Hey Guys, New Pig Mommy Here!

[Daniie evans]

hello everyone! We have an adult female who was part of a triplet group but two died before we rescued her. She wasn't coping very well at being on her own so we got a baby girl to go with her. Upon getting home we realised pets at home are useless and it is a baby boy. We can't take him back as they won't have him and we have fallen in love with him already. I'm worried about her getting pregnant as they are together due to us not having a new cage until next week. She seems happier but also agitated as he keeps sniffing her bum and she isn't interested. But the last half an hour she has been climbing on his back chasing him almost initiating the mating? I'm really worried and don't know what to do as we can't afford to get him neutered and can't afford to get another girl to go with her and another boy to go with him if we have to separate them. Any tips on what to do?
Should I just save and get him neutered so they can be together? It won't be for at least two weeks until I can afford it though

 

[Flutterby]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

 

[Daniie evans]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Hi, thank you! Any advice about what to do?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

You definitely need him neutered as soon as possible! It only takes a few seconds for a boar to impregnate a sow. You should go back to pets at home and explain your position and demand they neuter him for you or pay for the operation as they mislead you. If they can't do that then they should supply you with a cage until you can because keeping him with your sow will only lead to babies.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Please separate them immediately; chances are he already has your girl pregnant which is more dangerous to an older sow ! @Wiebke to advise more. If you can't afford to get him neutered, I really hope you can afford the vet bills if she is pregnant & accommodating all the babies that could result

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Sorry if that's sounds harsh, but you really do need to separate them immediately, you might be very lucky & he hasn't already impregnated her

 

[Tiamolly123]

I would certainly have a go, I would do the same as Jesse advices. If they won't do anything I'd go to head office & tell them due to they stupidity your girl is pregnant. They will probably say they want to keep the girl till she gives birth. Just tell them firmly no. Also go for the cage or money because I wouldn't let pets at home neuter a cockroach. If they give you the money to have your lad neutered use one of the cavy savvy vets that are recommended in the vet locator on the green bar.

Hi & Welcome to our forum

 

[Wiebke]

hello everyone! We have an adult female who was part of a triplet group but two died before we rescued her. She wasn't coping very well at being on her own so we got a baby girl to go with her. Upon getting home we realised pets at home are useless and it is a baby boy. We can't take him back as they won't have him and we have fallen in love with him already. I'm worried about her getting pregnant as they are together due to us not having a new cage until next week. She seems happier but also agitated as he keeps sniffing her bum and she isn't interested. But the last half an hour she has been climbing on his back chasing him almost initiating the mating? I'm really worried and don't know what to do as we can't afford to get him neutered and can't afford to get another girl to go with her and another boy to go with him if we have to separate them. Any tips on what to do?
Should I just save and get him neutered so they can be together? It won't be for at least two weeks until I can afford it though

Hi! Please separate them ASAP! You can usually count yourself lucky if you only lose the babies not mum as well during birth if you are dealing with a pregnancy in older guinea pigs. The risk is just worth it!

Use a cardboard box or a laundry basket for your older sow RIGHT NOW. Boars can start making babies from 3-5 weeks onward!
What you are currently witnessing is bonding behaviour with your old sow asserting her dominance. If your sow is close to coming into season, she can do so spontaneously any time, so the sooner you separate, the better for the two of them!

Are you sure that it is a boy? Please double check with this guide or post pictures of the relevant parts, please clear and well-lit enough for us to do more than wildly guess.
Sexing Guinea Pigs: How to Sex a Guinea Pig

Your first priority has be to save up for a new cage. You can buy a good sized cage (2x4 ft) for two guinea pigs much more cheaply online than in p@h. The Skyline Maxi is currently on offer for £34.99; it complies with minimal welfare recommendations and is suitable for a pair of guinea pigs. Your two can live next to each other with interaction through the bars while you sort out your future options. Skyline Maxi XXL Small Pet Cage | Free P&P £29+ at zooplus!

Your little boy has to wait until his testicles have decended (usually age 4-6 months) before he can be neutered and then he has to wait 6 week after the operation until he is 100% safe to go with a sow, so it is not a quick option. The little baby in my avatar is the unplanned daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post neutering op boar; not one of mine - but it can and does happen that late. It is not the only case. You want to have extra money ready to be able to pay for vet care in case he is running into post-op complications anyway.

Your best option is to contact a good rescue within your reach; they may be able to help you out with finding a solution that is compatible with your financial options and safe for all guinea pigs involved; making sure that they are always only in good hands at any stage. You can be guaranteed that you are in experienced hands with any of our recommended rescues. They rehome only healthy/quarantined, guaranteed not pregnant and properly sexed piggies.
Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator

We can help you more efficiently if you please added your county or city to your details, so it appears underneath your username in ever post you make. Please click on your username on the top, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

 

[Wiebke]

If she shop sells you a mis-sexed guinea pig and refuses to take it back, you can complain to headquarters and also to your local council over trading standard.

 

[Critter]

Quite often with this shop-chain, a threat of a complaint can be enough for them to step in with some form of compensation, be it another cage or the op to neuter him.
I completely echo all of the other advice to separate him asap and to find out for absolute certain that your new baby is indeed a boar.
Both sexes initiate mounting behaviour and is generally dominance posturing, but as mentioned, if the baby is indeed a he then pregnancy can happen in just a few seconds, and sows stay fertile throughout their lives.

It's lovely what you have done though, taking her and giving her a new home and a new friend

 

[Skittypigs]

You definitely need him neutered as soon as possible! It only takes a few seconds for a boar to impregnate a sow. You should go back to pets at home and explain your position and demand they neuter him for you or pay for the operation as they mislead you. If they can't do that then they should supply you with a cage until you can because keeping him with your sow will only lead to babies.

I totally agree, pets at home need to find you a solution, they are responsible for the error.

 

[Daniie evans]

Hi guys first of all I'd like to apologise as I recently just discovered it isn't pets at homes fault my boyfriend is the one who went out to get the guinea pig and didn't bother to check and was too embarrassed to tell me. However, they also didn't tell him the sex not that that's an excuse for him not asking. I have gave him a telling off for being a fool and have separated the Guinea pigs, one is in the cage and one is in a smaller cage until the largest cage arrives this weekend. Thank you for all the advice, I hope she isn't pregnant as they have been together for quite a few hours but we finally managed to find somewhere to put him for now.

 

[Daniie evans]

We got them out together before separting them and they cuddled for about an hour before parting ways. They're ever so cute together it's a shame that he isn't a girl, for now they will remain separate until I can get him neutered. Will they be ok to reintroduced after a week or two after his healing process?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

@Wiebke could tell you more as I believe she recently had a boar neutered for the lady friends. I think it's six weeks you must wait before reintroduring as before then the piggy can still impregnate the sow

 

[Wiebke]

We got them out together before separting them and they cuddled for about an hour before parting ways. They're ever so cute together it's a shame that he isn't a girl, for now they will remain separate until I can get him neutered. Will they be ok to reintroduced after a week or two after his healing process?

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Hi! Please take the time to read my previous post!

I repeat as to neutering:
a) your boy needs to wait until his testicles have descended before a vet will operate, which is about 4-6 months of age

b) he then faces another 6 weeks post-op safety wait (that baby in my avatar is the unplanned daughter of an over 5 weeks post-neutering boar, just to make that particular point. Her dad is not one of my own boars)

c) you need to save up in case you run into complication, as they can cost you a lot more than the original op. It pays to do your research to find either a general vet with lots of practice with guinea pig neutering or an exotics vet with plenty of experience in small furries ops in order to minimise the risk of complications.
Guinea Pig Vet Locator

d) until then, they have to live as next door neighbours with interaction through the bars.
e) as long as you can be certain that your sow has not been mated by your boy, your girl should have escaped a pregnancy, which would be a real relief.

 

[Daniie evans]

@Wiebke Yes I know they have to wait for a month or two until they are fully healed which is what I meant, are they ok to be put back together after his operation healing time?
I believe he is 9 months old
I will keep them as next door neighbours for now until I have saved up enough for him to be neutered plus extra for any complications like you have mentioned
There Is am exotic vet near us which we use a lot for our Degus and they have always been brilliant so we will go to them
Thank you for that I always forget about things that could happen etc
I am not 100% positive as I leave the house to smoke so it could have happened in that time but when I have been in the house she wasn't interested at all and kept head butting him away when he would try and sniff her bottom

 

[Wiebke]

@Wiebke Yes I know they have to wait for a month or two until they are fully healed which is what I meant, are they ok to be put back together after his operation healing time?
I believe he is 9 months old
I will keep them as next door neighbours for now until I have saved up enough for him to be neutered plus extra for any complications like you have mentioned
There Is am exotic vet near us which we use a lot for our Degus and they have always been brilliant so we will go to them
Thank you for that I always forget about things that could happen etc
I am not 100% positive as I leave the house to smoke so it could have happened in that time but when I have been in the house she wasn't interested at all and kept head butting him away when he would try and sniff her bottom

Once he is neutered and you can be sure that there are no live tadpole stuck in the tube, they can live together for the rest of their lives. They can also live in adjoining cages for the time being, so they have each other for stimulation and can keep their bond. Your sow had quite clearly accepted him as long as he accepts her leadership. But as he won't be fully grown yet by the time he is safe that should not be a problem.

I would not worry about a pregnancy; it doesn't sound like she was anywhere near her season, so you have most likely got off scot-free.

All the best with getting that new cage!

 

[Daniie evans]

Yes I don't believe she is in season at the minute
Can they not get pregnant without being in season then?
Sorry to sound so naive but as i have said I have many degus but this is my first pig along with the baby boy being my second.
I don't really have a lot of experience with pigs but I really appreciate all the help and advice everyone has given me
I will make sure to come straight to this page with any issues I may have
Thank you all so much!

 

[Wiebke]

Yes I don't believe she is in season at the minute
Can they not get pregnant without being in season then?
Sorry to sound so naive but as i have said I have many degus but this is my first pig along with the baby boy being my second.
I don't really have a lot of experience with pigs but I really appreciate all the help and advice everyone has given me
I will make sure to come straight to this page with any issues I may have
Thank you all so much!

No, sows don't get pregnant unless they are in season, but they can come into season spontaneously when they come into contact with boar pheromones, so I would MOST STRONGLY ask you to please not experiment. The mating itself literally takes only seconds, far too quickly to do anything about it.

Please take into consideration that guinea pigs don't do playtime. For them any meet is bonding time, and every separation is totally frustrating. Guinea pigs are wired to live in a group; that is at the core of their social life. Off and on is much worse for them than being safe neighbours that can sniff and interact through the bars. Perhaps your OH can create a little platform with a ramp in each cage so they can sleep next to each other through the bars or use the space underneath as an alternative bedroom?