Advice Needed Please

[SHAZZIE]

at what age do piggie boys want to mate with girlies ,i have 3 girls but would like another piggie for a cagemate with tinka, but dont know whats best for my girls as the two older ones have fallen out, well tink bullies belle, after being introduced to our new girl abby, they all got along so well then in the space of a wheek tink went bonkers each time belle came near her. belle is a lovely girl not as dominant as tink, abby is just .. yeh whatever,, lol. she gets on with them both but tink croons over abby and juggerwoggers her siding up to her and looks like when you want to possess something , I'm not sure whats going on but its breaking my heart to see poor belle on her own in a corner she really cries when tink goes for her so ive taken belle out of the line of fire to a cage for herself, i take her out regularly and they have floor time, my toenails are being shorn as i type with teeth..... ow... lol.now i have to keep them apart but its ok to let belle and abby together for a while just so she has a bit of company sometimes, i will do what it takes to make them happy i just need someone to guide me please. i really don't know what to do. x

 

[piggyfan]

Boars can get sows pregnant at three weeks old. If you go to a rescue they will let Belle chose a female or neutered boar of her own to be friends with. This will save getting another piggy and finding they do not get on.

 

[Stewybus]

Yes I would get a neutered boar. See if you have a local rescue who allow dating. You could take Belle to find a partner. I had a similar problem last year but when I got a male for the female that was left out I put them all together for supervised grass time & within a month they were all living happily together. There is a rescue locator at top of the page but if there's nothing on there close by please let us know your general area & another member may be able to recommend a nearby rescue.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! What you are witnessing is typical dominance behaviour after you have have changed the hierarchy by adding a third girl; it happens every time there is a change to your group. It should calm down again, but it can take a two weeks or longer until the hierarchy is settled again. While it is not nice to watch, it is nothing to really worry about. All behaviours your are mentioning are very par for the course. Unlike you, the piggies know what is going on and don't take it personally.
Please make sure that you have three food bowls and three hideys, preferably with two exits.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sow-behaviour.38561/

Boars can make babies from 3 week onwards; sows can get pregnant from 4 weeks onwards - basically as soon as they are weaned. Neither gender ever loses the ability to procreate; there is no such thing as a menopause for guinea pigs.

Here in Britain quite a number of rescues have a boar neutering policy, so if you are within reach of one, you may consider dating your threesome at a rescue to make sure that you come home only with "Mr. Right" in the long term. A neutered boar needs to get on with all sows in order to mate with them and often acts as a peacemaker and integrator.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/

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