper, and neither of them are neutered.

I went to the shelter today to get a cat for my grandparents farm and I noticed they had 2 guinea pigs. I was quite excited as I already have guinea pigs so I checked them out. One of the pigs had fur missing and was not ready to be adopted yet, but the other pig was great. The other pig, Elvis, was a female (not spayed) and I thought she would be a great addition to my animal family❤

If I get Elvis, is it fine for her to be in the same room as my boy pigs? They would not share a cage but would be near each other. I would make sure they do not play together as well. My male pigs are both about a year old, and Elvis is 4 years.

I am not planning on spaying/neutering the pigs and would rather not have to deal with it.

Would having their cages near cause any problems or is it fine? Thanks!
 
Having them in the same room should be ok (a friend of mine has boars and sows in the same room) but I wouldn't put them next door to each other because the two boars might fight -especially when she's in season. Are you going to get her friend when she's available? :)
 
Having them in the same room should be ok (a friend of mine has boars and sows in the same room) but I wouldn't put them next door to each other because the two boars might fight -especially when she's in season. Are you going to get her friend when she's available? :)

Thanks for the reply! I'm not sure I will be able to get her friend as I live 2 hours away from shelter, but thank you!
 
Would this affect my boy? I love them and they have learned to get along so well and I don't want that to change because I bring a female into the room
 
I know that people do keep males and females in the same room, but I think they do better with one cage on top of the other (not next to each other and not within view).
I can't remember if it is better for the boys cage to be on the top or the bottom, but I am sure someone will be along to clarify.

But what I would say is that if you are unable to offer the new female piggy a companion, then is it really fair to take her on and have her live alone for the rest of her life?
Most piggies really do better with companionship, or at the very least interaction through the bars, but as you have 2 males this would not be possible.
I would say that unless you are able to offer a good home to a pair of piggies then it isn't fair to take on this new female, and keep her on her own.
 
Before I had my boys neutered, they were at the bottom and the girls were at the top in the hutch (I took out the ramp and covered up the hole). That way they could smell and hear each other but the boys couldn't get at the girls. When I had the boys in the run they would talk to the girls in the hutch and the other way round. After I had the boys neutered and put them all together at least they were sort of used to each other and knew they existed. After much wee spraying and humping they finally worked out the hierarchy. Now all 5 live as one happy family in the double decker hutch and are free to go upstairs (up ramp?) and down stairs (down ramp?) whenever they choose. They go out on the grass in the run too. But it's strictly on a 'Here come the girls' and 'The boys are back in town' basis so that I have some lawn left!
 
I know that people do keep males and females in the same room, but I think they do better with one cage on top of the other (not next to each other and not within view).
I can't remember if it is better for the boys cage to be on the top or the bottom, but I am sure someone will be along to clarify.

But what I would say is that if you are unable to offer the new female piggy a companion, then is it really fair to take her on and have her live alone for the rest of her life?
Most piggies really do better with companionship, or at the very least interaction through the bars, but as you have 2 males this would not be possible.
I would say that unless you are able to offer a good home to a pair of piggies then it isn't fair to take on this new female, and keep her on her own.
I know that people do keep males and females in the same room, but I think they do better with one cage on top of the other (not next to each other and not within view).
I can't remember if it is better for the boys cage to be on the top or the bottom, but I am sure someone will be along to clarify.

But what I would say is that if you are unable to offer the new female piggy a companion, then is it really fair to take her on and have her live alone for the rest of her life?
Most piggies really do better with companionship, or at the very least interaction through the bars, but as you have 2 males this would not be possible.
I would say that unless you are able to offer a good home to a pair of piggies then it isn't fair to take on this new female, and keep her on her own.

Thank you for your reply. Elvis is alone at the shelter because the pig she arrived with had mites or something like that. I think she may have been in her own cage for her whole life because they were separated in their own cage. She is already 4 years old so it just didn't make since for me to add another pig to that because I'm not sure where is would find one of that age, and when Elvis passes, then the next pig would be alone and I'm not planning on having that many pigs.

For the cages, they won't be directly next to each other, probably about 2-3 feet. Would that be alright? Thanks!
 
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