Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Wrote this in the wrong place whoops!
Introducing Cheeky
- Thread starter Carol
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You need to introduce the group as a whole on neutral ground. The success or failure of most intros depends on whether the top sow accepts the neutered boar. The undersows will generally follow her. Acceptance (or refusal) usually happens within the first 15-20 minutes of interaction; after that the bonding moves straight into the dominance phase, which will normally last a few days. if you have young sows, then acceptance is usually not a big problem. Older dominant sows can be a rather different kettle of fish!
A young boar can get a bit overexcited and there is usually a pee fest (boars to mark "their" sows with their testosteone laden pee and sows to tell the boar to quite literally p*ss off). It is also a very smelly affair due to the excess of testosterone, so best conduct the intro in a place that you can easily wipe down and that has windows that you can open! Thankfully, things will calm down considerably after the first few rather dramatic seasons, which are bonding occasions.
Please also brace yourself for the fact that sows that are not in season or near season do not want be mounted and will refuse the advances of the boar. They have a special whine which means "I am not in season - yet" - of course, what the boar hears is "yet". There are likely to be a few chases, so please don't use any hideys with just one exit in order to minimise the chance of tussles until the worst of the dominance phase is over. If a sow is near her season, being around a new boar will trigger it and things are likely to become very vocal and rather lively.
It helps to keep the boar and the sows next to each other for a day or two where they can meet/interact through the bars. That ensures that extra stress factors as a new environment and a new routine are not as high and gives the piggies time to suss each other out before the bonding proper.
You will find these information threads here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
This is how I start off a group bonding (in winter I use hay instead of grass):
A young boar can get a bit overexcited and there is usually a pee fest (boars to mark "their" sows with their testosteone laden pee and sows to tell the boar to quite literally p*ss off). It is also a very smelly affair due to the excess of testosterone, so best conduct the intro in a place that you can easily wipe down and that has windows that you can open! Thankfully, things will calm down considerably after the first few rather dramatic seasons, which are bonding occasions.
Please also brace yourself for the fact that sows that are not in season or near season do not want be mounted and will refuse the advances of the boar. They have a special whine which means "I am not in season - yet" - of course, what the boar hears is "yet". There are likely to be a few chases, so please don't use any hideys with just one exit in order to minimise the chance of tussles until the worst of the dominance phase is over. If a sow is near her season, being around a new boar will trigger it and things are likely to become very vocal and rather lively.
It helps to keep the boar and the sows next to each other for a day or two where they can meet/interact through the bars. That ensures that extra stress factors as a new environment and a new routine are not as high and gives the piggies time to suss each other out before the bonding proper.
You will find these information threads here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
This is how I start off a group bonding (in winter I use hay instead of grass):
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Thank you!
Introduced in the living room with loads of food all quiet
Well so far.........
poppy who's the dominant female keeps wandering around cornering the others and showing her bum! Dee keeps chasing Maisie (softest of the bunch) and cheeky he's doing it all right at the mo displaying , yawning chattering !
There's been a few scuffles Dee keeps launching at Cheeky? I don't think this is impressing Poppy as she's boss!
Introduced in the living room with loads of food all quiet
Well so far.........
poppy who's the dominant female keeps wandering around cornering the others and showing her bum! Dee keeps chasing Maisie (softest of the bunch) and cheeky he's doing it all right at the mo displaying , yawning chattering !
There's been a few scuffles Dee keeps launching at Cheeky? I don't think this is impressing Poppy as she's boss!
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Am confused?! Why on earth are Dee and Poppy squaring up to each other?
Just sit it out for the time being and if necessary separate overnight if things are still a bit touch and go. Your piggies have obviously progressed to the dominance phase.
At the moment, Dee is not willing to give up being the #2 in the group. Cheeky has been accepted by Poppy and is obviously not standing up to her, so the dominance is currently travelling down the ladder. It will end when Cheeky has found his rank in the overall hierarchy. That can take a few days, but you want to make sure that the big dominance is over before you move them to the cage (can take a day or two depending on how things are going).
Dee is obviously not very happy and rather wound up. If necessary, separate and let them settle down overnight if tensions are staying high and Dee is not backing down.
At the moment, Dee is not willing to give up being the #2 in the group. Cheeky has been accepted by Poppy and is obviously not standing up to her, so the dominance is currently travelling down the ladder. It will end when Cheeky has found his rank in the overall hierarchy. That can take a few days, but you want to make sure that the big dominance is over before you move them to the cage (can take a day or two depending on how things are going).
Dee is obviously not very happy and rather wound up. If necessary, separate and let them settle down overnight if tensions are staying high and Dee is not backing down.
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Thanks Hun! God this is so stressful! Obviously I want them all to get on but I'm sat here jaw open at the transformation in my lovely sweet natured girls ! Now I know how my hubby feels once a month 
Yeah, bonding - and especially the dominance phase - is not usually something for the faint-hearted! And it is never quite the same, depending very much on the personalities involved, so it never gets easier or any more predictable. You can learn to spot the subtle signs better and understand the dynamics more, but you are still in for the ride on the back of the wild pig...
In my experience, Dee is likely to go right up to the wire, but as Cheeky has been accepted by the others, she will be careful not to step over the line. Give them as much time together today as you can reasonably do and as Dee can stand. Then give everypig a breather and continue tomorrow. You may find that tempers are a lot calmer after a rest and after they have had a chance to work through the roughest bit of the dominance sort-out.
I am always very relieved when that phase is over!
In my experience, Dee is likely to go right up to the wire, but as Cheeky has been accepted by the others, she will be careful not to step over the line. Give them as much time together today as you can reasonably do and as Dee can stand. Then give everypig a breather and continue tomorrow. You may find that tempers are a lot calmer after a rest and after they have had a chance to work through the roughest bit of the dominance sort-out.
I am always very relieved when that phase is over!
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
I think your right about Dee what a little tiger she is! I think Maisie is like me and u wishing this bit was all over.
So far they have been together for a couple of hours and I've just a had a quick cuddle with all of them.(one at a time)
Since Dee saw this she's sulking with me now lol jealous much I think?
Just added more hay so all quiet at the mo. If I need to give them a break do I just put the girls back in their home and leave cheeky here?
So far they have been together for a couple of hours and I've just a had a quick cuddle with all of them.(one at a time)
Since Dee saw this she's sulking with me now lol jealous much I think?
Just added more hay so all quiet at the mo. If I need to give them a break do I just put the girls back in their home and leave cheeky here?
I put them all back in their respective cages.
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Ssshhh! They are all chilling!
Poppy and dee are sleeping fully sprawled out the other 2 are eating
Poppy and dee are sleeping fully sprawled out the other 2 are eating
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Quick update......
They guys have been together for nearly 9 hours now. So far all seems relatively calm compared to this morning! They are all keeping their distance from each other while rumbling and chirping across the way.
So my question now is do I risk putting them in the outside hutch tonight? It's massive two storey with loads of personal space. I have scrubbed it clean, laid a new floor , changed the bedding and moved stuff round so it's completely different to when they left. I have a small outside hutch I could put cheeky in for the night if you guys think things are moving two quick. Any advice gratefully received
They guys have been together for nearly 9 hours now. So far all seems relatively calm compared to this morning! They are all keeping their distance from each other while rumbling and chirping across the way.
So my question now is do I risk putting them in the outside hutch tonight? It's massive two storey with loads of personal space. I have scrubbed it clean, laid a new floor , changed the bedding and moved stuff round so it's completely different to when they left. I have a small outside hutch I could put cheeky in for the night if you guys think things are moving two quick. Any advice gratefully received
you can put them outside, but make sure that you can observe them for some time to make sure that they are OK with it and with having the boy in their territory. Cheeky will likely go on a new rumble offensive in new territory, but it should hopefully settle down quickly.
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Since my post there has been another couple of scuffles so made the decision to keep them separate for the night. All outside but in different cages and will re introduce them in the living room again tomorrow. Despite the initial aggression I have to say I'm quite pleased with how it's gone.
Letting the piggies work through all the issues can take quite a bit of patience, but at least with cross gender or sow bondings, you can give them time to chill out when tempers get worked up without breaking the bond - unlike with a boar-boar bond. Hopefully, they are all bonded and settled enough in the hutch by tomorrow evening. Give them time to settle into the hutch; there is bound to be some more dominance. Make sure that you remove any potential flashpoints like hideys and corners a piggy can get caught in. Cheeky will have to learn to tread carefully with Dee.
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Yep he will indeed. Thanks for all the support today Hun it's been great having someone to talk to when things have looked a bit dicey 
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Day 2
Just put them in together again in the living room ( it's a good job my hubby loves me) Poppy did her usual teeth chattering as a greeting to Cheeky.
Cheeky looks quite comfortable with dear Maisie I think he's figured out she has the lowest standing and therefore no threat.
I'm still unsure if Dee will ever accept our new friend. He's doing his best to ignore her but every now and then she deliberately seeks him out puffs up like a puffa fish and starts challenging him.
Just put them in together again in the living room ( it's a good job my hubby loves me) Poppy did her usual teeth chattering as a greeting to Cheeky.
Cheeky looks quite comfortable with dear Maisie I think he's figured out she has the lowest standing and therefore no threat.
I'm still unsure if Dee will ever accept our new friend. He's doing his best to ignore her but every now and then she deliberately seeks him out puffs up like a puffa fish and starts challenging him.
You will have to wait and see.
If Dee's behaviour doesn't settle down eventually, then you may have to decide at some point that it is better in for the long term to split your group in two couples. I know how gutting it is having been there with failed group bondings myself where two piggies just wouldn't get on with each other.
If Dee's behaviour doesn't settle down eventually, then you may have to decide at some point that it is better in for the long term to split your group in two couples. I know how gutting it is having been there with failed group bondings myself where two piggies just wouldn't get on with each other.
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
It is something I have thought about. Cheeky must be feeling more accepted today as he's sniffing butts and laying a lot nearer to the girls.
Dee still heckling at the mo but no more charging at him thank god!
In fact she's doing a bit of popcorning so I'm still keeping my fingers crossed
Dee still heckling at the mo but no more charging at him thank god!
In fact she's doing a bit of popcorning so I'm still keeping my fingers crossed
That sounds very encouraging! I would certainly persist at this stage. It looks like things are starting to settle down now.
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Never have I laughed so much this morning! Poor Cheeky (who I might rename Romeo at this rate) has definitely found his feet nibbling the ears grooming the girls and then being told to clear off!
All huddled with in cms of each other today having an afternoon kip -am so impressed with them all
All huddled with in cms of each other today having an afternoon kip -am so impressed with them all
Great news! As to Cheeky - welcome to the reality of being a husboar; he'll get a lot of rejections for a few seconds of ecstasy! 
Ear grooming is also called power grooming. It translates as "I want you to be part of the herd I am leading", the friendliest dominance gesture. It looks like you have got a patriarch, which my account for the top girls not being quite so chuffed about him coming in!
Ear grooming is also called power grooming. It translates as "I want you to be part of the herd I am leading", the friendliest dominance gesture. It looks like you have got a patriarch, which my account for the top girls not being quite so chuffed about him coming in!
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
Bit the bullet this aft and put them all outside in the big hutch! Dee instantly tried to dominate Cheeky but he was having none of it, Poppy took herself to bed and Maisie who's frightened of the wind is hiding under the hutch. Have sat with them for an hour and there's been a few challenges but nothing brutal.
It sounds like they have bonded and are down into the small print of the hierarchy sort-out now.
Carol
Junior Guinea Pig
It's so funny to watch. Maisie is like the youngest sibling downstairs watching TV while mum and dad (Poppy and cheeky) are in the bedroom working through their issues and Dee is the stroppy teenager sulking in her room upstairs lol
I find group dynamics endlessly fascinating, even though they give me headaches and sleepless nights at times!
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