New Guinea Pig Problem

[Ashlingm]

Will get round to introducing myself...but need help first!

I rescued a male guinea pig back in November. Hes was extremely underweight and had to get numerous multi vitamin injections. He had a broken leg and his ears were all torn up from being bullied. Anyway I nursed him back to health and decided now hes a bit grown up and stong that now would be the ideal time to get him a buddy to live with!

And the problem begins!

I got a baby male pig. Couple of weeks old - had read this would be the best option as they would get on and my old guy wouldnt get bullied. I introduced them on a neutral surface and read all about introducing them and normal behavoir. My older guy keeps mounting the younger guy and rubbing his anal gland on the surface. Ive read this is normal - but 3/4 days in I would have expected the mounting to lesson or stop. But no its still going stong. My older guy keeps following him everywhere and the baby does seem to be getting a bit upset by it. They are still living in seperate cages as I cant quite put him in the cage with my older guy as I know he will be tormented.

I'm running out of ideas as to what to do. What is my male continually going after him - surely the dominance balance would have been sorted by now. The baby is always totally submissive!

What should I do?!?! Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[cherryredcutie]

Hiya,

well done for nursing your boy back to health.

I don't know if 2 weeks is a bit young for a guinea pig to be seperated from their mum, I think they should be with her for about 4 weeks, so maybe you should wait a couple of weeks until he is a bit bigger to introduce them.

But from what I have read as long as there is no fighting you should not seperate them and leave them together because when you seperate them and put them back together they have to start sorting out the dominance again and again from the start.

I have just introduced 2 adult males and the first day there was a lot of mounting but by the third day they had setteled and there was only the occational rumbling after that. I didn't seperate them but left them together from the start.

Just make sure the little one doesn't get bullied ie. not getting any food and look out for the warning signs. Here is a good site about introductions: http://jackiesguineapiggies.com/Companionship.html

Hope things work out for your two!
Anne

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

hehe well my boars are 4 months and i have all sorts of behaviour going on with them no fighting though and yes they do annoy eachother but the seem lost without eachother

 

[pompypigs]

Hiya,

well done for nursing your boy back to health.

I don't know if 2 weeks is a bit young for a guinea pig to be seperated from their mum, I think they should be with her for about 4 weeks, so maybe you should wait a couple of weeks until he is a bit bigger to introduce them.

But from what I have read as long as there is no fighting you should not seperate them and leave them together because when you seperate them and put them back together they have to start sorting out the dominance again and again from the start.

I have just introduced 2 adult males and the first day there was a lot of mounting but by the third day they had setteled and there was only the occational rumbling after that. I didn't seperate them but left them together from the start.

Just make sure the little one doesn't get bullied ie. not getting any food and look out for the warning signs. Here is a good site about introductions: http://jackiesguineapiggies.com/Companionship.html

Hope things work out for your two!
Anne

Thanks for this Anne, I'm hoping to bond my new, adult male with my baby boys this weekend - i'm dreading it

 

[cherryredcutie]

Thanks for this Anne, I'm hoping to bond my new, adult male with my baby boys this weekend - i'm dreading it

No Problem . I hope all goes well with your introductions, it can be a bit nervewrecking but it's best to try and be as positive as possible.

Dippy and Yoshi are both around the same age (1 1/2). When I introduced them I made a little run in the living room for them with hay, veggies and I also put 2 houses in there. Then I put them in together and they both run into the same house and cuddles up for 20 minutes and didn't move *** they were scared lol so I took the houses out and they started to check each other out. Yoshi is the more dominant one and Dippy is quite shy and placid. Yoshi started to mount Dippy and this went on for 15 minutes, he also jumped over him and they both sniffed each other and did a bit of chasing but then settled and ate carrot together. Dippy told him his whole life story, I have never heard him talk so much lol. There was no teeth chattering or squealing at all though.

When I put them back in Dippy's cleaned out cage they were very wild and chasing each other and Dippy tried to mount Yoshi a few times but he was too slow lol but after a while they settled and I left them together over night.

The next day Dippy had some fur missing on his back to Yoshi must have pulled some out and there was the occational teeth chattering, I think Dippy was a bit annoyed by the mounting and being chased out of his house. I gave them a bath that day which they didn't like too much but it seemed to calm them down a bit.

The third day was quieter and now they are getting along just fine, they do everything together, popcorning, eating, running around, investigating and I think Dippy is really happy with his new friend.

I made some videos of their introduction, I see if I can upload them on youtube and post them later.

All the best,
Anne

 

[Ashlingm]

Ah ok, so maybe introducing them for a while everyday isnt doing them any favours. they seem to be mounting less and less as time goes on (ie. if there together for over 30 mins), should I put the baby in the big guys cage today - Its getting a big clean out today anyway so mightnt smell too much of the big guy.

 

[cherryredcutie]

If you can I would put them in a run together for a few hours where you can watch them and if they are getting on okay you can put them together in the cleaned out cage of the older boar but still keep an eye on them, make sure you clean the houses and accessories etc. and that each has their own house as well.