Bonding in progress - advice

[AliP]

Hi I am bonding 4 females aged 4 with 3 babies aged 12 weeks, they have been going for 3 hours. No teeth chattering just chasing and noise, tow of the babies seem to be holding their own but one is in a corner a lot. Do I keep going?

 

[Piggies&buns]

If everything is going well and there are no warning signs , then yes, keep going

Clean down the cage that they are going to live in so that it doesn’t smell of the original piggies.

Have you been able to make the cage larger following on from your previous post? It wouldn’t be a good idea to put all of them back into the 5x2 as it’s simply not big enough for that many piggies

Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

 

[Wiebke]

Hi I am bonding 4 females aged 4 with 3 babies aged 12 weeks, they have been going for 3 hours. No teeth chattering just chasing and noise, tow of the babies seem to be holding their own but one is in a corner a lot. Do I keep going?

The minimum space requirement for 7 piggies is 2x9, 3x6 or 4x5 ft.

Please take the time to read the guides. the bonding guide contains plenty of pictures of key behaviours and also some bonding videos. Once acceptance has happened, the hierarchy sortout will get underway; it works down the ranks.

 

[AliP]

Yes I have read all the guidelines, just getting a bit nervous !
the main cage is 5 by 2 C and C so I can join it with the smaller one now I know to cut the corex up, I hadn’t thought of doing that.
do you think they are ready to move now they are just doing a bit of chasing? Or stay in the bonding area longer?

 

[Wiebke]

Yes I have read all the guidelines, just getting a bit nervous !
the main cage is 5 by 2 C and C so I can join it with the smaller one now I know to cut the corex up, I hadn’t thought of doing that.
do you think they are ready to move now they are just doing a bit of chasing? Or stay in the bonding area longer?

Please leave them in the bonding area for longer until the worst of the hierarchy establishment is over and they have had a good rest. If in doubt, always leave them in bonding area for longer rather than shorter because otherwise they are doing it all over again in the cage. Dominance in the new cage is a lot less (although will still going for a but 2 weeks) if you give them time to work through the important parts in the bonding area.

 

[AliP]

Ok great that’s really useful information, I am just rereading your guide again. I have followed it several times over the last few years, some bonds have been a success, others not. I find them all to be different though, hence the questions, and always nerve wracking. Thanks for the additional advice. Is it ok to put open ended things in for them to rest under this afternoon or not?

 

[Wiebke]

Ok great that’s really useful information, I am just rereading your guide again. I have followed it several times over the last few years, some bonds have been a success, others not. I find them all to be different though, hence the questions, and always nerve wracking. Thanks for the additional advice. Is it ok to put open ended things in for them to rest under this afternoon or not?

Yes, once you feel that tensions have started to relax a bit. otherwise just peg a sheet or beach towel over the bonding area; I find that that generally helps a lot.

Every bonding is different and most have got their tricky moments. You learn over time to read the body language and dynamics better and get more of a feel for when things are heading nowhere good or if a piggy is overreacting from fear. But every new bonding is riding the tiger again...

 

[AliP]

Thanks again, they have all gone to sleep now in the bonding area, no one is left in a corner. I have joined the two cages ready for later, thanks again for your reassurance and reminders about cage size.