Baby guinea pigs introduction

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Chesnut1

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Hey everyone. So, I have a 1 year old male guinea pig named Chestnut (he is neutered), and I just got 2 4-week old female guinea pigs, named Cinnamon and Nutmeg, today. I've separated them by putting a divider in the 2x5 c&c cage that they will be sharing in the future. Chestnut is in the 2x3 side, while the two females are in the 2x2 side until after their checkup in 2 weeks. I have noticed that the babies are chewing at the grid that I put to divide them, trying to get to Chestnut. Would anyone advise to allow them to be together?
The babies are still eating alfalfa hay, so I don't want chestnut getting to that, and I also don't want him to harm them, especially because they're still so tiny. Before I put a mesh up on the grid, they were able to fit through the holes of it and got a glimpse of "living" with the adult. What should I do? I don't want them to harm their little teeth by the continuous gnawing on the grid. Chestnut is also a very calm male, and I do believe that the two will be safe with him, I am still worried tho, as it is their first day in their new home.
 
They don’t need alfalfa hay anymore. That’s generally for when the mum is still nursing, and only a handful even then. I would stop that now.

The good thing is that they’re a pair so won’t be lonely. But at that age they still need the guidance of an older piggy to show them how to behave and what is safe to eat etc. If I were you I would bond them with your boar now, rather than wait for the check up in two weeks. If it had been one sow, you would have had to bond her with him straight away. At that age their social needs come above the need to quarantine and ‘protect’ any other piggies. If anything shows up you can always just treat all three (vet recommended of course).

Unfortunately the space you’ve given them is not big enough, not even for a single piggy. I would try to bond them and see how it goes. He won’t hurt them so try not to worry about that. Good luck and let us know how it all goes ☺️
 
Siikibam said:
They don’t need alfalfa hay anymore. That’s generally for when the mum is still nursing, and only a handful even then. I would stop that now.

The good thing is that they’re a pair so won’t be lonely. But at that age they still need the guidance of an older piggy to show them how to behave and what is safe to eat etc. If I were you I would bond them with your boar now, rather than wait for the check up in two weeks. If it had been one sow, you would have had to bond her with him straight away. At that age their social needs come above the need to quarantine and ‘protect’ any other piggies. If anything shows up you can always just treat all three (vet recommended of course).

Unfortunately the space you’ve given them is not big enough, not even for a single piggy. I would try to bond them and see how it goes. He won’t hurt them so try not to worry about that. Good luck and let us know how it all goes ☺
Click to expand...

Okay, I read somewhere that a 2x5 is big enough or is the minimum for 3 piggies, I will be expanding it to a 3x5 when money becomes available, but as for now, I was assuming this space is enough for the three of them. I was also told by the shelter to continue feeding them alfalfa for a few more weeks, or for the next month or so, and ease them off of it slowly as I go. But I will cut them off sooner than later.
The two did get into Chestnut's area earlier and I noticed that he was rumble strutting, I'm not sure if that's good or bad. But I've read and learned that it is a sign of dominance when coming from a male. Should I separate them for the night, when I'm unable to watch them?
 
Are they on alfalfa hay only, or get w small portion of it? It’s up to you but I would introduce other hay soon as then stop it. They don’t need the extra calcium. And in fact there is extra calcium in the pellets, which shouldn’t always be available now either. They can have 1-2 tablespoons of ‘normal’ pellets each per day.

Once you introduce you can’t then split them up. They either stay together or they don’t. It’s stressful for them as each meeting is a bonding and sorting out hierarchy. So when you separate they have to start again from scratch.

Rumble strutting is absolutely fine.

I forgot to add. Yes a 2x5 is big enough for 3 piggies. But a 2x2 is nowhere near enough for two sows, and a 2x3 isn’t enough for a single either. Minimum is 2x4 for two sows or a single.
 
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I’m not an expert, but I recently had a similar situation with bonding a baby. Mine were both boars, but there was plenty of rumble strutting and everything still turned out great. I agree with everyone else about them needing to be bonded ASAP. Oh and fair warning there may be mounting but that’s nothing to worry about since your male is neutered. Hope this helps and everything goes well:)
 
Oh and with cages I highly recommend the ones that you can connect. There’s one on Amazon for about $60 and it’s 2 by 4. I’m using two of those and the guinea pigs love it. It’s fairly easy to assemble and take apart as well.
 
I agree with siikibam. There is no need for the babies to be on alfalfa now. Id stop giving it to them and bond them with chestnut Straight away. As siikibam has said you forego quarantine for babies and bond them immediarely. Put all three of them into a neutral bonding pen and let the bonding play out over several hours. If successful move them all into the cage (which will need to be cleaned out and have new bedding) together and leave them together. You can’t put them together and then separate them again as that causes them stress.

has he been neutered for a long time?

yes, a 2x5 is big enough for three of them to be in together, but youve divided it into two sections and while divided neither of those sections are big enough. if you are going to keep them separated for now then the babies need a 2x4 cage now and chestnut needs a 2x4 cage now .

you will see rumblestrutting all the time. It is a mild dominance behaviour and it is the boars way of showing off to the ladies - he will do it every day for the rest of his life!

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
 
Please can you also add your location to your profile. County/state or country is enough. It makes it easier when advising.
 
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