3 Boars, 1 Cage, Outside.

3 Musketeers

3 Musketeers

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Messages
189
Reaction score
130
Points
305
Location
Ireland,Wicklow
I am new to owning guinea pigs, so i could really use the help !
:D

Last week, I bought 3 boars, being told they wouldn't fight because they are brothers.
I didnt have anything set up for the guys yet, I told the staff member that i did, so i could get them quicker, because i had to wait another day to buy them, because they need to be in the pet shop for over 48 hours so they could be bought, which i dont know about, since i wouldve liked them to automatically get used to the cage they were going into.

She said okay, but i had to wait the next day, so i went to the pet shop in my town.

i asked someone which one would be the best, i decided on a hut with a ramp.
He was actually amazing, spectacular at his job, he told me not to feed guinea pigs apples and other stuff such as their diet, cleaning, and much much more!

I bought the hut, which here it is here:
upload_2017-7-13_14-29-30.webp

( It has an extra lock, though)
The cage is also outside.

I was told to keep the guinea's off the grass for a few weeks, because there babies, they wont know when to stop eating grass, and will end up getting a belly ache, so i kept them up.

The worker also asked, what gender and how many are we getting, i said 3, males, He said that they will probably fight, I told him that the girl said they wont fight, he said they will or they wont.


So I have three questions here.

Is it okay to have baby guinea pigs outside?
Do i have enough room for 3?
Will they end up fighting?

Thanks.
3 Musketeers.
 
It's not a garentee that males won't fight if they brothers because they can still fight over dominance, it's pretty rare that you will get a trio of males that won't fight
So if you really want to have three be prepared to seperate if they do fight,
Males can have very serious fights so you will need to have a seperate cage ready incase.

I am not sure whether you can have Baby's outside in terms of eating grass, but I would keep them inside for a few weeks incase they arnt used to the cold,
Then I would put them outside early ish on a warm day so they get used to the raise in temp then the fall overnight.

I wouldn't think that hutch is big enough for three full grown guinea pigs but that's just my opinion, maybe 2? But I still wouldn't want to guess for three, do you have any measurements as it can be hard to tell on a photo.

Good luck with your new Guinea Pigs,
They are wonderful pets!
 
They may end up fighting, they have more chance of fighting than not unfortunately. Pet store staff tend to have next to no knowledge on guinea pigs. Having litter brothers will make no difference to how it pans out. So fingers crossed for you.

If you do a search on the forum for 3 boars you'll find lots of threads with people having fall outs in teenage years when the hormones strike. Some members like @Jaycey have had successful trios in past but they seem not the norm I am afraid

All you can do is prepare and know what to do if fallout happens
Please take the time to read through our sticky threads - they tell you in detail what is happening, what you need to look out for and what you can do at any stage..
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

In answer to your questions
1. @Wiebke @helen105281 @pig in the city @Pound Shilling & Pig @Jaycey Baby piggies grass time? how long?
2. That hutch does not look big enough for 3 boars what does it measure?

Minimum RSPCA / Humane Society guidelines for one floor ground space.
Strongly recommended: go one size up if at all possible!
1-2 guinea pigs: 2x4 ft (120x60 cm) or 8 ft square = 2x3 C&C grid cage; if you can, please consider a 2x4 grid cage instead as it is the minimum recommendation
3 guinea pigs: 2x5 ft (150x60 cm) or 10 ft square = 2x4 C&C grid cage; strongly recommended for 2 guinea pigs
4 guinea pigs 2x6 ft (180x60 cm) or 12 ft square = 2x5 C&C grid cage, recommended for 2 boars or 3 sows or 1 neutered boar/2 sows
Add 2 square feet (60x30cm) for any additional guinea pig.

I know some of the above is not what you want to hear - sorry, but I'd rather offer the correct advice so you can be prepared...
 
Yes, unfortunately one piggy will probably get picked on and end up being pushed out, or worse. Can you take one back to the shop now before you get attached? Try and work out which one is top pig and which is the submissive one, and keep those two.
I don't think your hutch is big enough for 2 boars, the more space you give them, the more likely they are to get on. The hutch doesn't look as if it will be much use in bad weather either, think about moving it into a shed or bringing them inside in the autumn.
They probably haven't had grass time before so gradually get them used to the grass , just 10 minutes to start with and gradually increase the time each day. Similarly with vegetables, small amounts to start off. Unlimited hay and some pellets, not museli.
Good luck, hopefully you will enjoy them for a long time
 
Hi and welcome!

About 90% of baby baor trios require separation before they hit adulthood. They are best kept as couples. If feel that it is unfair on the third and as your hutch to too small anyway, you could consider finding a fourth boar, ideally one you can date with your surplus boy to make sure that they like each other. An age difference would be of advantage, as that means that they do not hit the hormone peaks at the same time during puberty.

It is sadly a persistent breeder myth that brothers (or sisters at that) don't fall out; key to any successful piggy bond is mutual liking and character compatibility. Age is much less important. This guide here is based on a decade of practical experiences on this forum: Boars: Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

You may find these guides in our online New Owner's Booklet helpful: they range from how to settle guinea pigs, handle and make friends with them, behaviour, housing (including how to introduce lawn time for guinea pigs that are not used to eating grass in order to prevent diarrhea or bloat as well as a guide on cage sizes), care during hot and cold weather, boar grooming, diet, learning what is normal and what not, links to recommended safe to go to rescues and recommended vets and more - we have combined tips for all the most often asked for new onwers' questions with some important need to know information that many newbies are not aware of.
The guide format allows us to update and adapt any advice as needed since there have been so many changes in the last few years and virtually all printed books are either outdated or deeply unsatisfactory and some are plainly wrong.
New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Helpful Advice

Please make sure that you sex your trio again to make sure that the babies have been correctly sexed. You can check with the help of this link here. Make sure that the insides of the slit underneath the penis button are all going down smoothly; this is the safest indicator for the male gender in young guinea pigs. Sows have side flaps with form a seal just below the opening whenever they are not in season.
Sexing Guinea Pigs: How to Sex a Guinea Pig
If you are unsure, you are also welcome to post pictures in our pregnancy and sexing section. The better lit (with daylight, if possible) and the clearer, the better.

Please be also aware that vet is cost are going to make a big part of your budget; illness and emergencies never happen at a convenient time and cost can quickly run into the hundreds of pounds or dollars. You want to be prepared for that so you can give your piggies any necessary medical care when they need it and as soon as they need it.
Not all countries have insurance for guinea pigs, in which case you may be wise setting aside a regular amount of money in a vet fund each week as an integral part of their feeding/bedding budget.

Since we have got members from all over the world, we find that it helps all of us to tailor any advice and recommendations to what is available, doable and relevant where you are straight away if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. This will make it appear with every post you make and will save everybody time. Thank you!
 
Great advice from the above posters!

I have been lucky and have boar trios work quite a few times but you never can tell.

From my experience the cage looks like its going to be too small for 3. It's best to limit areas where they have to be close to each other or funnel past each other, like the upstairs door or the ramp.
 
I've seen those hutches and they are tiny, not even big enough for 2, the top section has quite a bit taken out because of the ramp and therefore reduces the floor space, so you have a tiny bedroom then the ground floor bit.
 
Mother Hubbard said:
I've seen those hutches and they are tiny, not even big enough for 2, the top section has quite a bit taken out because of the ramp and therefore reduces the floor space, so you have a tiny bedroom then the ground floor bit.
Click to expand...
Which also needs an insulated false floor for the winter as it gets really soggy and not good for piggy feet.
 
Yes, we plan on bringing them into the shed in the winter, so far we have had a good bit of rain, but the cage is fine, the cage looks pretty small, but i plan on buying another tray to go on the bottom for any guinea pigs that dont get along.

My friend had 2 guinea pigs, 2 boys, in a even smaller cage and they never fought, so I'm not sure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top