Bonding sows that have lived side by side for 3 years

[Bonnie320121]

I wonder if anyone could offer any advice on trying to bond my two little girl guineas Lola and Bea after the original bond failed. I have looked on here for advice but I can't find anything to help with this particular problem. I will try and keep the story of what happened as brief as possible. Originally we had two girls Rosie and Lola who were a bonded pair. Two years later my husband took my daughter to buy some hay and came back with another guinea pig - Bea, she felt sorry for her as she was on her own in the pet shop. She had been attacked by one of the other guinea pigs that was in the same enclosure and the lady in the pet shop took her home to get her better, I understand she was there a few weeks and kept on her own. I tried to bond her with Rosie and Lola but she was really dominant and it ended up with Bea attacking Rosie and cutting her ear quite badly. I decided at that point that it was a failed bond and they lived in my garage in separate areas that was separated by c&c panels. Bea was still very dominant, constantly weeing outside Rosie and Lola's enclosure, doing dominance, biting through the cage and chinning up. She was quite aggressive or as my daughter called it Croz - a mixture of crazy and cross!
Sadly Rosie passed away 2 years ago and Lola and Bea have continued to live side by side with Bea still being dominant and Lola being inquisitive and wanting to be Bea's friend. Lola is very chilled and a bit of a nervous girl, she has always been this way. Very recently I have seen that relations have improved and Bea has mellowed a great deal. I stuff hay between the panels and they will happily eat together with no dominance at all from Bea. She lies in a bed by Lola's cage and is always putting her nose through to sniff Lola. Taking this into account I want to try and bond them again, do you think this is a good idea? I know I have to do it in a neutral place and they are going to be boarded for a week as I am going on holiday. Would it be best to deep clean the garage where they live, wash everything and try to bond them in there? Or try another neutral area? Do I introduce them slowly, a bit at a time or just put them together and keep them together from then on in? I still have PTSD from the first failed bond so am still very wary but I feel a bit sad that they potentially could be friends and don't want to deny them that. Also, Lola is 5 and I don't want to put her under any stress that could be detrimental to her health. Sorry this is an epic post and thank you in advance for any help or advice you can offer

 

[fluffysal]

Welcome to the forum. I have no experience with sows but I'm sure someone will be along soon with advice.

 

[Piggies&buns]

There is nothing wrong with leaving things how they are. Their interactions between the bars are not indicative that they actually want to live together. Speaking with the neighbour is totally different to having to share a space with them and as they have already had a failed bonding, trying again may not be wise - sows can get a bit more cranky as they get older and less willing to share their space (the opposite for boars who tend to get more friendly).

I had two boar pairs. One pair happily together for six years, the other bond failed when they were teenagers (they are currently a year and a half old). One of the bonded pair passed away at Easter. Having three separate piggies is a bit of a pain but I can’t bond the bereaved piggy with one of the other single boys because I know it’s not going to work. They happily interact between the bars though

If you do decide to try it again, then ensure it is done somewhere neutral - in the garage is ok but it has to be away from their cages in the garage

 

[Bonnie320121]

Thank you for your advice