Soon-to-be Owner Looking For Pairing Advice

How to pair?

  • Total voters
    1
Status
Not open for further replies.
Kate187

Kate187

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
146
Reaction score
99
Points
245
Location
West Midlands
Hi! I'm new on here, my name is Kate and I'm a 24 year old teacher currently living in the West Midlands.

I've had loads of animals through the years, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, fish, guins! Our dog and rabbit live at my parents house near Liverpool and my hammy passed a few months ago. I'm looking to get a pair of guins. We had them when I was a child and I've been doing lots of research into looking after them.

The problem I'm having is choosing whether to have a m/m, f/f or mixed sex pair. I was drawn to getting 2 boars as I've heard they can be more relaxed and cuddly, which is more what I'm looking for! However I would be concerned about a falling out later on. I don't have the space or resources to keep them in separate cages which would mean having to give up one of the pigs. I really don't want to risk this!

I'd love to get a mixed-sex pair but this raises the issue of neutering. I was thinking of possibly getting a slightly older male (say a year old) and neutering, before getting a female companion. Are there many risks associated with neutering? How long do you have to wait before introducing a companion?

Or is it safer to get a f/f pair?

I've been reading the forums but chasing my tail with this one. Does anyone have any advice?
 
Hi Kate, Welcome to the forum. We are from Wolves, which part of WM are you from? Your well placed for piggy vets, there are some great ones in the West Mids area.

You have a great rescue close to you in Walsall RSPCA http://www.rspca-walsall.org.uk/page7a.html we got our first rescue piggies from there and have adopted from them ever since. All piggies from Walsall are already well bonded and the hierarchy have been established be it B/S, B/B or S/S we are a girl only household just because it's how we started plus boar bits give me the fear lol. But all the boys I have met have been lovely too and very chilled out and liking of fuss. So it comes down to preference. I would say go rescue as the bonding is done for you, where as pet shops you will often be bonding yourself. Walsall have just took over 25 piggies or all ages recently so there will be a lot coming up over the next few months and Vicky and Becky who run it are wonderful.

Here is a link to a thread you may find useful http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-sows-or-mixed-pairs-babies-or-adults.108944/

Hope you enjoy your time on the forum as much as I have, it's really friendly and helpful so please ask anything you need to know.

Lee
 
Any of the above pairing can be adopted from guinea pig rescues. Although I haven't voted for M/M it can work but I'd be looking for an older pay eg 2 year old + as they would have gone through the hormonal (teenager) phase by then & would be most likely bonded for life. Getting young bonded males could go wrong during the hormonal stage & if you have got the space to separate then I'd probably leave these alone. M/F are usually the easiest combination followed by F/F & I've had several of these combinations that have nearly always worked well. If you get from a rescue then they'll have probably done the bonding already. You've got 2 really good rescues in your area or north of it. Walsall RSPCA & The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue.
 
Thanks for the responses! I'm sure I'll be on here loads when I have my guins.
 
Hi! You can neatly bypass all problems by rehoming from the RSPCA Walsall... They rehome already well bonded, healthy and guaranteed not pregnant piggy pairs, so you avoid all the usual pitfalls and have a smooth start into your piggy life! That way, it really doesn't matter what you go for; only that you click with your piggies!

Another good rescue is the Potteries in Kidsgrove or Honeybunnies near Fosse Park/Leicester.
You can find the contact details on our recommended good standard rescues locator. Going to a piggy savvy rescue with mandatory quarantine and pregnancy watch is by far the safest way of getting piggies. I have rehomed from all three rescues over the years and can recommend each warmly.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/

Our forum recommendations on piggy housing and care comply and often surpass the RSPCA minimum requirements, so you shouldn't have any problems with the rehoming process.

We also have a piggy savvy vet locator on the top bar!
You may also find this thread here helpful: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-sows-or-mixed-pairs-babies-or-adults.108944/
 
That's great. I am certainly looking at rescues or private owners rather than pet shops. I'm still curious to know about neutering timelines/risks?
 
Hi :wel:to the forum...

Can't add anything to the advice above, except that when you adopt from a rescue you get a lifetime of support, unlike if you get your guineas from a breeder or pet shop..

Lisa & Ali..
 
Also, does anyone have any thoughts on female/male personalities? I don't know whether gender makes a big differences with pigs of whether it's down to the individual personality or the handling/raising of the pig. Is it true that males are generally tamer?
 
Hello & welcome.
My first 2 pigs were boars. I got them from a rescue. They were lovely old boys. They have now both past away. I now have 1 neutered boar and 2 young sows. I love both sexes. The boar, Albie is easily going happy boy. He love hes hay and a cardboard for him to move around he's cage. Which he does by getting inside it and head butting it around his cage. If he's really excited he will flip it over with his head.
My girls are 6 mth they are in their hormonal stage. Amber struts about wiggling her butt if she hears noises she dont like ie phone ringing, me making kissy noises at her. If one of the ours get to close to her butt she will squirting pee at them. Albie has learnt to keep his eyes shut when her butt is aiming at him.Roses hormons have just kicked in this week. So she now has started the butt wiggling too. When Rose is really excited she zooms around the cage bumps into things. They all love cuddles. They all have they different way and quirks. If I had to choose between sex's I couldn't.
 
Please be careful with getting from private owners. My Rose came from a forum member who got 2 sows from a private owner she didn't know at the time both sows were pregnant. And Rose was one of the babys.Also I have seen on here a lot of these pigs having ringworm too
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top