Those with large guinea pig groups..(question)

[Lolaa]

How did you go about bonding?:{


I have currently a group of 4, 2, 2 and 1 single.

So How on earth do I go about bonding, one at a time or put them all together at the same time?:{


This is going to be interesting to say the least

 

[Wiebke]

I built my group slowly, introducing never more than one or two piggies at a time. I also made sure that the Tribe was stable before I offered another piggy a home; until now, all sows (age immatierial) had to either have a backround of living in a larger group, be non-dominant or younger than my existing sows.

You have to consider that there may be more problems when you let two dominant head sows meet; especially if they are fairly evenly matched age and size wise. I would go slowly and start adding to your group of four, but slowly - let them spend time next to each other first and if you can use a big run in the garden. From four onwards, piggies start behaving like a group, and it is somewhat easier to add. It can 2-3 weeks until the hierarchy has been settled to everypig's satisfaction.

 

[helen105281]

I introduced over time too, the newbie lived in a separate run alongside the others for a while so we could see how they interracted and then we introduced them in the hall (neutral territory). Has worked really well until the latest one - Terk who is still living alongside the others as she gets aggressive.

 

[Kazz]

Well I have a large group. And I tend to put new members of the family in whatever numbers I get them in. But always with lots of yummy food. And watch carefully. I am only talking about female guinea pigs. But am sure others will tell other ways of doing it.

 

[christine]

I originally had 10 baby sows who I am ashamed to say I bought from Pets at home. This was 5-6 years ago and as I had not had piggies for many years I did not know about rescues. So they all lived happily together and many of them are still alive though getting on oin years,then----- I rehomed two boars who were not being looked after ,they were for my grandchildren. All went well until one summer holiday I was looking after the boys and one managed to get out of his pen overnight and I found him in with my sows--horror of horrors. Still I had lots of space and kept most of the the babies. The boys were neutered and thanks to milhaven gp rescue the ones that I did not have space for were rehomed. I would willingly have kept them all but when I was sure that they would be properly rehomed and loved I let them go,it was a wrench.
Now you might say I was irresponsible but it really was an accident that I had so many babies.,and all the remaining boars are neutered and live happily with their mothers aunties and cousins and the present group is 26.
They are a big part of my life and I would not want to be without them. I have learned so much and am now much more experienced.
By the way my granchildrens boars were neutered and lived to the ripe old age of 6+,(they were 2 years oldwhen I first got them) They were beautiful piggies named Snuggles and Nibbles. They died within 2 weeks of each other last november.

Joanne from Milhaven has been to see my piggies and I think she would say that they have a good life,in fact she is coming again on Sunday to collect some things and we and the piggies are all looking forward to seeing her.

Sorry for the long post but it is such a long story and that is only part of it!