Not man enough or confused?

[Lone-Star 57]

So I am back now from being away for a week for my brothers birthday and I am seriously getting down to hopfully suceeding with pairing my two guinea pigs Zee and Leo together.

Leo is going to hate me for saying this but I am not sure he is man enough to be with Zee. I don't know he just seems frightened or even just confused, I don't know if it's because he's young 1year approx and he can't handle being the boss but he DOES want to be the boss. He tries everything rumbles all around his cage/floor/where ever they are. Mounts Zee occasionally certainly not as much as the begining. But he'll pass by Zee rumbling and she'll strike him (I am not sure if she bites him, but she certainly hits him) And then he'll sometimes have a face off doing the nose raising thing but alot of the time he just runs away and squeaks softly.

Like today I withnessed Zee went to walk around the cage and then Leo came up to her rumbleing from out of the sleeping area and then all Zee did was look at him and he sort of reversed back into the bed rumbleing until he was just quite...and he didn't comback out afterwards for a while.
So I don't know if he's scared, confused or even just a bit overwhelmed by Zee. She doesn't seem to care to much she'll walk around like nothing happened.

I am confused as they just don't seem to be advancing further than this point. But they wheak for each other when I part them, but then Leo can seem to place himself as the dominant one for me to keep them together.

What do you guys think?

 

[Dusty_bugs]

Sounds veeery similar to my two, Leeland and Vincent (or Vman). Vman was the huspig replacement for Leeland's lost sister and I thought initially the bonding would be smooth as anything because Leeland is such a relaxed piggie. The moment they clapped eyes I could tell Vman wanted to get right in there and he cuddled her and she closed her eyes. Heavenly. But within 10 minutes there was chattering, hackles, lunging and then fur fights. 3 hours of it, though because they sometimes stopped to eat and passed each other by the rescue reckoned they'd get along fine with some more careful bonding. I was like 'whatever!' at first.. but they were right

It took about 3 or 4 days. It was obvious Vman was intent on being boss but Leeland would turn around and stop him in his tracks. 'Ain't no-one got time for your JIBBERJABBER' type thing. She seemed perfectly happy just to get along doing her own thing, but he was a proper nuisance and she wasnt having any of it. Eventually she would do the chasing and he would leg it and whimper. She still headbuts him every once in a while.

3 months down the line and they're inseperable. He's more highly strung, more anxious than she is and she has a short temper about that, especially in carry cases, he winds her up. But it's obvious despite his normally alpha male tendencies that she is definitely the boss. She eats first, pushes him out the way and picks the sleeping spots. He just does what suits her, but will still do his rumblestruts daily.

They should be a-ok together but if you're still nervous, I would asses how much run space they've got in the cage, she will definitely need some away time from him. Also, if travelling them, I wouldn't stick them together in the same carry case unless they are both the type of pig that paralyses in fear when travelling (Leeland flops on her side and eats hay.. she wheeks at the music if its too loud. Vman SHREDS the blankets and ruins the journey for her. So he stays at home if he doesnt need to come and they have seperate cases if he has to go too).

Have you tried a bonding bath?

 

[Lone-Star 57]

Sounds veeery similar to my two, Leeland and Vincent (or Vman). Vman was the huspig replacement for Leeland's lost sister and I thought initially the bonding would be smooth as anything because Leeland is such a relaxed piggie. The moment they clapped eyes I could tell Vman wanted to get right in there and he cuddled her and she closed her eyes. Heavenly. But within 10 minutes there was chattering, hackles, lunging and then fur fights. 3 hours of it, though because they sometimes stopped to eat and passed each other by the rescue reckoned they'd get along fine with some more careful bonding. I was like 'whatever!' at first.. but they were right

It took about 3 or 4 days. It was obvious Vman was intent on being boss but Leeland would turn around and stop him in his tracks. 'Ain't no-one got time for your JIBBERJABBER' type thing. She seemed perfectly happy just to get along doing her own thing, but he was a proper nuisance and she wasnt having any of it. Eventually she would do the chasing and he would leg it and whimper. She still headbuts him every once in a while.

3 months down the line and they're inseperable. He's more highly strung, more anxious than she is and she has a short temper about that, especially in carry cases, he winds her up. But it's obvious despite his normally alpha male tendencies that she is definitely the boss. She eats first, pushes him out the way and picks the sleeping spots. He just does what suits her, but will still do his rumblestruts daily.

They should be a-ok together but if you're still nervous, I would asses how much run space they've got in the cage, she will definitely need some away time from him. Also, if travelling them, I wouldn't stick them together in the same carry case unless they are both the type of pig that paralyses in fear when travelling (Leeland flops on her side and eats hay.. she wheeks at the music if its too loud. Vman SHREDS the blankets and ruins the journey for her. So he stays at home if he doesnt need to come and they have seperate cases if he has to go too).

Have you tried a bonding bath?

Gosh it does sound so simalar I am glad in a way as I have been a nervous wreck about it for weeks and weeks. Even sometimes regretting my choice in piggie friend for Zee, but I love Leo with all my heart now even if he's not the brightest crayon. At the moment they are quite together after wheaking to be with one another after the intial nose off they soon settled.

I have to say now they have greatly progressed from the begining as they rarely chatter teeth at each other (only if Leo starts to mount Zee does that happen)
But like your Vman he is so skittish not around people just odd sounds/things he doesn't know/or touching his rear and freaking out at them gets him a bite off of Zee if she is near.

I've been having alot of doubts about it all did I make the right choice? Are they ever going to truely get along?
I have even gone through every possible senario of what it would and would'nt be like...but I am sure Zee is a happier piggie now even if Leo is the hugest pain in the bum with unbeleivable amounts of energy.

Gosh it is so odd how your boy and your girl are so similar to mine. Zee is perfect in carrycases while Leo rips things, gnaws the bars and stomps about. HE was awful taking him home from the RSPCA, lol. As for traveling I only have one cat travel case, so may have to think about another.

I have not. I have been highly thinking of doing so, I read threads on and off of this forum but am nervous about making them sick. I've only bathed my piggies for perposses of making them cleaner if they are dirty.

 

[Dusty_bugs]

Ah okies, maybe leave the bath until they need it but try it together. Saying that, I haven't tried washing Vman yet - if he's a skratty anxious madman he might drive Leeland NUTS. I suppose if he is a pain in the bum for her they can be dried seperately. I have done Leeland as frequently as every 2 months for a short while because she was getting herself filthy when she was sickly. It didn't do her any bad but she had to be dried very quickly and kept at a constant warm temperature for a few hours after to make sure.

Space and time, and I'm sure he'll get used to her correcting him and she might get a bit more tolerant to his ranting! haha