New Guinea Pigs Settling In

kayles

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
92
Reaction score
23
Points
210
i have 2 males, I got them last week and one is setting in well (and seems to be the boss!) and making lots of noise and exploring and eating well.. the other one is very quiet, barely makes any noise and just hides in his hutch and doesn't appear to be eating as well as the other one. They are 2 boys from different litters and only a few days between them.
Is there anything I can do to make him feel more at home?
 
Hi there , I'm a newbie to the forum and a newbie owner .
I have the same issue and also there is quite some fighting going on .... so much that Batista(the wannabe dominant one) now controls the food , which is a problem.
I'm thinking of giving them separate bowls for their pellets and greens , that way I hope each will be content .

Also , Dexter (the more submissive one) is VERY scared of me , therefore I can't help him with his eating as he won't come close .

I have a two level hutch , and whilst they fight they don't tend to go on different levels to keep away from each other .

Any suggestions would be a big help !

Thank you
 
i have 2 males, I got them last week and one is setting in well (and seems to be the boss!) and making lots of noise and exploring and eating well.. the other one is very quiet, barely makes any noise and just hides in his hutch and doesn't appear to be eating as well as the other one. They are 2 boys from different litters and only a few days between them.
Is there anything I can do to make him feel more at home?

Hi and welcome!

Please take the time to read these guides here. They contain lots of tips on how to settle in and interact with guinea pigs in ways that they instinctively understand and also help you to understand their social behaviours.
We generally recommend to serve any veg and pellets in small portions that can be eaten in one go 2-3 times daily in a bowl each per piggy and have two water bottles in different spots and two hideys with two exits each in order to avoid problems over dominance, which normally includes food bullying and chucking an underpiggy out of a prime spot. These are normal behaviours while guinea pigs establish a group hierarchy. Guinea pigs on a good diet only need limited pellets and a balanced mix of veg. Over 80% of the daily food intake should be unlimited hay. make sure that access to that cannot be blocked.
Our detailed food recommendations can be found via the new owners booklet.

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig

Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.

We have got more helpful advice for new owners via this link here. It combines tips for the most often encountered problems by new owners with some important aspects that can help you avoid or minimise problems in the longer run. The help also helps you to learn what is normal and what is not, so you can spot illness and problems early on.
New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Really Helpful Advice

We have got more information at the top of our various Care sections, but you are always welcome to ask an questions you may have along the way.
 
Hi and welcome!

Please take the time to read these guides here. They contain lots of tips on how to settle in and interact with guinea pigs in ways that they instinctively understand and also help you to understand their social behaviours.
We generally recommend to serve any veg and pellets in small portions that can be eaten in one go 2-3 times daily in a bowl each per piggy and have two water bottles in different spots and two hideys with two exits each in order to avoid problems over dominance, which normally includes food bullying and chucking an underpiggy out of a prime spot. These are normal behaviours while guinea pigs establish a group hierarchy. Guinea pigs on a good diet only need limited pellets and a balanced mix of veg. Over 80% of the daily food intake should be unlimited hay. make sure that access to that cannot be blocked.
Our detailed food recommendations can be found via the new owners booklet.

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig

Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.

We have got more helpful advice for new owners via this link here. It combines tips for the most often encountered problems by new owners with some important aspects that can help you avoid or minimise problems in the longer run. The help also helps you to learn what is normal and what is not, so you can spot illness and problems early on.
New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Really Helpful Advice

We have got more information at the top of our various Care sections, but you are always welcome to ask an questions you may have along the way.

I've had a look at these but I didn't find much of it helpful to what I wanted to know. Acorn is the smallest of the two and seems to lack confidence compared to his buddy, I didn't know if I could make him more settled
 
I've had a look at these but I didn't find much of it helpful to what I wanted to know. Acorn is the smallest of the two and seems to lack confidence compared to his buddy, I didn't know if I could make him more settled

Just make sure that he gets his fair share of the food. Some piggies are naturally more timid than others. They will come round in their own time, but will never be as forward as their companion - the same as you have bolder and more timid/shy children.
The weight range of newborns that can survive birth is 40g-140g; i.e. the bigger ones are easily double of the smaller pups. This carries through and the weight/size differences between smaller and larger siblings tend to even extend as they grow. One sister pair I had ended up having 500g weight difference in the prime of their lives. It was the younger who ran the group, not her large sister. Both lived to a good old age. Because there is such wide variance between guinea pigs at all ages, weight charts are useless.

You can check the weight/size ratio at any time by checking the rib cage, as explained in this guide here. Weigh once weekly when your piggies are healthy and give your piggies a weekly once-over. As long as your little one is not losing weight, he is fine. Growth and weight gain happen in spurts and eventually fizzle out. My current adult boars vary in weight between 800g and 1500g, and yet all of them are healthy and well in themselves.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
 
Just make sure that he gets his fair share of the food. Some piggies are naturally more timid than others. They will come round in their own time, but will never be as forward as their companion - the same as you have bolder and more timid/shy children.
The weight range of newborns that can survive birth is 40g-140g; i.e. the bigger ones are easily double of the smaller pups. This carries through and the weight/size differences between smaller and larger siblings tend to even extend as they grow. One sister pair I had ended up having 500g weight difference in the prime of their lives. It was the younger who ran the group, not her large sister. Both lived to a good old age. Because there is such wide variance between guinea pigs at all ages, weight charts are useless.

You can check the weight/size ratio at any time by checking the rib cage, as explained in this guide here. Weigh once weekly when your piggies are healthy and give your piggies a weekly once-over. As long as your little one is not losing weight, he is fine. Growth and weight gain happen in spurts and eventually fizzle out. My current adult boars vary in weight between 800g and 1500g, and yet all of them are healthy and well in themselves.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Is there a good way of making sure he gets his share of food? He gets quite distressed when he is separated from the other male so I wouldn't like to separate them while the younger one eats
 
Back
Top