Neutering My Guinea Pig And Introducing His Female Friend!

[Chlawee]

Hi!
I just thought I'd ask for some advice before I go ahead with it, I am buying a new cage before I get two Guineas, so I will have two cages to keep them seperate at first. I was gonna get a female regardless of him being neutered but only introduce when he's been done, and was thinking of getting a female baby Guinea pig.

Anyway, what I want to know is how to introduce them to each other. I assume I can't introduce them until he's been done? I was thinking of keeping them seperate until he has had it done and rested up and slowly introduce them by getting them out for veg together?

Also, do you recommend having two of everything including water bottles and food bowls?

Has anybody got any suggestions on how to go about this whole process! xx

 

[madguinealady]

He has to have been done for six weeks before you can introduce.I had my boy in a cage where he could hear the girls and I swapped smells from the cages.(changed the litter trays round now and then) Introduced in spotlessly cleaned cage and fleece.Went brilliantly and now have a very happy boy with his five wives.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!
I just thought I'd ask for some advice before I go ahead with it, I am buying a new cage before I get two Guineas, so I will have two cages to keep them seperate at first. I was gonna get a female regardless of him being neutered but only introduce when he's been done, and was thinking of getting a female baby Guinea pig.

Anyway, what I want to know is how to introduce them to each other. I assume I can't introduce them until he's been done? I was thinking of keeping them seperate until he has had it done and rested up and slowly introduce them by getting them out for veg together?

Also, do you recommend having two of everything including water bottles and food bowls?

Has anybody got any suggestions on how to go about this whole process! xx

When neutering, you have to factor in a) finding a piggy savvy neutering vet and b) a full 6 weeks post-op wait until your boy is 100% safe with sows. My Tegan is the unplanned legacy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine), so it can really happen that late! I have heard of other cases since then, but I have yet to hear of an over 6 weeks pregnancy even though this deadline is now practised by all good standard rescues in this country.

Ideally you date the boar and sows at a good rescue on neutral territory to see whether acceptance happens, which is the biggest hurdle in a cross gender bonding. Not all piggies click. that way, you can avoid ending up with piggies that don't get on.
You can find lots of tips for intros and what to look out for during the dominance phase, which follows acceptance at the top of this section. You can let piggies get to know each other through bars in next door cages pre-intro, but please once you commit, you need to ride the tiger and sit it out unless there are full-on fights and tussles or the piggies refuse to interact at all. During dominance phase 9which can last up to two weeks until the group is fully settled), it is recommended to have only hideys with two exit. You may want to have one bowl per piggy to feed them their pellets and veg in.
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics (including tips for cross gender bondings)

 

[Chlawee]

He has to have been done for six weeks before you can introduce.I had my boy in a cage where he could hear the girls and I swapped smells from the cages.(changed the litter trays round now and then) Introduced in spotlessly cleaned cage and fleece.Went brilliantly and now have a very happy boy with his five wives.

That sounds like a good idea! I will definitely try that, thanks for the tips!

 

[Chlawee]

When neutering, you have to factor in a) finding a piggy savvy neutering vet and b) a full 6 weeks post-op wait until your boy is 100% safe with sows. My Tegan is the unplanned legacy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine), so it can really happen that late! I have heard of other cases since then, but I have yet to hear of an over 6 weeks pregnancy even though this deadline is now practised by all good standard rescues in this country.

Ideally you date the boar and sows at a good rescue on neutral territory to see whether acceptance happens, which is the biggest hurdle in a cross gender bonding. Not all piggies click. that way, you can avoid ending up with piggies that don't get on.
You can find lots of tips for intros and what to look out for during the dominance phase, which follows acceptance at the top of this section. You can let piggies get to know each other through bars, but please once you commit, you need to ride the tiger and sit it out unless there are full-on fights and tussles or the piggies refuse to interact at all. During dominance phase 9which can last up to two weeks until the group is fully settled), it is recommended to have only hideys with two exit. You may want to have one bowl per piggy to feed them their pellets and veg in.
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics (including tips for cross gender bondings)

Thank you for the tips! I really do hope they get along, and I'll make sure to keep them seperate until the six weeks is up! Is it ok for them to see each other through bars? Sorry if it seems silly! But wanna get it right
I would try and get them from rescues but the only rescue nearby is Woodside and they only have males, I'm too scared to risk two makes together in case they fight! x

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the tips! I really do hope they get along, and I'll make sure to keep them seperate until the six weeks is up! Is it ok for them to see each other through bars? Sorry if it seems silly! But wanna get it right
I would try and get them from rescues but the only rescue nearby is Woodside and they only have males, I'm too scared to risk two makes together in case they fight! x

It is perfectly fine for them getting to know each other by living side by side and able to sniff each other through the bars, as long as you always make absolutely sure that one of the cages is safely shut (if necessary tie down any flaps)! Boars can be very determined and amazingly athletic when a sow is in season.

 

[Chlawee]

It is perfectly fine for them getting to know each other by living side by side, as long as you always make absolutely sure that one of the cages is safely shut (if necessary tie down any flaps)! Boars can be very determined and amazingly athletic when a sow is in season.

Oh bless them! Of course yeah I'll keep that in mind haha thank you! xx

 

[Garden]

Does the rescue not have any bonded pair of males?

 

[Wiebke]

Does the rescue not have any bonded pair of males?

@Chlawee is working on a solution for her single boar and is exploring all locally available avenues. Woodside rescue is not one of our recommended rescues and only offers speed dating.

 

[Chlawee]

Does the rescue not have any bonded pair of males?

No ;( not that I'm aware of, they all say that they need to be paired with females. But I want a friend for Oscar because he's on his own at the minute so I want him to have some company! Xx

 

[Chlawee]

@Chlawee is working on a solution for her single boar.

Thank you! Didn't see your response then xx

 

[Garden]

O I am sorry. Don't read the post correctly. Thought you wanted two new pigs.

 

[Chlawee]

O I am sorry. Don't read the post correctly. Thought you wanted two new pigs.

Haha don't worry it's fine! I need a friend for him because I bought him from a pet shop who said he would be fine on his own so now I have to figure out how to bond him with a piggy! Xx

 

[Garden]

Is there any resues near you that offer boar dating?

 

[Chlawee]

Is there any resues near you that offer boar dating?

Urm, none near me that I know of! I know there's some further away but I don't have a car so it would involve taking Oscar on a bus for an hour or so and I don't think I wanna do that! I wish I could though would make the process easier for me x