Hey guys!
I need a little bit of help.
I recently adopted a baby guinea pig. I had her in a different cage next to my other three for a few days. Yesterday I decided to try and bond them. I first introduced her to my neutered male, since he is really calm, and she seemed to come back to life. She had barely come out of her hidie before, but once he was there with her she started following and copying him. Two minutes later I put in with them my younger female, who didn't seem to mind her at first, and finally my older female.
I was most scare to introduce her to the older female since she is the dominant one and didn't quite like the younger female at first (she didn't do anything to her but didn't want her close). Turns out she was actually really gentle with the baby, she smelled her a couple times and just did her thing. The male accepted her too, and the younger female seemed to do the same.
Today I had to separate them. I have the two females together and the male and the baby together.
The younger female keeps "attacking" the baby. There isn't blood, but she keeps throwing herself at her, intimidating her and keeps chasing her. I don't think she was biting her but she was being really mean. Poor thing the baby was terrified, she kept screaming like crazy every time the younger female threw herself at her and tried to run away.
Should I try again? Did the bonding fail for sure?
I first did the bonding in a neutral space and made sure everything was fresh and clean when I putted their cages together to make a big one.
I feel like separating the older three is quite cruel, since they have been together since they were babies.
Should I start thinking about bonding the baby with another piggie and have two herds? What do you think I should do? What are my options?
I need a little bit of help.
I recently adopted a baby guinea pig. I had her in a different cage next to my other three for a few days. Yesterday I decided to try and bond them. I first introduced her to my neutered male, since he is really calm, and she seemed to come back to life. She had barely come out of her hidie before, but once he was there with her she started following and copying him. Two minutes later I put in with them my younger female, who didn't seem to mind her at first, and finally my older female.
I was most scare to introduce her to the older female since she is the dominant one and didn't quite like the younger female at first (she didn't do anything to her but didn't want her close). Turns out she was actually really gentle with the baby, she smelled her a couple times and just did her thing. The male accepted her too, and the younger female seemed to do the same.
Today I had to separate them. I have the two females together and the male and the baby together.
The younger female keeps "attacking" the baby. There isn't blood, but she keeps throwing herself at her, intimidating her and keeps chasing her. I don't think she was biting her but she was being really mean. Poor thing the baby was terrified, she kept screaming like crazy every time the younger female threw herself at her and tried to run away.
Should I try again? Did the bonding fail for sure?
I first did the bonding in a neutral space and made sure everything was fresh and clean when I putted their cages together to make a big one.
I feel like separating the older three is quite cruel, since they have been together since they were babies.
Should I start thinking about bonding the baby with another piggie and have two herds? What do you think I should do? What are my options?
