Introducing A Friend To My Guinea Pig?

[Keiko The Pig]

You always hear the scary stories because for some reason people don't post about when things are good! If you could date your boy at a rescue where they have professionals supervise the bonding process I dont think you would have to worry about fighting all that much

 

[Chlawee]

You always hear the scary stories because for some reason people don't post about when things are good! If you could date your boy at a rescue where they have professionals supervise the bonding process I dont think you would have to worry about fighting all that much

The rescue near me won't allow me to have a boy because they want them to go with females :c sucks! Oh well Xx

 

[Keiko The Pig]

That's very weird. There's no such thing as GP dating where I am and the rescue let me adopt a baby boy regardless. I bonded them myself and everything went fine. All I had to do was fill out an application stating that I would care for him well etc. They only adopt to you if you have a piggy already or are adopting an already bonded pair so they knew there was a chance of fighting but didn't seem bothered. I'm a first time owner so I was scared to bond them myself but my piggy so obviously wanted a friend I took the plunge and he couldn't be happier with the little guy I picked out

 

[Chlawee]

That's very weird. There's no such thing as GP dating where I am and the rescue let me adopt a baby boy regardless. I bonded them myself and everything went fine. All I had to do was fill out an application stating that I would care for him well etc. They only adopt to you if you have a piggy already or are adopting an already bonded pair so they knew there was a chance of fighting but didn't seem bothered. I'm a first time owner so I was scared to bond them myself but my piggy so obviously wanted a friend I took the plunge and he couldn't be happier with the little guy I picked out

Yeah I did ask about it and they said no, How old was your other Guinea pig when you got another? Did you introduce him to a baby? xx

 

[Keiko The Pig]

My first boy Keiko is about 4-5 months now, probably 4 as I got him at a petshop and the lady told me they had just arrived from the breeder meaning he was probably 4-5 weeks when I got him. My other boy I know his exact birthday and he is 2 months old. So there isn't that big of an age gap and they both are going to hit hormones at the same time (my eldest has already started strutting his new boy parts!). However this didn't deter me because I read that piggies who are together from a young age have a stronger likelihood of making it past these stages. And I honestly don't see them fighting in the foreseeable future. Whenever they are scared they take comfort in each other, they play follow the leader (and take turns being the leader), and after lots of popcorns and zoomies out on the floor they settle down and cuddle together

 

[Keiko The Pig]

@Chlawee another thing to consider is that a high percentage of sows require spaying or surgery at some point in their life due to how common ovarian cysts are! If I had a male and female piggy, I would spay her and leave my boy whole. It is more invasive yes but I feel like it would be a "better safe than sorry" to spay her when she's young and healthy instead of waiting until cysts develop

 

[Wiebke]

Yeah I did ask about it and they said no, How old was your other Guinea pig when you got another? Did you introduce him to a baby? xx

If you are prepared to go on a waiting list and travel as far as Sidmouth on the other end of Devon, Little Pip's Rehoming offers residential boar dating for a week, which is the safest form of boar bonding. Any resulting bond is as stable as a sow bond and fall-outs are very rare; what you get is all the benefit of a secure at minimal risk for you for the long term. This method also allows to bond boars of all ages, so you can neatly avoid the usual cause for fall-outs. It is your closest full boar dating rescue, but you will be in very safe and experienced hands there, so it may be well worth considering.
I have rehomed guinea pigs from rescues all over the country (South and Midwales, Scotland, Northeast England, West and South Yorkshire, Merseyside and Sussex as well as more locally), so I know that guinea pigs can travel well - even on the train, as I don't have a car.

Otherwise, you will have to bite the bullet one way or other. Finding a good vet (like I said, choosing a vet with practice in guinea pig neutering is cutting down a lot in terms of post-op risks!) or accepting that by speed dating a baby, there is a certain risk of problems when the youngster hits the teenage hormones between 4-14 months of age, but again, as the boys are not the same age and have liked each other at the beginning, the risk is well below 50%. Both ways have their advantages and their risks, or they come with the need to travel out of your neighbourhood. We can only discuss with you the various pros and cons, but the ultimate decision has to be yours.