Bereaved sow next door to bonded pair...maybe friends?

Scooter Pie

Scooter Pie

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hello! My just about 2 year old sow Peggy lost her friend a few days ago, and I have moved her cage up against my other bonded female pair, Cinnamon and Sugar (owned 3 years, may be 4-5 years old).

I'm wondering how long before I attempt a bonding on neutral ground. So far they seem really curious and interested in each other...went over to the shared area and all started chewing the bars. No aggressive behaviors. (in the past Ive tried this with others and saw snorting, yawning and teeth chattering from the single pig, and then some intense stare-downs/lunging with the bonded pair! and then the meeting was a failure)

After a day next to each other, they sniff and investigate, bite the bars a little, and then go back to their business of eating hay.

Hopeful this could be a sign I could try to bond them!

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Sorry to hear of the loss of Peggy's friend. You know your piggies the best and if you think there are positive vibes coming from all 3 of them then the only thing you can do is try to bond them. Have the oven gloves handy just in case! You will soon know if it's going to work. If it does then its good, if it doesn't they will have to be "Through the bars" neighbours. Good luck with the bonding.
 
Thank you! Bonding the 3 of them wasn't the plan. But I'm going to try (in a few days at least.)

It's Cinnamon's calm curiosity that has me thinking there's a chance. She was the one who was very aggressive through the bars when I brought her home 3 years ago and tried to form a trio with my now deceased Buttercup and Kona (who then was Peggy's friend and passed last week).
 
Whew...here we go...they've been next door for 4 days and we've got a neutral pen set up. Just hay in the middle and my teenagers and I are going to sit around the perimeter with pillows and towels etc. Wish us luck!
 
Sigh. I "freaked out over nothing" according to my 14 year old.

They were together about 15 minutes and I was really hopeful. Sniffing each other in a pretty relaxed way, and going back to nibbling a little hay.

Then Peggy started nose punching Cinnamon's side, and it seemed like there could be a brawl. Sugar started chattering her teeth so I separated them.

No issues with Cinnamon and Sugar being back together. Peggy's grazing near them.

Probably not going to try again anytime soon. Peggy seems fine so far being alone with the neighbors.

Any thoughts? I know trios are hard.
 
I have a sow pair and a neutered boar who are neighbours and they are all happy. I have learnt from here that as long as they have interaction through a divider that is ok.
 
Sounds like Peggy was showing dominance to Cinnamon and Sugar was telling her to back off. It’s hard to say if you intervened too early, but there will be signs of dominance and that’s ok. It’s just if it goes any further than displaying. Like someone else said have an oven glove or a dust pan to divide them if it goes anymore than that.

I think you should try again when you feel upto it. It’s very stressful for us xx
 
Ugh. They are chattering/making not happy sounds through the bars now. Cinnamon's yawning at Peggy. Hopefully that'll settle back down. I didn't see anything like that before they were allowed to meet.

The poor things are so exhausted 😴🐷🐷🐷 As long as there's no falling out with Cinnamon and Sugar, I'm fine with them just being neighbors. The feelings that come over me when they start to get fired up...😵😵😵

Just going to take some time to settle down.

Thank you all for replying 💖🐷🐷🐷
 
The like to put us through the mill don’t they?! 🤷🏽‍♀️🤣

As long as there’s no chance blood shed, it can’t go wrong (Can it?!) xx
 
The 3 little pigs seem content for now, but I really hope a suitable match for Peggy comes along soon. Ive seen her chewing the bars when Cinnamon was relaxing on the other side (seemingly ignoring her 🥺) and I don't want to see repetitiive behaviors like that which could indicate she's sad about not having someone to rumble at and chase. She did lean toward what Id call strong-ish cycles.
 
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