Should I separate my two little men?

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mylo11

Joined
May 7, 2011
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Hi everyone,

Just looking for a bit of advice, as I've never had two guinea pigs before, my past ones have been on their own.

I bought one guinea pig (bubbles) a week ago, and thought he looked lonely, so yesterday I bought him a friend, who came from the same cage at the pet shop (and was there in the cage when i bought bubbles).
I introduced them in the run in the garden, and on my lap and they seemed to get along fine, I also completely cleaned, sprayed and rearranged bubbles's cage.
However, in the cage, bubbles is launching himself at the new piggy and wont let him drink or eat, and my new piggy is crying out everytime bubbles goes near him, its distressing me to watch!
there are two houses in the cage, but bubbles keeps going into his house and shoving him out, and chasing him around. I dont know if he is biting him, but he keeps FLYING at him, jumping on him, and my poor new piggy is making awful distressed sounds! I think I saw him show his teeth too.

Do i need to separate them?!
Appreciate any advice!
 
Oh dear I'm sorry your having dominance issues with your boars.

Please read this thread first so you can judge how far the bullying has gone. http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28949

For now, If I was you I would take both Piggies out of the cage and make them a large enclosure, say 4ft bt 4ft minimum, and on neutal ground, and then take time to observe their behaviour. Please put inside the enclosure lots of piles of hay (not just one), several water bottles, and ONLY hideys with 2 exits. Scatter veggies around and pellets of food.
Now if you see behaviour that looks like one of them is getting injured I would seperate them.

Some additional questions for myself or anyone who has advice can help a bit more -
With you getting then from the pet store are they young boars do you know the age?

What size is the cage you have got for them?

Boars do in my experience like lots of room to minimize dominance issues.

I like boars to pick their own friend so that personalities can be paired up to suit each other - which cant be done when you go to a pet store, however Guinea pig rescues will help with boar bonding/dating - but not to worry, lets try help you now with Bubbles and new piggie.

:)

Paula
 
Thankyou for your response!

I left them in their cage today when I went to work, and I got back, and checked the new one (Piglet) for any injuries, and he doesnt have any, he seems to be fine, hes just very quiet and seems too scared to do anything!

They are about 10 weeks old, maybe 2 weeks difference between them.
My cage is four foot long, not four foot wide though, so I may order them a bigger cage.

Bubbles makes a whirring sort of noise when Piglet is near him, and Piglet makes a high pitched squealing noise. Is this normal? They do make happy noises too, and Bubbles is always popcorning which has got to be good?

Also I took Piglet out of the cage for a cuddle earlier, and Bubbles seemed to be looking everywhere around the cage for him, wondering where he had gone. Its like one minute hes charging at him, and the next hes missing him! Lol.

So unsure if i should order a larger cage for the 2 of them, or a separate one for Piglet, and put them side by side?

Thanks, sorry for the long post!
 
Well, if it looks like things have settled down then stay with it, just make sure they have 2 of everything and try and get hideys with 2 exits. For me I put in a upside down wine box with an opening back and front.

With your earlier post I thought it sounded like they needed bonding on neutral ground that's why I suggested the larger neutral enclosure until things settled. Check that Piglet is eating and Bubbles is allowing him to eat and drink.

If in the future if you decide on a bigger cage look at the C&C cages some of us have on this forum. Your young pigs will go through the hormonal stage together which can be a bit tricky, but given lots of space helps minimize any fall outs.

:)
 
Definately little boys, i checked myself, due to past experience of a pet shop telling me my rabbit was a boy when actually it was a girl!

I have ordered a 2nd cage for Pockets, but it is able to be joined to the original cage if they start getting on better! :)

Piglet has been drinking and eating ok today, its just the whirring and the high pitched squealing noises that are bothering me now!

But they seem to be alot better than they were, so hopefully theyll work out their differences!
 
mylo11 said:
I have ordered a 2nd cage for Pockets, but it is able to be joined to the original cage if they start getting on better! :)
QUOTE]


Sorry, I meant I have ordered a second cage for Piglet! Pockets was the name of my last guinea pig, sorry!
Click to expand...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top