Do I get another guinea pig?

[Mama Squeak]

My two female piggies are six months old, born on the same day full sisters, and have a massive indoor enclosure with plenty to do. Ive had them for three months. As time has gone by and they have got older, I have noticed that they have less and less to do with one another. Biscuit is the dominant one, and Maisie pushes it alot of the time but eventually gives in. During the day they ignore each other, don't interact and seem to be happier as far apart as possible. The only time they get together is at food times etc. I was wondering if I should get a third younger guinea pig to provide some more love, playtime and companionship for them both. I can have one more piggie cage size wise, but I am not sure if it is the right thing to do.

I have read that having 3 piggies can sometimes make couples and then an odd one out, but at the moment Biscuit and Maisie BOTH seem to be leading "the odd one out" lifestyle so would it matter?

Also adding a new piggie to two sisters when they are still only 6 months old - am I being to premature, and should I wait?

Any advice would be appreciated thank you. xx

 

[Piggies&buns]

Their behaviour sounds quite normal. They don’t need to be physically interacting with each other all the time for their bond to be perfectly well functioning. They are comfortable and feel safe so they don’t feel the need to be stuck to each other for comfort and security like they did when they were first with you and unsure of everything. Also bear in mind that a lot of their interaction is in ways which dont require them to be right next to each other - smell, body language etc. They absolutely will be interacting with each other.

Adding a third won’t necessarily provide companionship and someone else to play with in the way you think, because often what happens is two get closer and the third is properly left out (which is different to what is happening with your current two). Any new youngster you add will also grow up, become comfortable and still want her own space and you may well just find you’ve got three piggies in separate areas across the cage only coming together at meal times!

Even if your current pair’s bond was failing (which from the information you’ve given, it doesn’t sound as if it is), and they were fighting and properly falling out, then adding another piggy wouldn’t save their relationship. You would still end up a broken bond, separated and single piggies.

If you want to add more piggies, then do so because you want to and can afford to, not because you think there is a problem that needs fixing (because adding a third won’t fix any problems)
It’s also important to go about adding a third piggy the right way via dating at a rescue where possible so your girls can choose their own new friend so you don’t risk ending up with a failed bond

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

 

[Wiebke]

If your girls are getting on well (they sound perfectly normal to me - keep in mind that all those 'cute' videos you see online are entirely human interest driven and by no means a reflection of reality), I would rather consider adopting a neutered boar for a sow pair.

If you can rescue date him with your sows at a good welfare standard rescue that offers this service, then you can ensure that they get on and that acceptance has happened, that the boy is fully quarantined and not coming with the usual pitfalls that await the unwary, and you have the rescue to fall back on in case the bond runs into trouble or you can no longer keep him for some reason. That really minimises all the risks and maximises success rates for you and is well worth the extra effort. You can look at any age - mutual liking and character compatibility are much more important for any piggy bond than age or gender.

Here is some more in-depth information about what to consider when adding/bonding piggies and what rescue dating means:
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs
Guinea Pig Forum recommended rescues (these are the carefully vetted UK rescues we can cvouch for that you are in safe hands)

 

[Mama Squeak]

Their behaviour sounds quite normal. They don’t need to be physically interacting with each other all the time for their bond to be perfectly well functioning. They are comfortable and feel safe so they don’t feel the need to be stuck to each other for comfort and security like they did when they were first with you and unsure of everything. Also bear in mind that a lot of their interaction is in ways which dont require them to be right next to each other - smell, body language etc. They absolutely will be interacting with each other.

Adding a third won’t necessarily provide companionship and someone else to play with in the way you think, because often what happens is two get closer and the third is properly left out (which is different to what is happening with your current two). Any new youngster you add will also grow up, become comfortable and still want her own space and you may well just find you’ve got three piggies in separate areas across the cage only coming together at meal times!

Even if your current pair’s bond was failing (which from the information you’ve given, it doesn’t sound as if it is), and they were fighting and properly falling out, then adding another piggy wouldn’t save their relationship. You would still end up a broken bond, separated and single piggies.

If you want to add more piggies, then do so because you want to and can afford to, not because you think there is a problem that needs fixing (because adding a third won’t fix any problems)
It’s also important to go about adding a third piggy the right way via dating at a rescue where possible so your girls can choose their own new friend so you don’t risk ending up with a failed bond

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

Thank you so much for the advice. It sounds like this is normal behaviour then and I should stop worrying. I don't really want a third piggy (I want 103 lol) because I am enjoying being a newbie mum for the first time. So it is great to hear that this is not the solution. Thanks again for very wise words.

 

[Mama Squeak]

If your girls are getting on well (they sound perfectly normal to me - keep in mind that all those 'cute' videos you see online are entirely human interest driven and by no means a reflection of reality), I would rather consider adopting a neutered boar for a sow pair.

If you can rescue date him with your sows at a good welfare standard rescue that offers this service, then you can ensure that they get on and that acceptance has happened, that the boy is fully quarantined and not coming with the usual pitfalls that await the unwary, and you have the rescue to fall back on in case the bond runs into trouble or you can no longer keep him for some reason. That really minimises all the risks and maximises success rates for you and is well worth the extra effort. You can look at any age - mutual liking and character compatibility are much more important for any piggy bond than age or gender.

Here is some more in-depth information about what to consider when adding/bonding piggies and what rescue dating means:
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs
Guinea Pig Forum recommended rescues (these are the carefully vetted UK rescues we can cvouch for that you are in safe hands)

Thank you for this information. I will keep it in mind for the future when I do decide I want another piggy. Love the idea of piggy dates so that they can see if they get on. xx

 

[Poggers]

I had two girls and they did the same slept apart, ate together and basically did their own thing most of the time. So I thought the same let's get another one and see what happens. They then left her out poor little girl and I felt really sorry for her. It seemed like they were ganging up on her nipping her behind not letting her get the nice food. She soon started fighting back and getting her food etc. But it seemed like she was always making a run for it. The others were not nasty to her they had accepted her. I then got a neutered little boy from a rescue and he's the dominant and the girls all seem equal and get along great now,
so happy families .

 

[Free Ranger]

I have 3 and my boar takes it in turns to either be alone or hang out with one of the laydeez. He likes to eat pellets and hay with comfortably built Louise in the evening - he has a romantic interest in her. My ninja piggy Flora, although dominant, is often in the other cage at this point which makes me feel sad for her. But when Flora is outside on the grass she and George get on like great mates (Louise doesn't like to be out for more than 10 minutes - she likes her indoor lifestyle!) and then again sometimes the girls pair up to eat hay in the roaming area. Everyone chows down together when the morning grass pile arrives! But everyone sleeps separately.
They are not unhappy - George is certainly a happy chap, Louise is placid and content with her lot, but I sometimes get the sneaking suspicion that the right little youngling sow might give my Flora a sense of purpose and someone to play with as the other two are that bit older. The gamble is do I risk wrecking a comfortable situation - and obviously increase potential vet bills and certainly increase poop scoopage by 25%!

But in your situation I would hold that idea about a neutered gent in the back of my mind for the right time....

 

[Wiebke]

PS: I currently have 5 'husboars with two wives' trios. They work really well if the two girls are good friends.

What introducing a neutered boar cannot do is bring two feuding sows together; he will ultimately side with one of them.
I love my 'husboars' and have had about 20 of them, going back 40 years. Hywel even had up 13 sows in his prime but he had the personality and charisma to cope with them all, having started out as an 'unbondable' boar bullying all his boar mates.

 

[PoptartShop]

Awwwwwww, just wanna say, one of my first piggies (out of a pair of sisters!) I had named Maisie. <3 I love that name. Happy to see another person loving a 'Maisie'. <3

I think they sound pretty ok honestly, I'd be a little wary adding a new pig to the mix since they're sisters & already bonded. It's not unheard of or impossible of course, but right now they seem ok together. Sometimes the dynamics can change too, they may go through phases where they're not as 'close' but I wouldn't worry too much. Seems like a good pair! <3 If you're concerned about activity, maybe just giving them a bit more playtime or adding some fun toys (cardboard stuffed with hay, etc.) can help!

 

[Freela]

Their behavior sounds very normal. Guinea pigs benefit from having another pig around, but don't necessarily cuddle up together or 'play' like dogs or cats might (animal play is basically practicing necessary behavior- whereas chasing/wrestling like dogs is identifiable to playing to the human eye, guinea pig behavior rehearsal might just look like one guinea pig following another around occasionally.) Guinea pig bonds just look like peaceful coexistence to us. If you want to have a trio you can give it a shot, but you're unlikely to get a more playful or 'cuddly' dynamic past the baby stage, best case you'll just end up with three pigs peacefully coexisting instead of two, and worst case you'll end up with a pair and a single or three singles if they fall out over the addition of a third pig.