Should I let them play together?

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GuineaPiggable

My brothers guinea pig, female, like 8 weeks old (I think) is kind of lonely, I think. Whenever I bring Bimbi around they talk like crazy (Its SOOO cute! :D) and she comes up near the edges of her cage. Shes still not really tame, (we're working on it) and normally shes kind of away from the walls of her cage, but she runs over when Bimbis around. Anyways I brought Bimbi next to her cage the other day to let them sniff each other through the bars, and it looked like she was trying to bite Bimbi a bit on the nose. (?) Is this normal? Is it a bad sign? :-\ Cause I would love it if they could meet once in a while for a play date, it would be nice for them to have a pal. ;D But I'm kinda scared, I mean, is that bad? If I let them meet without the cage separating them would they like roll all over the floor fighting? :(

Please help, thanks!

-GuineaPiggable-
 
Bimbi is female too I presume? I don't see why not there should be a problem of letting them out together. I mean girls tend to get on together more than boys. :)

There's no harm in trying :)
 
I've got 17 girls all together in one hugh run in a shed half the shed is the run and they get along brilliantly, they might pine when you seperate them though, but i think its a lovely idea for them to mix,
 
and the occasional nip is quite alright aswell - you will always get piggies nipping each other over food, for example. when I bring cucumber in oh dear, you should see mine.
or who gets to go into the drainpipe first ::)
 
Ok, last night I tried putting them togther. ;D They were so happy and they were cuddly with eachother! And Bimbi dug up the apple chunk that Reesie (thats my brothers guinea pig) buried and he ate it. And this morning I let them see eachother again and they were kinda nippy, a bit. Not as cuddly, but they still liked eachother and they were talking. I watched tv with them cuddled up in the cage. (I put the cage right next to me!) And when I first tried I was SO scared. I thought I was gonna throw up on the piggies, I didnt want them to fight. :o But they were great.

Bimbi is a boy. Thats why I have to watch close to make sure no babies will come up. :)

-GuineaPiggable-
 
Hmmm you do realise that it may only take a few seconds, so by the time you see and think oops and reach in to try and get them apart it will be a bit too late, and 9 weeks later......... :o
 
GuineaPiggable said:
Bimbi is a boy. Thats why I have to watch close to make sure no babies will come up. :)
Click to expand...

As Bev says, a few seconds is all it takes. You're asking for trouble if you keep them together :)
 
michellemuffin said:
I've got 17 girls all together in one hugh run in a shed half the shed is the run and they get along brilliantly, they might pine when you seperate them though, but i think its a lovely idea for them to mix,
Click to expand...
How have you got your shed set up? I've got something similar, big shed which they run loose in (only got 3 at mo) and hutches on floor which they go in and a few other places to hide in. They can also get into an outside hutch through a tube in the side. Just interested in how you've set yours up. Always looking for ways to improve mine!
 
GuineaPiggable said:
Bimbi is a boy. Thats why I have to watch close to make sure no babies will come up. :)

-GuineaPiggable-
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There's no way I would put them together. If the unthinkable did happen, how would you feel about it? It's just not worth the risk.
 
In that case I too would definately not put them together at all. I would however cnsider a secure divided cage or company (of the same sex) for both pigs if possible.
 
as the girls say dont put a male with a girl it happens all too quick as i have found out to my cost its just as well I keep all my pigs
 
Oh dear ::) not a good idea :( more than likely you have a pregnant sow :'(

Please please don't do it again just in case a miracle has happened and she isn't pregnant yet.

There are far too many piggies needing homes already. And the more you have the more likely more accidents will happen - guinea pigs can get pregnant from 3 weeks old and the sow can get pregnant again immediatly after she gives birth, which is not good for her or her babies. This is how huge groups needing rescuing get started as one litter leads to another leads to three more leads to 12 more.....
 
If you want these to play or live together you will need to get your brothers piggie neutered.

As Hopperhaven has said it is so easy to end up with a large group without doing a lot, the accommodation and food costs can end up really high within a few months, let alone any vet bills. ARC like the majority of rescues regularly gets calls from people who need help after just letting their boy and girl pig 'play together' for a few minutes, many of these calls a single rescue is unable to help in one go and have to call on other rescues to help them.

The last group we were asked to help was a 13 year old girl who let her boy and girl run together and had 145 piggies in a year due to not getting the male babies out quick enough from the mums and sisters. Many of the girls were pregnant when they came in and many of the boys were covered in infected bites where they were kept in large groups as they could not afford extra hutches.
 
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