guineas don't get on afer 6 weeks

[monkeyandmischa]

Hi we need help! We got 3 guineas from a rescue centre - a ginger girl, who had been paired with a white boy for a short time, and an abby girl who had been part of a large herd. A few days after we took them home, we realised that both girls were very dominant, and didn't seem to get on with the boy who was quite shy. Now, the girls aren't really friends - they always hang out at opposite ends of the cage - and they terrorise the boy and he spends all his time in the sleeping compartment (and he's lost weight, which i feel really bad about).

One of them scratched his eye a couple of weeks ago (it wasn't that bad, but he had some dried blood on his eyelids) and we said if it happens again we'll separate them. So..it happened again, and now we've put the boy on his own and left the two girls together. He seems quite happy by himself - much more lively and energetic than he was before.

So my question is, what do we do next?

We've thought of getting one more (maybe a shy female) and putting them all in together to even up the balance; or getting one more and just putting her in with the boy and keeping them as 2 pairs; or we could swap one of the ones we have at the rescue - but we're already attached to all of them, so i really don't want to...


Any help would be very gratefully received! Thanks!

 

[MemberX]

Hiya,

Welcome to the forum. Is the boar neutered? If so I would get a nice little female for him perhaps take him to a rescue to pick his own.

Sounds like you've a couple of dominant Sows there I think introducing another to them would upset the balance further. I'd keep them as a duo.

Good luck!

Louise
x

 

[Vikki]

If the boy has already been injured I would not put him back in with the two dominant sows, I would find him a friend of his own.
The rescue might let you date your boy so he can find a girl he gets on with. Itis a shame the guineas did not get on but as they had not been housed together prior to coming to yu it was hit and miss whetherthey get on. have you contacted the rescue you got them from for advice?

 

[starla]

Don't put your boy back in with the girls. Girls can often boss boars around a bit too much, sometimes. If he's neutered (hope he is!) then maybe get him a lady friend, perhaps an older laid back sow?

 

[monkeyandmischa]

Hi,

Thanks very much for your advice. I thought you would say don't put him back in with the girls again... but i was kind of hoping there was some alternative..! We were thinking of buying a multi-storey cage - do you think this would still not give him enough freedom?

Yes, he has been neutered, so I think taking him back to the rescue to find a laid back girlfriend would be a good idea. We haven't contacted the rescue yet, but I think they'd be pretty amenable to us choosing another one.

And my next question is - how about the girls? I know they'll be fine together, but they're not friends - they never snuggle up or hang out together, and I really want them all to be happy, so is it right to keep them as a pair?

Thanks again

 

[starla]

If the girls are happy to eat together, will sit near-ish each other without one attacking, etc and one isn't being bullied a lot (being stopped from drinking or eating) it's fine.

As the months go on they may develop more of a bond, especially if they only have each other to rely on (rather than distracting themselves by bullying your boar!) Most of my girls have started out not being entirely sure of each other, but most of them (apart from the teenage ones : ;D ) now look for the other and obviously have a close bond, even though they don't cuddle up.

 

[starla]

Btw I usually find guineas won't use ramps etc so you may find a multi storey cage a waste of money

 

[monkeyandmischa]

Thanks Starla!

Ahh... I have another problem now - we thought we'd leave the boy on his own for a couple of weeks to put some weight back on and regain his confidence, but it's been 2 days now and he's hardly eaten anything. His eyes look dull too - although when i took him out of the cage he was pretty lively and eager to go exploring as usual!

Maybe he's just a bit lonely, despite the bullying?

 

[sarsmccabe]

he most likely is lonely. But it could be something else, can you get him to a vet for a check over? It does however sound like he is lonely, how quickly can you get to a rescue centre?

 

[monkeyandmischa]

I don't think he's ill - from the fact that he perked up a lot when i was holding him, but i'll keep a close eye on him and take him to the vets if he looks worse. We could get to a rescue centre at the weekend, but I was hoping to get him back to full strength first so he doesnt find the journey too stressful, and he'll be up to meeting some new girls.

Thanks

 

[mackpossum]

Keep the two girls together if they are not fighting with each other. They will develop a bond eventually. Not all guinea pigs snuggle up to each other though, so don't despair.
As for the boy....the sooner you get him a friend, lady friend probably preferred or a very young male if you have to, the better he will be. Even though he isn't missing the bullying, he is missing the company of the girls.

I wouldn't buy a double storey hutch in a hurry, keep them separate or the trouble will start again. Give the boy lots of cuddles during the day and at night, so he gets some interaction and get him a friend as soon as you can.

 

[pamj]

the same thing happened to me except it was with two boars . we kept thinking the little one would get better but after 4 days of not eating we took him to a vet and the vet gave him a steroid injection and baytril and within 4 hours he was dead. also a lot of other people on this forum and others their guinea pigs have died after having baytril as well so if the vet tries to give u this injection try for the oral baytril instead