chesneypig
Junior Guinea Pig
So I’m getting 2 New Guinea pigs to keep my other 2 company. How should I go about introducing them
Introductions?
- Thread starter chesneypig
- Start date
What sex are your piggies?
If they are male, then you must never introduce them.
You cannot add any other piggies in with a bonded boar pair.
If they are all female then you can attempt to bond them on neutral territory.
The guide below explains the process:
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
You must make sure the cage is big enough for four sows which is a 6x2 c&c or 210x60cm.
Do be aware that bonding already bonded pairs doesn’t always work out so you need to have a plan b for living arrangements
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Do the new piggies come from a reputable rescue?
How old are they?
Do be aware that as they are a bonded pair, if they do not come from a reputable rescue then they should be quarantined for two weeks in a separate room.
You can’t normally quarantine babies, but that doesn’t apply if they are already a pair and you should then do the quarantine
If they are male, then you must never introduce them.
You cannot add any other piggies in with a bonded boar pair.
If they are all female then you can attempt to bond them on neutral territory.
The guide below explains the process:
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
You must make sure the cage is big enough for four sows which is a 6x2 c&c or 210x60cm.
Do be aware that bonding already bonded pairs doesn’t always work out so you need to have a plan b for living arrangements
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Do the new piggies come from a reputable rescue?
How old are they?
Do be aware that as they are a bonded pair, if they do not come from a reputable rescue then they should be quarantined for two weeks in a separate room.
You can’t normally quarantine babies, but that doesn’t apply if they are already a pair and you should then do the quarantine
chesneypig
Junior Guinea Pig
Ok so when adding new pairs you should aim for something which doesn’t disrupt existing bonds.
As these sows are older, the dominant of the new pair is probably much less likely to be prepared to step down and lose position to the dominant in your pair. Therefore your current dominant sow is going to need to step down. This may not happen so be prepared for that.
Older sows can be less willing to accept newcomers into their pairing
Introductions are not done slowly. It is that you simply put them on neutral territory all together on one day and it either works out there and then and they move in together or it doesn’t work out and they are never introduced again
chesneypig
Junior Guinea Pig
Alright thanks
2 bonded pairs of sows may or may not work as a herd but be prepared as @Piggies&buns says that at least 1 top sow will need to yield their authority and that may not be as straightforward as you hope. Its entirely down to personality as to whether they will get on. Binding needs to be done in one large neutral space with minimal distractions just a pile of hay at first and you’ll have to sit it out and see if they will accept each other. Herd bonding can take a long time as every pig has to find their place in the hierarchy. It starts at the top and isn’t sorted until every pig has worked out their position. Please make sure you read fully the guides linked below.
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides