Should My Guinea Pig Have a Friend?

[ClaireAndBear]

I have a guinea pig named Bear that I recently adopted from a family. When living with them, he shared a cage with his brother. They would fight a lot so they were later separated (Bear initiating the fights). So, Bear has been living on his own for a while and I’m wondering if I should get him a friend or not. I know that guinea pigs should be with one another but I’m debating whether it’s worth getting another guinea pig that I could possibly have to separate from the other one. (This is my first time caring for a guinea pig.)

 

[Freela]

Guinea pigs are definitely happier with a friend... the key is finding a friend who they are going to get along with. Matching them up can be challenging, particularly for boars. I only have sows and hopefully someone with more boar experience can give you some advice there. If you were willing to consider neutering him, matching him with a female at 6 weeks postop or later (to prevent surprise babies) might be one solution. Depending on where you live, some rescues may allow 'boar dating' to let Bear meet prospective other boars to see who he likes best. I've heard of this kind of service in the UK, but have never run into it in Canada (where I am) and haven't heard about it being available in the US. Do you know how old Bear is? Pigs do go through a teenage stage with lots of hormones, so it may be easier to match him up once the teen months are behind him. Hopefully someone with more boar experience can help!

 

[Julie M]

The key to happy boars is space and lots of it A minimum cage size of 5ft by 2ft. Also they won't get along with every other boar they meet so your best bet is dating your boar at a rescue that way you will hopefully find a suitable friend.

 

[Julie M]

Boars: A guide to successful companionship.