Advice for housing/bringing home a third

[Pocketmonster]

Hello!
Tonight, I will be going to pick up Radley. He comes with one of those Midwest guinea pig habitat, which is a store bought cage that actually has ample room for one piggy. I have a few questions regarding new piggy care.
First of all, Scout and Harper are currently being treated for mites. I am not going to move Radley into their cage until after their second dose, but how long after do I need to wait? Would it be a bad idea for me to let the three of them have floor time together while Scout and Harper are still being treated for mites?
I am going to create a 2x5 with a 1x2 kitchen (I know that doesn't add more square footage) as per recommended by the cage building page. Is that enough for 3 boars? Since he's coming with this fantastic cage, and I have the room, it would be doable to get him a friend after a few weeks if adding him to the herd with a 3 and a half month old (Harper) won't work out.
Radley is coming from a Craigslist family. Can anyone remind me of some questions I should be asking them? I always get caught up in the moment of new piggyness and forget to ask the most important questions.
Oh, and before I forget to add, Radley is 8 months old and has never been with another piggy.
Thanks!

ps. I have been told that Radley should be quarantined in a separate room, but would it do much harm if he was on the opposite end of the room as Harper and Scout? I live in a 4 bedroom apartment and share the common area with my roommates, and I don't want to put a piggy out there who will squeal through the night and wake everyone up. Also, I barely spend any time in the common area.


Here is the cage that Radley comes with and will be living in while Harper and Scout finish treatment:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Homes-for-Pets-171GH/dp/B001NJ0DPY"]Midwest Guinea Pig Habitat[/ame]

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Why quarantine in a separate room ?
All my new piggies boars and sows have been in the same room until ready for introductions - gives then time to re adjust to a new environment, noises etc. Surely it would be stressful enough moving into a new place once for him so twice would be more confusing ?/
Questions I would ask would be mainly about any history (medical particularly) fave food, veggies, run time etc. All the basic things you'd need to know to settle him in quickly
Hope all goes well for Radley's homecoming p

 

[Pocketmonster]

Why quarantine in a separate room ?

I'm not sure! That's what they are telling me on the guineapigcages.com forum. I don't think it makes much sense either. I guess it is so Radley doesn't give something to my current boys if he has it? I don't see how that's possible if he's on the other side of the room and doesn't interact with Harper and Scout until introductions in a few weeks.. I guess it's to prevent airborne piggy illnesses? Is there even such a thing?
Thanks!

 

[herriotfan]

Sorry if I'm a tad ignorant but what/who is Craigslist family? ?/

 

[Pocketmonster]

Sorry if I'm a tad ignorant but what/who is Craigslist family? ?/

Oh my gosh, you're not ignorant! I live in the States, and Craigslist is an awesome free classified website where people can sell things locally. Here in the States, we recommend people get piggies from Craigslist (meaning get them from a family that no longer wants their piggies and are trying to give them away).
Sorry guys, I forget this is a UK based forum and forget to specify about our silly American nuances!

 

[MerryPip]

Are your piggies all boys?

3 boys can be really awkward especially between 4-18 months when their hormones start kicking in so be ready for a few spats and arguments...

 

[Pocketmonster]

Are your piggies all boys?

3 boys can be really awkward especially between 4-18 months when their hormones start kicking in so be ready for a few spats and arguments...

Yes they are all boys. Radley is coming with his own cage (2x4) so should any spats arise, he will be placed in there. Should the spats cause permanent separation, I will be finding another boar (around the same age as he) as a cage mate for Radley.

 

[Scribble]

I'm not sure! That's what they are telling me on the guineapigcages.com forum. I don't think it makes much sense either. I guess it is so Radley doesn't give something to my current boys if he has it? I don't see how that's possible if he's on the other side of the room and doesn't interact with Harper and Scout until introductions in a few weeks.. I guess it's to prevent airborne piggy illnesses? Is there even such a thing?
Thanks!

You are right - It is advised to quarantine in a separate room as they two rooms share separate air spaces, quarantining in the same room does not rule out the chance of anything airborne passing onto the animals currently living there.

With your two being treat for mites - especially if they are in the same room you would have to be very careful not to pass the mites onto the new piggy.

 

[Hermes]

As this was posted yesterday I'm assuming you've got Radley already so the things to ask his previous owners are not much use but I was going to say find out about his diet - if you need to change him onto a new food then do so gradually and unless you know what veg he's been having I would also gradually introduce new fresh foods, just to prevent any gut problems. Plenty of hay though, as ever. Make sure to give him a health check and weigh him just so you know if there are any problems you need to deal with straight away.

When you say a 2x5 cage with a 1x2 kitchen do you mean in grids or feet? I'm assuming you mean grids in which case it's enough space for three pigs but as ever the more you can give them the better - even more so when trying to keep a stable boar trio. The "kitchen" sounds good also but if they're having little squabbles I'd be tempted to add in another eating space so they can munch away in peace. My two bonded boars have an eating area which is 2ftx3ft with a hay tray at either end and a space in the middle where dry food and veggies go - they each sit in a tray munching away and it seems to minimise disputes (they used to argue over the hay tray before I changed the setup).

Hope he settles in okay.

 

[Pocketmonster]

As this was posted yesterday I'm assuming you've got Radley already so the things to ask his previous owners are not much use but I was going to say find out about his diet - if you need to change him onto a new food then do so gradually and unless you know what veg he's been having I would also gradually introduce new fresh foods, just to prevent any gut problems. Plenty of hay though, as ever. Make sure to give him a health check and weigh him just so you know if there are any problems you need to deal with straight away.

When you say a 2x5 cage with a 1x2 kitchen do you mean in grids or feet? I'm assuming you mean grids in which case it's enough space for three pigs but as ever the more you can give them the better - even more so when trying to keep a stable boar trio. The "kitchen" sounds good also but if they're having little squabbles I'd be tempted to add in another eating space so they can munch away in peace. My two bonded boars have an eating area which is 2ftx3ft with a hay tray at either end and a space in the middle where dry food and veggies go - they each sit in a tray munching away and it seems to minimise disputes (they used to argue over the hay tray before I changed the setup).

Hope he settles in okay.

Well, I actually haven't picked him up yet! We decided to wait a day so I could better prepare where his cage will go. We have a curious Bichon Frise who I do not trust to be nice with the piggies. He's already taken a chunk out of Oliver's buttso I definitely do not trust him.
Thank you for the advice about the food. I'm sure Radley is probably being fed an awful seed mix feed, so it will be imperative to switch him over to the Cavy Cuisine I feed my boys.
From what I can see of Harper's personality, I feel as though he may not take to Radley right away. Harper is 3 and a half months old right now, and Radley is 8. I have already anticipated having to keep them separate for a few months while Harper goes through puberty. Scout is always good with new piggies so I am not worried about him. It's the boisterous baby Harper that I am concerned will not give Radley a nice homecoming!
Do you think the fact that Harper will be able to smell Radley for a good week or two before I introduce them will make things go more easily? Or should I wait a few months (four, to be exact) to make sure Harper is out of puberty before intros? Harper rarely triest to hump Scout, the most he does as far as displays of dominance is popcorn OVER Scout and occasionally chase him.

Any advice for intros once Radley is properly quarantined? Also, if intros don't go well, will Radley be okay by himself in a cage for a few months? As far as I know, Radley has never had a cage mate.

Thank you so much!

 

[Pocketmonster]

Oh and yes, their cage will be 2x5 in grids. I am not in my apartment where their final cage will be, so I cannot remember the dimensions of the wall they will be on. Hopefully it's larger than I remember it being, and if so, the boys will get a 2x6 (in grids)!