New pigs coming - help please!

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Gordy

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Hi

Have posted previously about the rescue rabbit and guinea that I am in the process of preparing for splitting up.

I've passed my homecheck and will be taking in a rabbit, from Kris at Starlight's, hopefully in early June who will live in the 8ft hutch with Ruby who was spayed in early April. Gordon the GP has been living in there with her and now I've just had delivery of a new 5 x 3 loglap shed for him and his new friends. It will have a run attached and I'll build a second level, hidey places etc in it.

Gordon was neutered in early April. I have been promised two female guinea pigs from someone I know who is looking to rehome them. I've got packs of cubes and will bring them in for winter.

Ok - the immediate questions!

As she shed is new - I want to put all the guineas in there together when they are ready. I'm told I will need to quarantine the new piggies. How does this work if Gordon has been outside? Would I need to bring the girls inside for quarantine? How long would I need to do this? Would Gordon also need to be inside with them but seperate?

Also re bonding. Never done this before. How much space? What should I look for?

Sorry for all the questions - am a bit confused at the mo! Will pop back a bit later when back from work.

Many thanks!:)

Roz
 
As the hutch is new, could you put the girls in there and introduce Gordon about two weeks later somewhere else, like in a run on the lawn, if you have one, or in the kitchen, before you put him with the girls? Best is a big, but confined space.
You can add some food after there hasn't been any high-level aggression and see how they will settle down together.
 
Hi

I could do that, yes. Would that be for quarantine purposes?
 
Quarantine means that the new arrivals need to be kept isolated from your existing pets i.e housed somewhere different, ideally in a different area or room (so nothing airbourne can spread). Usually about 2 weeks in quarantine so that anything 'lurking' has the chance to show - don't worry, it's just a precaution!

You should feed and clean and handle your existing pets first, then the 'quarantine' ones last, so you're not passing anything on, on your hands / clothes/ cleaning equipment. I always keep antibacterial alcohol hand rub by the quarantine cage.

Introduction can then be made on 'neutral' territory - a run on a new piece of grass is good, as it doesn't smell of other pigs and the grass keeps their minds off the rumbling / chasing!

Sophie
x
 
Yes, if you are not sure about putting them together immediately. It would make most sense to have the biggest group in the new place, wouldn't it?

I have seen more experienced people recommend that amount of time. I'm keeping my new girls settling in upstairs for at least that time before I introduce them to my couple downstairs - but preferably in a neutral space, so they are all on equal footing.
 
When you're introducing them together after their two week quarantine period, you're looking for any sights of outright aggression. It will help, when you introduce them, to perhaps bring them inside and introduce them in the bath tub or a floor neither have played on.

When you introduce them in their neutral territory (have someone clean out the girls hutch at this time: replace their bedding, hay, put in a second food bowl so tensions don't mount when they're settling in together) the general rule is that anything's okay except for drawing blood.

Snuggling together? That's perfect!
Licking each others ears? Perfect!
Ignoring each other? That's alright... but frustrating :) Be patient, perhaps feed them a heap of veggies...
Chasing each other around and humping each other? That's fine, it's a dominance behaviour. Don't feel bad for them, they need to work it out.
Yawning? They're saying "LOOK AT MA SUPA SCARY TEEFS!" and it's okay
Rumblestrutting? they're sizing each other up, keep an eye out but it's okay.
Tooth chattering? "rawr I'm biggah than you - submit!" they're basically verbally squaring each other up.
Pull back, hackles raised and launch into a flying ball of fur! oh dear... separate them, give them a bath and try again.

With a boy-girl dynamic it's my understanding that the boys try to rule the roost although the girls have their own way of telling him to stop.

Good luck - introductions, from my experience, either go super well, bumpy or... no. But you should be fine!
 
If you are not sure, post again before you try to introduce them, but teadragon has it all pretty much wrapped up.

Many males will go into testosterone overdrive around their first girl, rumble, strut, chase and mount anything that moves from what side whatever, poor sods! It can get VERY smelly for a day or two, but once they calm down they should settle fine.
You will have the girls screetching, screaming, nagging, complaining, whimpering - but they would't move away from the boy, either... Just their way of telling him they're not ready to mate - yet. So don't get upset about any piggy high drama! It looks worse to us than it is to the pigs!

The only one to look out is if they light into each other and fight for blood, and if there is loud and sustained teeth chattering (with hair standing up)- those are signs of dangerous aggression, and the pigs should be separated.

If you don't get any high level aggression within the first quarter of an hour, they will settle down together, but it may take between two days to a few weeks to sort out the dominance etc.
 
Thanks. Appreciate your time in answering. Had cats and dogs for many years but, although a petsitter, am quite new to having my own rabbits and guineas.

I can see it's going to be fun. I might be back! lol

:)
 
Hi Gordy
Where did you get your rescue guinea pig from I am looking for a cagemate for my sow (lost her sister not too long ago :() I live in north Leeds
 
Hi jamjar - my current piggie was from a customer who could no longer keep him and the rabbit where they were.

I'm taking on two girls who belong to my mum's gardener! She decided she has too many animals. Otherwise - been looking on Guinea re-home and Rabbits United - some of the rabbit rescues get pigs - and Bunny Camp in Bradford who also get pigs fro rehoming.

You could also try the Yorkshire Animal Shelter.

Roz :)
 
OK quick update:

Had the girls in quarantine. They are all now together in a pen in the living room on a large tarp. They've got lots of room, food, hay, hideouts etc etc.

They're getting on mostly OK but Gordon is still behaving like a little robot on heat. How long will this go on for? The girls just run away from him or lunge at him if he's being too much but afterwards they're back to being OK.

Roz :)
 
Oh, thanks for the links :)

Can't see the wood for the trees!

It's funny behaviour. He almost goes into a trance...:)

I've almost got used to all the twittering and chuckling and whirring and purring and squeaking...hard to decipher one noise from another sometimes. And who it's coming from!

Roz
 
I've managed to avoid the first overlaod when I introduced Llewi to my new girsl when Nia was in full season on neutral territory for just a few hours, so she LIKED being humped by a boy! But I got a full day of fun and games at high pitch next to my computer when Nerys came into season a week later...
Not so easy to concentrate on work! I had a good two days of it when Dizzy chose him as her new companion.

The good news is - the first time IS the worst! After two weeks, my tribe has settled down comfortably now, with only the normal "social" rumbling.
 
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