Bonding 2 Sows - Baby with 6+

PiggyPoo

PiggyPoo

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hi,

I’m attempting to bond our 10 week old baby with our 6 year old sow who was bereaved last year.

We got the baby yesterday who was alone in pets at home and I just couldn’t leave her. So I impulsively purchased her!

Please could you share bonding advice. I’ve just seen a lengthy post explaining not to keep the baby separate (which I didn’t know). They are next to each other in their own cages. What should I do next? Xx
 

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If you think you have time today to watch for a few hours then please do bond them. They can always stay in the neutral area overnight. Otherwise it would have to be tomorrow.

It needs to be somewhere your 6 year old hasn’t been. Then you only put a pile of hay in the middle (and veggies in at normal time). Have a read of the guides linked below. Good luck and hope it goes well.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
 
I’m going to spend sometime with them tomorrow afternoon when the kids are at school.

I’ve been assured she is a girl but I will double check myself too! Thank you!

I will let you know how they get on. Xx
 
Do you think so should get another baby?

I’m just concerned my old lady won’t be ready for her yet and if I rush her it might turn disastrous. I don’t want my baby to be lonely as that was the reason I got her in the first place because she was alone 🤷🏽‍♀️ What to do?!
 
That is an alternative. You could get your baby a friend (in which case it would be advisable to quarantine them). If they didn’t get on with your lady they could live alongside her as neighbours (if you have the space).

I would try baby with your older lady and see how it goes. You may be surprised 😊
 
I’ve got a new pen coming tomorrow so fingers crossed they get along! I really hope it works out! We will need another one fairly soon anyway when the time comes so I will keep that option open! We have room to keep her separate if it doesn’t work out so we will figure something out!
 
The baby is so happy too! Pretty confident.

What’s the best thing to do next? I’ve put them back in separate cages because I didn’t know what else to do and figured the adult might need a rest.

I’m thinking do the same tomorrow afternoon but clean the new bigger cage out then put them both together permanently. What do you think would be the best way? Xx
 
PiggyPoo said:
The baby is so happy too! Pretty confident.

What’s the best thing to do next? I’ve put them back in separate cages because I didn’t know what else to do and figured the adult might need a rest.

I’m thinking do the same tomorrow afternoon but clean the new bigger cage out then put them both together permanently. What do you think would be the best way? Xx
Click to expand...

Oh no, they should all have gone to the cage together today. You don’t ever separate after successful introduction as now all the bonding process has been interrupted.
I would put them back together right now in the bonding pen and move them to the cage altogether before you go to bed.
 
Mumma pig showing baby how to eat Hay! You just stick your face in it! 😂 She’s such a messy eater!

Baby is so chatty lots of talking and much more outgoing now she has her mother!

I’m over the moon 💕 Definitely keeping them together was the right thing to do! I knew you guys would know what to do! Thank you so much! Happy pigs xx
 

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I'm not at all surprised all is well. I have always had an older and younger pairing, so consequently I always end up needing to find the remaining one a friend.

I have put baby girls in with older sows, I have put baby girls in with neutered boars, I have put older sows in with neutered boars and older sows with older sows. I just put them in, watch for a while and then leave them to it. Maybe I have been lucky but I have never had a problem in way. I get a bit of rumble strutting from the boars, but I find sows more than able to look after themselves. A face full of urine usually stops a boar in his tracks.

The only thing I always do, is take my remaining guinea pig to choose their new friend. Then they travel back together and thats it.
 
It’s gone so well! The baby is zooming now. They have definitely enriched each others lives. The baby has tried to raise her head but my other girl is so big she just towers over her so the hierarchy isn’t much of an issue.

It’s lovely to see them together! I keep watching them on piggy cam 🙊🥰💕
 
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