How long to really bond?

[sproggie14]

We got Roger some girlfriends just over two weeks ago now. They were the third batch of girls we tried him with, he really didn't take to the other two.

Anyway, his behaviour towards the girls really hasn't changed since the day we brought them home. He rumbles at them almost constantly and there's no cuddling or apparent affection between them. In addition the two girls (who are 10 months old and were previously in a group of six are bickering a bit. Mostly just small squabbles when fed or scared but yesterday one was bullying the other, nipping her and making her squeal, and causing the bullied pig to hide in a tube.

Roger is our first pig so we've never had a group of pigs before. Consequently I'm not really sure what to expect in terms of normal behaviour. Do pigs play together, cuddle and groom each other as I would expect with other animals? Or is it normal for them to just appear to be tolerating each other? Am I expecting too much when the group is still only two weeks old? Perhaps it takes longer for them to really get comfortable with each other?

When he was on his own Roger was a very talkative, interactive sort of pig which I naturally expected to diminish somewhat once he had the company of other pigs. But whereas he used to call out whenever he heard us coming up the stairs neither he or either of the girls have made the excited wheeking noise at all in the last couple of weeks. Rog previously stopped doing this when he had a big change (eg when he moved cages) but his normal behaviour resumed after a few days. Which makes me worry that he's still stressed. Like any piggy owner I just want them all to be happy so I'd really appreciate some advice and opinions

Thanks

 

[CiaraPatricia]

I've found that some guinea pigs will just tolerate each other. My two girls don't cuddle or show any affection or talk to each other, but they have become bonded in that they'll do things together, like follow each other and eat together, and I like to think they care about each other. Sometimes Lola can be a bit bossy to Sukie though!

But my old two girls used to cuddle, groom each other and everything. They would bicker sometimes though, over food of course!

My three boys talk to each other all the time, follow each other, run around playing, and argue over food, and are the most interactive ones really. The two young boys will cuddle together, but they stay a few inches away from the new grown up boy.

 

[sproggie14]

Thank you

I think we made a bit of progress last night in that everyone was waiting quite excitedly when we went in with their veg. The girls even came over and took some food from our hands through the bars for the first time. So it seems like they're settling in a little and hopefully that will then have a positive effect on their relationships with each other.

 

[lovelygirl]

Everything either takes no time at all or how long is a piece of string.... My piggies are not cuddlers or groomer no matter how much i would like it they like to sleep in their own houses alone, jive my neutered boar will sleep outside their pad when they are in season. He rumbles every day and that is completely normal!