I got my Guinea pig a new buddy but I don’t know how exactly to get them to like each other I tried placing both on my bed but my older guinea pig just keeps purring and try to mount the other one is their any way I can make them bond better.
Pablo and Pedro
- Thread starter J_Alvarez
- Start date
Bradshaw Piggies
Forum Donator 2023/24
Are they being aggressive? E.g. biting, lunging, hissing etc?
Or are they just rumbling? As that can be part of the normal bonding process whilst they establish who’s in charge. My very well bonded boys still do it now and then.
Unfortunately not all piggies will like each other and it’s not as easy as just introducing a new pig
Have you had a read of the bonding guides?
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
Or are they just rumbling? As that can be part of the normal bonding process whilst they establish who’s in charge. My very well bonded boys still do it now and then.
Unfortunately not all piggies will like each other and it’s not as easy as just introducing a new pig
Have you had a read of the bonding guides?
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
While purring (rumblestrutting) and mounting is entirely normal and what will happen, you must introduce them in the correct manner.
You need to put them in a neutral territory bonding pen for several hours to let them start their relationship. After several hours and if acceptance has occurred, then you clean out the cage they are to live in thoroughly so it is also neutral and then move them to the cage for them to live together. After that, it takes a further two weeks for them to fully establish a relationship.
If any full on fights occur or they cannot form a functioning hierarchy, then they will not be able to live together. Character compatibility is vital to a successful bond so if you have bought these piggies on spec then you have to have a plan b in mind in case they don’t bond and have to live in separate cages.
Please ensure they are definitely both the same sex and that you have an appropriately sized cage.
For two boars the recommended cage size is 180 cm x 60cm
Please read the guides below as it explains how to bond them properly and the behaviours you are going to see.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
You need to put them in a neutral territory bonding pen for several hours to let them start their relationship. After several hours and if acceptance has occurred, then you clean out the cage they are to live in thoroughly so it is also neutral and then move them to the cage for them to live together. After that, it takes a further two weeks for them to fully establish a relationship.
If any full on fights occur or they cannot form a functioning hierarchy, then they will not be able to live together. Character compatibility is vital to a successful bond so if you have bought these piggies on spec then you have to have a plan b in mind in case they don’t bond and have to live in separate cages.
Please ensure they are definitely both the same sex and that you have an appropriately sized cage.
For two boars the recommended cage size is 180 cm x 60cm
Please read the guides below as it explains how to bond them properly and the behaviours you are going to see.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Hi and welcome!
Please follow our comprehensive step-by-step bonding guide with plenty of pictures and videos, which takes you through the whole complex bonding process.
Rumblestrutting and mounting are very normal mild bonding behaviours. They are the way in which boars measure up to each other peacefully. As long as the other boar is fine with the mounting, you are OK and all is going as it should.
But there is a lot more to it, too, so please take the time to read the guide links to help you understand what is going on, what is good and what is not and what to do. You will find the links very helpful because we cannot give you the whole information in just three sentences.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
All the best!
Pablo which is the older one just sometimes circles around Pedro (small one) but today when I tried placing them together Pablo started to attack him and the other piggy won’t do nothing back he’ll just run away so right now I have them separated but they can still interact with each other but Pedro is new so he is scared to come out of his hide so should I first gain Pedro trust then bond him with Pablo also when Pedro comes out of his hide Pablo starts to pure when he sees him
Bradshaw Piggies
Forum Donator 2023/24
As said above (by our experts) have a look at the guides. They will either get along or they won’t. Nothing you do will change that, it all depends if their personalities match.
in your first post you said rumbling and mounting but here you say attacking. They are two very different things. You must be very clear on what you are seeing - mounting and purring is normal, all boars do it even after years of being together. It’s their way of sizing up to each other during bonding and reasserting their dominance throughout their relationship. it’s nothing to worry about.
Attacking is a full on blood drawing fight. They will be rolling around in a fur ball and injuries will occur. If that occurs, then those piggies do not like each other, will never bond and must never have physical contact again.
What you cannot do is put them together and then separate them again. Separation without cause means you interrupt their processes and they will never fully establish their relationship. Bonding is a one time thing - in the bonding pen and see it through to conclusion. If you put them together and then separate them multiple times, they never bond as they are constantly interrupted, and then when you put them together again, they have to start right from the beginning each and every time.
Do read all the guides as it explains what you need to do to bond piggies and the behaviours you will see
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
You need to give them some hours in the bonding area - even if you have to leave them in the bonding pen overnight that’s fine. And only put in a pile of hay, no hides or anything else. It has to be somewhere they’ve both not been.
There may be chasing, mounting and rumble strutting. The one being chased may squeal in submission and let themselves be mounted etc. You’re better off reading the guides linked above because it’s too much to repeat.
There may be chasing, mounting and rumble strutting. The one being chased may squeal in submission and let themselves be mounted etc. You’re better off reading the guides linked above because it’s too much to repeat.
youll know they like each other because there won’t be any fights. One will be dominant and will, for example, mount and rumblestrut, and the other will submit and accept to being mounted. you will also probably hear squealing. This is good as it means one is submitting.
I note you say in your previous post that Pedro doesnt do anything back and just runs away. Again, this is good. This means he is accepting pablo’s dominance.
If Pedro was to fight back then there would be problems as it means both want to be dominant and then their relationship will not work.
You put them in the bonding pen for several hours. If all goes well, then you thoroughly clean out their cage they are going to live in and then you can move them to the cage together. You must not separate them again if all goes well. You must make sure the cage is neutral to them both and thoroughly rearranged.
For the following two weeks they will establish and confirm their relationship with displays of dominance.
You must also ensure their cage is big enough. Two boars need a lot of room. Also make sure you have two water bottles, two hay piles and two hideys, and that all hideys have at least two exits. Dont use hideys with only one door as it means one piggy can trap the other inside and that is how defensive injuries occur.
Right now I’m bonding my two guinea pigs and I was looking and the oldest one is walking around and purring while the little one is just following him everywhere he goes is this some sort of dominance
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
Please keep your posts to the same thread. As has already been mentioned, purring is normal. The young one just wants to be with the older one.
Read the guide on bonding that was linked to previously. I’m going to ask for your threads to be merged. Keep any questions to your other one. Posting multiple times won’t get your question answered any faster!
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Merab
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Welcome to the forum.
Hope the bonding has succeeded.
Hope the bonding has succeeded.