Getting Oswald A Friend

[Oswald]

Hello,
I currently have just one guinea pig and only got him a little over a week ago and though he ate some toluca from my hand today he is extremely scared when I first come into the room and only leaves his hide if I sit still for a long time. I am at home for an hour or 2 twice a day and the cage is in the same room I sleep in but I forsee my schedule getting alittle Busy coming up and keep seeing people insisting that guinea pigs shouldn't be alone even if you do spend time with them a lot so I feel I should get Oswald (that's my guinea pigs name) a friend and the pet store I got him from emailed me to say they had just received another male from the same place he came from should I get him or is it better to let Oswald settle in more / get more friendly to me before introducing a new guinea pig.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,
I currently have just one guinea pig and only got him a little over a week ago and though he ate some toluca from my hand today he is extremely scared when I first come into the room and only leaves his hide if I sit still for a long time. I am at home for an hour or 2 twice a day and the cage is in the same room I sleep in but I forsee my schedule getting alittle Busy coming up and keep seeing people insisting that guinea pigs shouldn't be alone even if you do spend time with them a lot so I feel I should get Oswald (that's my guinea pigs name) a friend and the pet store I got him from emailed me to say they had just received another male from the same place he came from should I get him or is it better to let Oswald settle in more / get more friendly to me before introducing a new guinea pig.

Hi!

The sooner Oswald gets a companion, the better! Guinea pigs are wired for all time companionship and not just an hour here or there.

However, it is not as simple as just putting two piggies tofgether in a cage as they are territorial. Please NEVER stick a new piggy in somebody's cage. They are seen as an intruder, which can trigger fights. Any introductions need to happen in neutral territory.

Please read this guide with videos and pictures of key behaviours so you know what to expect and have an idea what is normal and what now. The guide takes you through all stages of the bonding process, which takes about 2 weeks.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Learn more about boars and what makes them tick in this guide here, so you can avoid making crucial mistakes:
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

Boars need as much as space as they can get, especially during the teenage months when the big hormone spikes hit.
2x4 ft is the minimum welfare recommendation, but we strongly recommend 2x5 ft or more to give the boys a chance to get away from each other. Most teenage boar fights are the result of lack of space because the loser has no way to get out of the way.

All the best. Ideally you conduct the intro on a day when you can watch them all day long.

 

[Freela]

Getting a companion sooner rather than later will help him to settle in and be more confident, so no need to wait on that. As Wiebke pointed out above though, it's not as easy as just putting a friend in the cage and hoping things work out, so go over the information on bonding so you are prepared going in. It's also not a bad idea to do a quarantine period first so that you are sure your new pig isn't coming in with a latent infection that could be passed to both. I usually do introductions in the bathtub with towels put down (sounds weird, but it's totally neutral, has no corners, and lets me observe to make sure things are going well.) I put some food in the middle, a pig at each end, and watch and wait. Once they have accepted each other, I put them in a totally scrubbed-down and rearranged cage to make it more neutral for the pig who was already living there, so they don't feel the need to defend against an intruder. The bonding guides have plenty of tips and ideas, so be sure to review those first so you are prepared beforehand! Good luck!