Hi, I have recently adopted three male piggies and am wondering if it is normal for guinea pigs to be sedentary for most of the day. Mine have a brief active period around breakfast, then spend all day in their hidey holes, coming out only at 6pm for a two hour stint. They are in the garden all day so have no lack of space or things to do, so it's not a boredom thing, they just seem very lazy. Is this normal? Thanks!
Piggies asleep all day!
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twiams
Adult Guinea Pig
Don't worry piggie's are pretty lazy and if they're just sleeping then it's likely they're just comfortable and relaxed ! (:
Do all three males live together ?
Do all three males live together ?
Hiya, yes they all live together at the moment, although I may have to consider separating them as they do rumble ALL THE TIME! I am thinking of pulling out the most aggressive one and pairing him with a female, although I'm wondering whether the other two would be jealous and it would agitate them as they would be able to smell the female. The only other solution I can think of is to give each of them a 'wife' and have three pens, aagghh! Glad you think the sleeping is ok though, I had read that guinea pigs are active for most of the day, so was a bit worried!
Whispa5
Teenage Guinea Pig
Hi Whispa5, yes my boys are most definitely neutered! they had the op last week, do you know how long you have to wait before you can mix a neutered male with a female, as I heard it takes a while for the sperm to die off...?
kotov
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our sows sleeping and rumbling all the time as well.If they not fight with blood/contact ,not necessary separate them.Unless they haven't got enough space.
Piggies are most active in the morning and the late afternoon/evening, and spend the time in between mostly sleeping and browsing quietly, as they do throughout the night.
There is an alternative to neutering; it's called "boar dating" at one of our recommended guinea pig rescues.
Full boar dating (which is not offered by all rescues) involves a week long stay at the rescue, but any resulting boar bond based on character compatibility is as stable as a sow bond. From that perspective it is worth waiting a few weeks and travelling a bit further to a rescue that offers this service (not all rescues do) - it will still cost you less than a neutering op at virtually no risk to you! This way, boars of all ages (whether bereaved or fallen out) can be bonded.
Suzy's boar dating blog from her rescue: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59233
Our constantly updated Piggy Bank map of recommended (vetted) guinea pig rescues with links to the websites: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0
Most rescues offer "speed dating", which involves just a day trip and usually bonding with a youngster or a very laid back older boar. Generally, an age gap means that there is only one highly hormonal boy at any time and the bond is much more stable for it, so the fall out risk is still much lower than between two same age youngsters. Character compatibility and mutual liking are taken into account (hence the dating). This option comes with a certain risk of potential problems when a baby boar hits the big hormones himself and is not quite as safe as the full boar dating. However, any of our recommended rescues will support you and help you if you run into trouble with one of their piggies throughout the whole course of their lives.
As to neutering, you will need to find a really good vet with a good track record in successful piggy neutering ops to minimise the sadly quite high risk of post op complications (which can cost you a multiple of the initial operation cost, not to speak of the sleepless nights and the heartbreak).
You will also need to wait 6 weeks post op until your boy is 100% safe to go with a sow. I have the suprise baby from a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post op boar (not one of mine) to prove that particular point!
I am a great fan of cross gender pairings myself, but I had a very close shave with my Hywel last year, who I had neutered through a local rescue when his predecessor was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It is not an experience I ever want to repeat, and Hywel only made it through the weekend thanks to me having the right very strong antibiotic at home (for the deceased boar - no thanks to the neutering clinic who had no clue what they were up against and therefore wouldn't even prescribe one!), support from knowledgeable forum members until late into the night and three days of determined round the clock nursing before he could be seen by a specialist in Northampton (who I will use in the future if I ever find myself without available already neutered rescue boars again). Sadly, my experience is by no means a one off if you have a look through the health/illness section.
Here is more information on neutering:
http://www.cavyspirit.com/neutering.htm
You still have time to think through your options and do your research re. rescues and experienced vets. That really makes all the difference!
There is an alternative to neutering; it's called "boar dating" at one of our recommended guinea pig rescues.
Full boar dating (which is not offered by all rescues) involves a week long stay at the rescue, but any resulting boar bond based on character compatibility is as stable as a sow bond. From that perspective it is worth waiting a few weeks and travelling a bit further to a rescue that offers this service (not all rescues do) - it will still cost you less than a neutering op at virtually no risk to you! This way, boars of all ages (whether bereaved or fallen out) can be bonded.
Suzy's boar dating blog from her rescue: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59233
Our constantly updated Piggy Bank map of recommended (vetted) guinea pig rescues with links to the websites: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0
Most rescues offer "speed dating", which involves just a day trip and usually bonding with a youngster or a very laid back older boar. Generally, an age gap means that there is only one highly hormonal boy at any time and the bond is much more stable for it, so the fall out risk is still much lower than between two same age youngsters. Character compatibility and mutual liking are taken into account (hence the dating). This option comes with a certain risk of potential problems when a baby boar hits the big hormones himself and is not quite as safe as the full boar dating. However, any of our recommended rescues will support you and help you if you run into trouble with one of their piggies throughout the whole course of their lives.
As to neutering, you will need to find a really good vet with a good track record in successful piggy neutering ops to minimise the sadly quite high risk of post op complications (which can cost you a multiple of the initial operation cost, not to speak of the sleepless nights and the heartbreak).
You will also need to wait 6 weeks post op until your boy is 100% safe to go with a sow. I have the suprise baby from a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post op boar (not one of mine) to prove that particular point!
I am a great fan of cross gender pairings myself, but I had a very close shave with my Hywel last year, who I had neutered through a local rescue when his predecessor was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It is not an experience I ever want to repeat, and Hywel only made it through the weekend thanks to me having the right very strong antibiotic at home (for the deceased boar - no thanks to the neutering clinic who had no clue what they were up against and therefore wouldn't even prescribe one!), support from knowledgeable forum members until late into the night and three days of determined round the clock nursing before he could be seen by a specialist in Northampton (who I will use in the future if I ever find myself without available already neutered rescue boars again). Sadly, my experience is by no means a one off if you have a look through the health/illness section.
Here is more information on neutering:
http://www.cavyspirit.com/neutering.htm
You still have time to think through your options and do your research re. rescues and experienced vets. That really makes all the difference!
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