Bonding Biscuit With Bandit

[hannyhoo]

Hi I'm New to this forum and am looking for advice on bonding 15mnth old Biscuit to 10 week old Bandit. When Biscuits brother died we contacted a rescue who advised that we should let him mature before trying to bond. We now have Bandit and they are at the moment living side by side in cages, I've bought a hutch run combo for the garden and have a new c and c cage on order for the pair once bonded (fingers crossed) but when we got Bandit the lady said Biscuit was probably so use to living alone it could be a problem although everything I have read says they need company and thrive on it. I'm now so worried that I've made a huge mistake and that I'm going to have two boys living lonely lives side by side in seperate cages. Help! I have read the bonding thread but am really worried and it would be really nice to hear people's personal experiences when bonding boars.
Thanks

 

[sport_billy]

@Wiebke has wrote some great guides included in those below

Companionship
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics

 

[Wiebke]

Hi I'm New to this forum and am looking for advice on bonding 15mnth old Biscuit to 10 week old Bandit. When Biscuits brother died we contacted a rescue who advised that we should let him mature before trying to bond. We now have Bandit and they are at the moment living side by side in cages, I've bought a hutch run combo for the garden and have a new c and c cage on order for the pair once bonded (fingers crossed) but when we got Bandit the lady said Biscuit was probably so use to living alone it could be a problem although everything I have read says they need company and thrive on it. I'm now so worried that I've made a huge mistake and that I'm going to have two boys living lonely lives side by side in seperate cages. Help! I have read the bonding thread but am really worried and it would be really nice to hear people's personal experiences when bonding boars.
Thanks

Hi! How old are your boys? Boars are most difficult to bond during their teenage months when their testosterone is at an all times high. However, the key to any successful guinea pig bond is mutual liking and character compatibility.

Unless you have the option to take a single guinea pig to a place where it can date, you have to unfortunately take the plunge and see how the two boys you have chosen get on - or not, as may be the case. It is basically down to whether their personalities harmonise or not. No trick in the book can make piggies (or humans, at that!) like each other or get on well in the long term if that is not the case.

When bonding boars, you have to commit and ride the tiger. You can leave boars overnight in a bonding pen if the bond is not quite settled yet, but there is no sign of the boys fighting, but you cannot do any meaningful bonding in short bursts. Guinea pigs need time together to work through their instinctive bonding manual and establish a hierarchy in order to create a functional bond.

The links that @sport_billy has given you will hopefully help you understand what is going on.

 

[hannyhoo]

Thanks I've already started reading them and I'm hoping after reading about the cleaning behaviour we have a good sign from Biscuit as when we get him out he sits outside Bandits cage and washes. Biscuit is 15mnth and Bandit is 10weeks they have been next to each other in cages for 2 days going to take the plunge tomorrow.