Adopting a Single Guinea Pig… to Get a 2nd Now or Later?

[NewGuineaLad]

Hello!
I am adopting/picking up a single male Guinea pig on Saturday. He is approximately 1 year and 2 months old (best estimate).
I asked about how he is with other Guinea pigs and they told me he is currently by himself as he bullied the other 3 Guinea pigs he arrived to the rescue with.

I know Guinea pigs are meant to have interaction with other Guinea pigs, but I also know coming to a new place will be an adjustment. My question is - is it best to get him a companion from the get-go or wait?

There are other guinea pigs available at rescues in my area if he would do better with a companion; I am just not sure if it’s best to adopt him and another single Guinea pig at the same time or wait until he adjusts as he has apparently been a “bully” to others before. If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Popcorns & Wheeks]

Hello!
I am adopting/picking up a single male Guinea pig on Saturday. He is approximately 1 year and 2 months old (best estimate).
I asked about how he is with other Guinea pigs and they told me he is currently by himself as he bullied the other 3 Guinea pigs he arrived to the rescue with.

I know Guinea pigs are meant to have interaction with other Guinea pigs, but I also know coming to a new place will be an adjustment. My question is - is it best to get him a companion from the get-go or wait?

There are other guinea pigs available at rescues in my area if he would do better with a companion; I am just not sure if it’s best to adopt him and another single Guinea pig at the same time or wait until he adjusts as he has apparently been a “bully” to others before. If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Ahh I can see your predicament. I wouldn't know what to do either but if it was me I would probably get him a friend sooner rather than later as piggies really do need company of the same kind.

I'm sure some rescues do like piggie speed dating. Where you can put your piggie with others to see if they bond and are compatible beforehand. This could be a good idea? Goodluck with your new edition to the family, hope all goes well.

 

[Piggies&buns]

You say he came in with three other piggies - presumably that means living in the same cage? If he was kept with multiple other males then that may also explain the issues. Boars don’t cope being kept with multiple other boars as compatibility issues tend to come into play,
particularly in a boar quartet with piggies still in their teens (a teenage boar quartet is pretty much guaranteed to fail). He is likely to have been in with the wrong piggies.
It’s really great you aren’t just accepting his label of being a bully and assuming he can’t have a new friend! He absolutely can be bonded to another piggy.

Yes piggies do need to be kept in pairs but it is ok to give him some time to settle in and then look to find a compatible friend as soon as you can. It may take some time to find the right friend for him.
It is also ok if you wish to bring another piggy home at the same time. If you do this then you would do well to ensure they are kept in separate but side by side cages for a while so they both settle in and get to know each other through the bars before bonding day.
If you do this then the benefit is that he won’t be alone even if he isn’t in the cage with another piggy. Side by side living is the next best thing to actually being bonded (and applies when piggies aren’t compatible and can’t live together).
Bonding is a stressful time and a lot of over reactive behaviour during bonding can be due to fear, so having had some time to settle and particularly get to know their potential new partner through the bars first can help settle them both.

I'm aware dating is not widely available in the US. If any rescues near you do offer it then definitely take that opportunity as it allows your piggy to find his own new friend.

If it is not available, and you have to do the neutral territory bonding yourself, then this guide explains how

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Also ensure you have a back up plan in case the bonding fails.
There is always a risk with an on spec bonding that they may not actually like each other.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities (contains a chapter on specific challenges with fallen-out piggies)

The other potential option (although I know this can be harder to achieve in the US given access to knowledgeable vets and the higher expense of it) is to neuter him, have the six week post op wait for him to become infertile and then bond him with a sow.
Sow/boar bondings still rely entirely on character compatibility but tend to be more stable for the long term.

 

[NewGuineaLad]

Ahh I can see your predicament. I wouldn't know what to do either but if it was me I would probably get him a friend sooner rather than later as piggies really do need company of the same kind.

I'm sure some rescues do like piggie speed dating. Where you can put your piggie with others to see if they bond and are compatible beforehand. This could be a good idea? Goodluck with your new edition to the family, hope all goes well.

Thank you for your reply! Piggie speed dating seems like such a cute and helpful idea for finding a piggie a companion.

I reached out for several rescues and only one has said they are able to have my new piggy come meet any of the piggies they currently have so that is what I am going to try! (: One rescue said they have 2 piggies who used to be a trio (the 3rd piggy has special needs so one of the rescue workers has adopted him) so he may be a good fit, I am hoping to set up a time for them all to meet soon.

 

[NewGuineaLad]

You say he came in with three other piggies - presumably that means living in the same cage? If he was kept with multiple other males then that may also explain the issues. Boars don’t cope being kept with multiple other boars as compatibility issues tend to come into play,
particularly in a boar quartet with piggies still in their teens (a teenage boar quartet is pretty much guaranteed to fail). He is likely to have been in with the wrong piggies.
It’s really great you aren’t just accepting his label of being a bully and assuming he can’t have a new friend! He absolutely can be bonded to another piggy.

Yes piggies do need to be kept in pairs but it is ok to give him some time to settle in and then look to find a compatible friend as soon as you can. It may take some time to find the right friend for him.
It is also ok if you wish to bring another piggy home at the same time. If you do this then you would do well to ensure they are kept in separate but side by side cages for a while so they both settle in and get to know each other through the bars before bonding day.
If you do this then the benefit is that he won’t be alone even if he isn’t in the cage with another piggy. Side by side living is the next best thing to actually being bonded (and applies when piggies aren’t compatible and can’t live together).
Bonding is a stressful time and a lot of over reactive behaviour during bonding can be due to fear, so having had some time to settle and particularly get to know their potential new partner through the bars first can help settle them both.

I'm aware dating is not widely available in the US. If any rescues near you do offer it then definitely take that opportunity as it allows your piggy to find his own new friend.

If it is not available, and you have to do the neutral territory bonding yourself, then this guide explains how

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Also ensure you have a back up plan in case the bonding fails.
There is always a risk with an on spec bonding that they may not actually like each other.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities (contains a chapter on specific challenges with fallen-out piggies)

The other potential option (although I know this can be harder to achieve in the US given access to knowledgeable vets and the higher expense of it) is to neuter him, have the six week post op wait for him to become infertile and then bond him with a sow.
Sow/boar bondings still rely entirely on character compatibility but tend to be more stable for the long term.

Thank you for your reply and all of the helpful links!

I ended up buying a 2x6 C&C cage (which just arrived today!) and a divider I can add so it is, essentially, able to be 2 separate “cages” so, once I get him a companion, they can be next to each other but separate until they are (hopefully) able to be with one another. The rescue I have been talking to has, thankfully, been great. They said we can have Peanut try meeting piggies to see how things go until we find a suitable fit for him.

 

[Popcorns & Wheeks]

Thank you for your reply! Piggie speed dating seems like such a cute and helpful idea for finding a piggie a companion.

I reached out for several rescues and only one has said they are able to have my new piggy come meet any of the piggies they currently have so that is what I am going to try! (: One rescue said they have 2 piggies who used to be a trio (the 3rd piggy has special needs so one of the rescue workers has adopted him) so he may be a good fit, I am hoping to set up a time for them all to meet soon.

You are welcome and yes it is an adorable idea . Yer that's sounds like a good plan. Awwww bless him, I hope all goes well. Please keep us posted and best of luck!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for your reply and all of the helpful links!

I ended up buying a 2x6 C&C cage (which just arrived today!) and a divider I can add so it is, essentially, able to be 2 separate “cages” so, once I get him a companion, they can be next to each other but separate until they are (hopefully) able to be with one another. The rescue I have been talking to has, thankfully, been great. They said we can have Peanut try meeting piggies to see how things go until we find a suitable fit for him.

Bonding is a one time thing with boars. You put them together on neutral territory for several hours and see it through to conclusion on that one day. Not either works or it doesn’t.

It is fine for them to live side by side for a few days before bonding day though to get to know each other through the bars.
It will mean though that you will need a separate area to carry out the bonding in.
You must not just remove the divider and allow them to wander into each others side as that will be seen as a territory invasion and can cause a fight.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics