Bonding a 6m old guinea pig

[MnJ]

I have a 6m old baby boy and I want to find him a friend. I ordered 24 c&c grids. My plan is to make as big cage as I can and if it doesn't work out then I will put some grids in between them to separate them, but they will still live next to each other. I was just wondering if it will be better get an older piggy. I red somewhere that older boars adore baby boys, but then I am not sure if my boy is still considered a baby, even though in my eyes he will always be .
Do you guys have any recommendations or advice about this. I really wanted to buy a baby piggy about 2m old, they are just so cute

I know that boars are harder to bond, but which will have better chances to work out -my boy with a younger piggy, about the same age or older.
Or that doesn't matter at all.

I really want to find him a friend with who he can live and play with. I see some rescues offer play dates, but there are none near me.

 

[Bill & Ted]

It’s really all done to comparability and if they like each other. He is technically coming up to those difficult teenage stage fuelled with hormone spikes. Introducing a young baby would probably work now but then you have to consider that both will become teenagers at the same time. A very chilled out older boar may be a good match. Could you travel a bit further to a rescue that does bonding? Some offer resident bonding where your piggies stays for a few days or up to a week.
Good luck whichever you decide and good on you for thinking about his needs

in the Guinea pig info area you will find lots if helpful advice on boars including bonding, have a good read through, it may help you decide what may be best for him

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

6 months of age is the most difficult bonding age for boars with the highest fail (and fall-out) rate because it is when the testosterone output is at an all time high. It is great that you want to find your boy a friend but I would recommend to wait a little in order to up your chances of success.

However, especially since you won't have access to a rescue that offers dating, when bringing home piggies for bonding then you always have to have a plan B at the ready in terms of keeping your boys in adjoining cages with a divider so they have got their own territory but still have the companionship and constant stimulation. We call these pairings 'can't live together but can't live apart' pairs. Any guinea pig bond whatever the gender and number stands and falls with a personality match and whether they want to be with each other when the chips are down - long before any age or gender considerations.

You can find more practical in-depth information on getting piggies, boar specific companionship aspects and bonding in the links below:
Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Journey through a Lifetime: The Ages of Guinea Pigs

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours

All these guides are just a small part of our very helpful New Owners practical information resource, the access link to which you may find helpful. Since we are doing this all for free in our own free time we simply cannot type out the full advice each time, so we prefer to link in our guides with the how-to tips and in-depth information to allow you to make a considered decision and understand better what exactly is going on.
Here is the link: Comprehensive Owners' Practical and Supportive Information Collection