Squad

N

niczmer

New Born Pup
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
18
Reaction score
1
Points
35
Location
Philippines
Hello! I got a male-female guinea pig pair and the male one passed away recently. Now this got me thinking, I do not want her to be lonely so I’m thinking of getting her new buddies. Is it okay for me to buy an female-female pair? If I did, I would have 3 female guinea pigs. Can they live like that or will there be more conflicts? I’m getting them tomorrow so advices are appreciated! Thank you. A little note: my guinea pig is only a month old :)
 
Females can live with other females quite happily, but they must like each other and want to be together to be able to form a successful herd. They can also live with one neutered male. What you must not do is put an unneutered male with females.
Having three females together can absolutely work but it can also mean that an outsider situation can occur and one piggy can get left out. You can end up with a 2 and 1 situation occurring As the combination of characters in a trio can be tricky to get right. It can sometimes be easier to work with even numbers - so, two piggies or four piggies. Trios absolutely can work though if you can get the combination of characters correct Via dating at a rescue centre.

The best way to find new friends is via dating at a rescue centre, if you have any who offer that near you. That way, your piggy can choose her own new friends so you can be guaranteed of a successful bond. Buying piggies and introducing them to each other can mean there is a risk they won’t get on and won’t be able to live together.

for three piggies, your cage needs to measure a minimum of 150x60cm but 180x60cm is recommended.

Most importantly right now, was your male who passed away neutered? If not, how long ago did he die? You will need to ensure your female isn’t pregnant

ill add some guides below for you to read

Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Sexing Guide
Pregnancy, Mother & Baby Care Guides
 
Thanks for your reply! To be completely honest, I’m not really sure if my male guinea pig was neutered or not. We were not not informed. He died 3 days ago. I need to ask, what are the signs she’s pregnant? Right now I’ve observed she eats way more and is extra active, I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.
 
niczmer said:
Thanks for your reply! To be completely honest, I’m not really sure if my male guinea pig was neutered or not. We were not not informed. He died 3 days ago. I need to ask, what are the signs she’s pregnant? Right now I’ve observed she eats way more and is extra active, I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Sows have their first season somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks of age. If she was with a male at this point, then it is likely she will be pregnant. A pregnancy lasts for ten weeks but you won’t see signs until the end of the pregnancy. You must treat her as if she is pregnant from now onwards. Please read the guides I linked in (I will link them in again now) on how to care for a pregnant piggy. https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-guide.109375/

Please ensure, if you are definitely getting new piggies tomorrow, that you ensure your cage is big enough and that they definitely are all female. You must check their sexes yourself. please do not bring home any unneutered males and put them with females.
You will also need to plan for any babies which may be born from your current piggy and ensure you can also house them. If your piggy has any male babies, then you need to plan for them to be separated and live in a separate cage once they reach 3 weeks of age so they cannot get any of the other females pregnant.

how big is your cage? Cage Size Guide

please read all the guides in the pregnancy section so you know what to expect https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/forums/pregnancy-baby-care-and-sexing-no-breeding.11/

please also read the guides I linked in in my first reply To ensure you introduce new piggies to each other properly - you cannot just put new ones in your current piggy’s cage. All introductions need to be done in the correct procedure on neutral territory. Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. Have you any idea why your boy died? Maybe some infection? Sometimes they do 'just die' when they are young but I'm just thinking do you have to keep a watch on your girlie in case she might have caught anything... not just 'pregnancy'!
Good luck with your new herd, however it works out. Hopefully when they are young it will go smoothly because they all just want to play ☺
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top