peanut and sweety finally together but it doesn't seem to be working out

[nataliemoreton]

Hi everyone,

It was finally time to pair Peanut up with his neighbour yesterday. I laid out a large area for exploring and with plenty of food for distraction. They were ok, displaying normal signs of dominance (mostly from Peanut) little bit of mounting and nipping for a minute then it was fine, just Peanut rumbling and scenting everywhere. I put them into the cage together and observed for a few hours before bed.
They don't seem to be bonding yet, Peanut is still rumbling and scenting and they seem to be unable to stay in the same area of the cage together.
Is this normal and how long does this last for? If it doesn't stop do I have to seperate them?

Thanks

Natalie

 

[kimberlie]

its a good sign that they are keeping out of eachothers way, its better than them being to close together because this can cause fighting.
Shows that they are comfortable enough together to not keep bugging one another.

Just give them time, the may start snuggling up together or they may not, but i wouldnt seperate them unless they fight.

 

[flintstones]

Are they boars or sows?

General rule is do not separate unless blood is drawn, or if a pig is being bullied and becomes withdrawn ie loses weight, Not allowed to eat etc...

 

[nataliemoreton]

Peanut is a boy and Sweety is a girl, Peanut is 9 months and sweety is 3 months. She follows him around alot and seems keen to be affectionate, peanut will allow it for a while untill he gets fed up and gives her a bit of a reminder who is boss. Although with food she thinks all the fresh is hers and he will only allow that for a while before he gives chase and nips her fur. They are not the best of friends yet but i think they are tolerating each other. I am hoping tolerate grows to friendship lol. I'm giving them extra run time to help.

 

[pinkyjo]

I take it that Peanut is a neutered boar!

 

[Wiebke]

Give them time until Sweetie comes into season (right now she definitely isn't). This behaviour is not unusual at all for guinea pigs that have been allowed to have contact through the bars.

Bonding cross gender pairs seems to either result in boys going completely overboard (especially when not having met the girl before)or no interest at all at first. Her first few seasons will probably be stronger than normal and they will bond then.

 

[nataliemoreton]

completely over board sounds right! when we she have her 1st season? is that like a monthly cycle? And yes he is nuetued pinkjo!

 

[Wiebke]

Girls come into season every 15-17 days for about 14-16 hours, only during the last 2-4 hours will a sow be prepared to lie down mate.

Beforehand, you will get any variation of high drama - girl is acting VERY put upon and shrilling away, but will NOT move away from poor boy, who only hears "I'm not ready YET!" and feel spurned on by that special squeezking. Seasons can be high drama indeed and can look very rough to us humans.

If you happen to see a sow lying down for a moment to let him mount her, that is a good sign - a girl that does that on introduction has accepted a boar. However, a girl that is nowhere near in season and more dominant may not be willing to do so and has to weather the storm until the testosterone overload has burned itself out and the boy can find the "on" switch for his brain again. Which can take a day or two and can be INCREDIBLY smelly!

However, my old lady Dizzy taught me a valuable lesson: on the morning after a very lively season during which she had been feeling very much put upon by a young Llewelyn, she went and placed herself between me and him, her back to me, and started licking him from top to bottom. She then threw me a dirty look over her shoulder, repeated the whole thing to make her point crystal clear and only then went back to eating her breakfast. Despite all the fuss, Llewelyn was HERS and I was not to mess with him!

 

[nataliemoreton]

Ha Ha thats brilliant wiebke, thanks for the info. I think he mounted her last night and they seem much more settled today. Peanut is very protective of her when i attempt to catch her for some lap time (much to her dismay) he will follow her around or jump back into the cage to look after her. He will always come back to the cage if she hasn't come out for their run time and encourage her out. There is obviously a slow bond growing he just likes to rumble at her alot and give her a fur tug if she gets too greedy with the food.