Introducing 2 to 4 .. lord help me lol

WheekHearted

WheekHearted

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I have 4 established sows in my 10x2 cage. All just over a year old.

I have 2 rescue sows too which are in a separate cage. Ages 2 and 1.

If I were to decide to attempt to bond them is there a step by step guide as to how I would go about it?

If I introduce them all in neutral territory with no 1 exit hides and piles of hay/veggies.
Or rearrange the 10x2 and introduce them back in it.

All sows btw.

If I feel like I’m better off keeping in separate cages I will. But I think on paper isn’t a 10x2 suitable for 6 sows depending on their personalities?

I’m really ready to listen and learn through this so any advice at all is respected and greatly appreciated here. This really is a big decision.
 
All bonding needs to be done on neutral territory, not in the cage of existing piggies.
Provided neutral territory introduction goes well and acceptance occurs, the cage will still need to be cleaned down and rearranged before you move all the piggies back to the cage.

This is the guide which explains the bonding process and behaviours - Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

This guide explains what works and what doesn’t when adding piggies/merging groups
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

Yes a 10x2 is fine for 6.
Cage Size Guide
 
GuineaPigsRDaBest said:
I have 4 established sows in my 10x2 cage. All just over a year old.

I have 2 rescue sows too which are in a separate cage. Ages 2 and 1.

If I were to decide to attempt to bond them is there a step by step guide as to how I would go about it?

If I introduce them all in neutral territory with no 1 exit hides and piles of hay/veggies.
Or rearrange the 10x2 and introduce them back in it.

All sows btw.

If I feel like I’m better off keeping in separate cages I will. But I think on paper isn’t a 10x2 suitable for 6 sows depending on their personalities?

I’m really ready to listen and learn through this so any advice at all is respected and greatly appreciated here. This really is a big decision.
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

Here is our comprehensive bonding guide, which takes you through all the phases of the whole complex bonding and group establishment process, which lasts a lot longer than most people assume. The guide takes you through all stages from the preparations to the end of the post-intro dominance phase ca. 2 weeks later with attention to stage specific behaviours and dynamics and some special aspects that can play into the bonding process.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours

Please be aware that pair bondings can often fail over the leadership issue as one of the leaders will have to submit and lose their privileged status; by far not all sows are willing to do that. You can only give your piggies the chance but there is no trick in the world to make them if they do not want to be together - the issue will rumble on under the surface with a tendency to come up again and again and again with the trenches deepening. Once sows have made up their mind that they don't want to be with another piggy, they are not going to change their mind. Ever.

You will have to have a Plan B in reserve in case the bonding is not coming off. Your girls are all of a similar age (young adulthood or very close to it), which means that they are starting on a fairly even footing and a contest for leadership will be more likely.
 
I have read and reread the stickies today. Thanks again. I’m going to attempt it in a neutral floor area. I don’t think I’ll be too on edge about it. It wouldn’t help them or the situation at all so going into it relaxed while having to be prepared for any outcome.

I was Confused about which pigs to add to the area first was the main thing.
No matter how it goes I will never return any of my pigs to the rescues at all. They’re in my care for life.
 
Hope all goes well.
Bonding is very stressful for the humans but I found the forum guides and support here saved my sanity when I bonded 2 pairs of sows together
 
Me too!
So to be clear I want to add the most dominant to the area last? Just hope am covering all bases and doing my homework.
 
Can I do a permanent split cage between sows? Just in case? 4 on one side and 2 on other?
 
Ty all. Yunno if I’m being honest I’m considering just splitting them . The herd will get 2x7 and the pair 2x4. All connected but separate by a coroplast/grid divider.
 
WheekHearted said:
Ty all. Yunno if I’m being honest I’m considering just splitting them . The herd will get 2x7 and the pair 2x4. All connected but separate by a coroplast/grid divider.
Click to expand...
It can be quite a stressful going-on, but there’s no rush, give yourself a few days to decide
 
It seems like the two new ones need to work out who’s in charge between them. I think they are both dominant.

In my herd of 4 Galadriel is the boss. The other 3 don’t challenge her and are more submissive.

So I feel like there are 3 dominant girls in the equation here and 3 more submissive ones total.

If that helps.
 
I would spend time observing them and see what happens between the pair.
If the two new girls are both wanting to be dominant and neither backs down, then they may not be able to remain together - obviously we cannot see what is occurring so it may not be as serious as that
 
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