3rd?
- Thread starter Jenni85
- Start date
Bill & Ted
Forum Buddy
Hope you have a lovely birthday!
I think the main thing that holds people back from getting more piggies is vet bills which can run into hundreds of pounds for the relatively minor ailments.
I think the main thing that holds people back from getting more piggies is vet bills which can run into hundreds of pounds for the relatively minor ailments.
The choice is obviously yours!
Things to consider -
Cage size. Three sows need 180x60xcm
Bonding. Do you have access to a rescue to help you in choosing the right piggy?
Sows are wired to live in herds and they are young enough that they may be willing to have a new friend but it is still important to find the right sow (as does get older they can be less accepting if new company and don’t want their hierarchy challenged). They need to be compatible.
If you can’t date them, consider how you would house them if a bonding does fail. Can you get a fourth piggy so the third isn’t alone in the event of a bonding fail with your current pair.
Costs as mentioned above.
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Things to consider -
Cage size. Three sows need 180x60xcm
Bonding. Do you have access to a rescue to help you in choosing the right piggy?
Sows are wired to live in herds and they are young enough that they may be willing to have a new friend but it is still important to find the right sow (as does get older they can be less accepting if new company and don’t want their hierarchy challenged). They need to be compatible.
If you can’t date them, consider how you would house them if a bonding does fail. Can you get a fourth piggy so the third isn’t alone in the event of a bonding fail with your current pair.
Costs as mentioned above.
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Jenni85
Forum Donator 2023/24
I haven't got an endless pot of cash (I wish) but I like to think I've enough set aside should an emergency occur.
Jenni85
Forum Donator 2023/24
I will have a look into local rescues and see if they offer dating.
I'd want to get one while Willow and Blossom are nice and young to make the chances of a bonding higher. My worry is though if I add another Piggie is there a possibility it could break Willow and Blossom bond?
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
A trio can occasionally lead to one being left out. But as mentioned already, bonding at a rescue is the best way to go about them finding another piggy they get on with.
Do bear in mind that being young doesn’t necessarily increase the chances of bonding. Piggies have their own personality and even young ones could come across another piggy they don’t get on with. It works both ways!
Hope you can take them dating someone they can choose their own friend.
Do bear in mind that being young doesn’t necessarily increase the chances of bonding. Piggies have their own personality and even young ones could come across another piggy they don’t get on with. It works both ways!
Hope you can take them dating someone they can choose their own friend.
Hi
Instead of another sow, would you consider a neutered boar? There are lots of overlooked boars in rescue.
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Instead of another sow, would you consider a neutered boar? There are lots of overlooked boars in rescue.
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Jenni85
Forum Donator 2023/24
For sure I would. I'm going to have a look at some local rescues.
PigglePuggle
Senior Guinea Pig
A neutered boar is often a lovely addition to a pair of girls, and brings a whole new social aspect for you to enjoy!
Boars often get a rough deal and are left behind in rescues because they are more difficult to rehome as you can only have one for any number of ladies.
A neutered boar trying to impress, guard, and seduce his lady friends while making hilarious and predictable male blunders of etiquette and getting confused about things, is a real joy to observe- they are often much less moody than ladies can be, very straightforward personalities- food, naps, girls, they are easily pleased!
Boars often get a rough deal and are left behind in rescues because they are more difficult to rehome as you can only have one for any number of ladies.
A neutered boar trying to impress, guard, and seduce his lady friends while making hilarious and predictable male blunders of etiquette and getting confused about things, is a real joy to observe- they are often much less moody than ladies can be, very straightforward personalities- food, naps, girls, they are easily pleased!
Jenni85
Forum Donator 2023/24
That sounds wonderful and very entertaining haha.
I've had a look today and there's a local(ish) rescue who has a bonded pair of males but it doesn't say if they're neutered or not so I've filled in an enquiry form. Would 2 sows and 2 boars work? Or is it 1 boar per group of females?
No - never two boars in with sows, it would cause huge fights. You need a single neutered boar.
It is only ever one neutered boar with sows.
Bonded boars are not neutered (there is no need), and 2 boars with any amount of sows in a standard cage setting is a big no no.
If single boars are neutered, it will be specifically stated because this means that they are available for bonding with one or any number of sows.
Please take the time to read this link here. Our long term forum and private experiences have gone into it: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...ea-pigs-or-merging-pairs-what-works-and-what-
not.152952/
Jenni85
Forum Donator 2023/24
Fab. Thanks for that.
I'll carry on looking then as this rescue only had a bonded pair or boars. I'm not in a rush but i would like to add a 3rd into the family at some point.
Jenni85
Forum Donator 2023/24
Ah OK, so if there's a bonded pair of boars they'll never be neutered?
Thank you for the link I will have. A read of it
Ah OK, so if there's a bonded pair of boars they'll never be neutered?
Thank you for the link I will have. A read of it
No, not unless specifically stated. If there is no mention, then you are dealing with full boars by default.
Jenni85
Forum Donator 2023/24
Thank You
Tigermoth
Adult Guinea Pig
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2016
- Messages
- 2,131
- Reaction score
- 4,549
- Points
- 1,175
- Location
- Suffolk, United Kingdom
Sometimes it’s worth messaging as they won’t usually advertise any singles as they tend not to rehome that way but they may have a boar waiting in the wings that isn’t uploaded…
Good luck. I adopted a mixed pair and they were an absolute delight. Timmy, the little fella in my avatar died just over a year ago and his womanising and manly behaviour attempting to woo his wife was hilarious.