Guinea Pig Introduction

[yenibaha]

I bought a guinea pig about a week ago at a pet shop. When I bought her she was in a tank with another female guinea pig. I fell in love with my new guinea pig and was sad that I left the other behind (especially because they like being in groups). So I went back and purchased the other guinea pig today. When I introduced them they started fighting. Can someone explain this to me and give me advice on what to do. I really don't want to return the new guinea pig.

 

[RedLoredAmazon]

Hi! Welcome to the forum!

Most of the members here are based in the UK and are all sleeping now. When they get up, someone will be able to help you out. While you are waiting for a response from a more experienced member, please read these forum guides about bonding piggies. I used the bonding guide myself; it is really useful.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Hopefully everything will get all sorted with your new piggies. Best of luck!

 

[My Piggies]

Hi

When you introduce piggies to each other they need to be introduced on neutral ground (no hides, just a pile of hay in the middle), regardless of whether they got along in the pet shop. If you put the new girl in the cage that the existing girl lives in, they will most certainly fight. They will need to be in the neutral area for serveral hours before going into a freshly cleaned cage.

Ensure you have a big enough cage. Two girls need a recommended size of 150cm x 60cm (2x4 C&C cage). It will also help to have two of everything (two water bottles, two hay areas, at least two hides with two entrances/exits).

I hope this helps, more experienced members will be along shortly. The guide linked above is very helpful as well

 

[yenibaha]

Hi

When you introduce piggies to each other they need to be introduced on neutral ground (no hides, just a pile of hay in the middle), regardless of whether they got along in the pet shop. If you put the new girl in the cage that the existing girl lives in, they will most certainly fight. They will need to be in the neutral area for serveral hours before going into a freshly cleaned cage.

Ensure you have a big enough cage. Two girls need a recommended size of 150cm x 60cm (2x4 C&C cage). It will also help to have two of everything (two water bottles, two hay areas, at least two hides with two entrances/exits).

I hope this helps, more experienced members will be along shortly. The guide linked above is very helpful as well

Thank you for the quick response. I briefly put them in a neutral area and they smelled each other and then started fighting and I split them up.

 

[My Piggies]

Thank you for the quick response. I briefly put them in a neutral area and they smelled each other and then started fighting and I split them up.

Ah okay. When you say fighting, did they draw blood or have a "cat fight"? Otherwise, behaviours such as chasing, mounting, rumbling and nipping (not drawing blood) are all normal dominance behaviours.

 

[yenibaha]

Ah okay. When you say fighting, did they draw blood or have a "cat fight"? Otherwise, behaviours such as chasing, mounting, rumbling and nipping (not drawing blood) are all normal dominance behaviours.

They did not draw blood, it was like a cat fight. They fought for like 30-40seconds and I got scared and separated them.

 

[My Piggies]

They did not draw blood, it was like a cat fight. They fought for like 30-40seconds and I got scared and separated them.

If they fought like that then seperating them is probably your best option. You can have them living side-by-side with interaction through the bars. If you have the space for more piggies, you could also consider getting them both a new friend by rescue "dating". Otherwise, living next to each other is the next best thing.

 

[yenibaha]

If they fought like that then seperating them is probably your best option. You can have them living side-by-side with interaction through the bars. If you have the space for more piggies, you could also consider getting them both a new friend by rescue "dating". Otherwise, living next to each other is the next best thing.

So they will never be able to live together?

 

[Piggies&buns]

So they will never be able to live together?

If they have had a full on fight, then no sadly they will never be able to live together.
Piggies have to have compatibility to be able to form a relationship so there is always a risk when you just buy piggies from a pet shop that they won’t be compatible and therefore cannot live together.
Finding a friend via dating at a rescue centre is safest as they will ensure the piggies can live together before you bring them home.
You will need to make sure each piggy has a cage measuring a minimum of 120x60cm and that their cages are next to each other so they can interact through the bars only to prevent either of them becoming lonely

 

[yenibaha]

If they have had a full on fight, then no sadly they will never be able to live together.
Piggies have to have compatibility to be able to form a relationship so there is always a risk when you just buy piggies from a pet shop that they won’t be compatible and therefore cannot live together.
Finding a friend via dating at a rescue centre is safest as they will ensure the piggies can live together before you bring them home.
You will need to make sure each piggy has a cage measuring a minimum of 120x60cm and that their cages are next to each other so they can interact through the bars only to prevent either of them becoming lonely

It would not make a difference that they lived together in the same tank a week ago?

 

[Piggies&buns]

It would not make a difference that they lived together in the same tank a week ago?

Pet shop piggies are generally just put together for sale with little to no regard for their compatibility. We do sometimes see pet shop piggies who are bought together suddenly fall out when they come home. Its because when they reestablish their relationship in a new environment (which will happen to every new pair, including ones who have always been together) they decide they do not have compatibility and therefore their bond will fail.

If it was an actual fur ball fight (rather than a bit of mild dominance chasing and mounting), then there is unfortunately not a lot of chance of them wanting to be together again going forward.

 

[yenibaha]

I see, thank you so much for the information.

 

[dhill_cb7]

This happened to my boys as well after I rescued them from a shelter (I’m in PA and traveled to NJ to buy them).

Reestablishing their hierarchy happens in any new environment and change of cage. A new cage and new environment caused my boys to actually change leadership. Mocha was my dominant boar and cap was the submissive (cap hides when scared so being in the shelter he was scared a lot). Then they faced off and movha finally squeaked in submission (he squeaks if cap walks near him sometimes).

I’m sorry this happened to you. Sadly here in the states we do not really have rescue dating. At least up here in the tri-state area I could not find any. Bonding may have to be done by you or if you can locate anyone in FL. Good luck and sorry they fought.

 

[yenibaha]

This happened to my boys as well after I rescued them from a shelter (I’m in PA and traveled to NJ to buy them).

Reestablishing their hierarchy happens in any new environment and change of cage. A new cage and new environment caused my boys to actually change leadership. Mocha was my dominant boar and cap was the submissive (cap hides when scared so being in the shelter he was scared a lot). Then they faced off and movha finally squeaked in submission (he squeaks if cap walks near him sometimes).

I’m sorry this happened to you. Sadly here in the states we do not really have rescue dating. At least up here in the tri-state area I could not find any. Bonding may have to be done by you or if you can locate anyone in FL. Good luck and sorry they fought.

Yeah, I tried looking for the rescue dating and it seems its not common

 

[Bill & Ted]

Hello and welc9me to the forum
Have you had a look in the Guinea Pig Lynx website, they have a list of good rescues who may do boar dating?
Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry you are in this situation but you’ve had great advice.
Hope you can find a good solution

 

[yenibaha]

One last question regarding this topic, because they cannot live together, I've put their cages side by side and they both get close to each other and start wheeking and biting the rails. Should I not put them near each other?

 

[Piggies&buns]

One last question regarding this topic, because they cannot live together, I've put their cages side by side and they both get close to each other and start wheeking and biting the rails. Should I not put them near each other?

This is normal behaviour - its not always a friendly behaviour though. You can give them some time to settle down and get used to the arrangement.
The other thing you can do is cover the bars for a couple of days for them to calm down and then slowly remove the cover so they can see each other again and see how they react.