Adding a 3rd Guinea Pig… good idea or not?

[Lenny&Link]

Hello!

It’s lovely to meet you all! I’m new to this forum and new to Guinea Pigs. About a month ago I adopted two bonded male guinea pigs (Link and Lenny). They are both 2 yrs old and they get along really well. They live in a 5x2 C&C cage with a loft. I’m completely in love with them! From what I’ve read I understand guinea pigs are really social creatures and that a 5x2 cage could be big enough for 3 piggies. I was wondering what your thoughts are on rescuing another male Guinea pig? I really want to ensure a 3rd one could fit in and I want to be careful about not disrupting the harmony Link and Lenny currently have. What are your thoughts?

 

[Tnoz]

I believe that males are best being in pairs as 3 could upset the bond, from reading on this site which is very useful and the staff and members are brilliant

 

[Swissgreys]

Welcome to the Forum - it is lovely to have you and your boys here.

Sadly boar trios have an almost 100% fall out rate, so please don't be tempted to try and add another.
Your current cage size is also perfect for 2 boars, but not for more.

By adding a third male you run the rest of breaking the bond your current boys have, and ending up with 3 single piggies.

You may find the guides here helpful:
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

 

[Piggies&buns]

and

Boars are different, they can only be kept in pairs. Adding a third boar to a pair will almost always ruin everything.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

If you wish to have more piggies, then you will need to be an entirely separate pair of boars living in their own 5x2. You would not be able to have a separate pair of sows, as adding a separate sow pair into a different cage but in the same room can still cause your boys to fight. They will smell any girls, even if though they can never get to them, and it can cause the boys bond to fall apart.

A 5x2 is the right size for two boars.

You are right in that you’ve heard a 5x2 is big enough for three, but that only applies to sows - a 5x2 is fine for three sows to live in. (A 5x2 is nowhere near big enough for anybody who is brave enough to attempt a boar trio and is prepared to risk the bonds - you’d be looking a minimum of a 9x3 cage to attempt a boar trio but even then it’s still not likely to work)

 

[Lenny&Link]

Thank you everyone so much for your feedback, I truly appreciate it! I certainly don’t want to break up the bond my two boys currently have, so I will will definitely just keep the two I already have.

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
Although adding a third boar isn’t a good idea I do think it’s lovely of you to want to rescue another piggy and give them a chance of a great life

 

[Lenny&Link]

Welcome to the forum.
Although adding a third boar isn’t a good idea I do think it’s lovely of you to want to rescue another piggy and give them a chance of a great life

Thank you so much! I absolutely adore Lenny and Link. They are such a wonderful addition to our little family
-Terri