Suggestions on cage for new guinea pig

[dangerman]

As per my other thread about Pet's at home I need some advice. I have two sows who have lived together with me for 9 months, sisters from the same litter.

I won't go into detail but I shall be (hopefully) adopting a fully intact boar. The idea is for me to get him snipped and introduce him to the girls, however that won't happen quickly so for at least a few months he needs to live on his own.

Currently the girls live in a shop bought 120cm cage. I bought a spare 80cm cage in a rush on Saturday off ebay thinking I would need it to get this little guy. It was a little worse for wear but has scrubbed up nicely however a bit on the little side. I didn't nead it but will be useful as a spare however, I will probably end up selling it.

So I have two shop bought cages and potentially three pigs.

Tonight I am picking up my cubes I ordered and will be getting a delivery of my correx and fleece later in the week.

The plan was to house these three (once neutred) in a 2x5 (possibly 2x6 if I have the space) c&c cage. I don't want a hay loft so I just plan to make the one level.

So, I need your advice.

1) Do I prepair the c&c cage and place the two girls in there, and put my new adoptee into their old cage and once neutered hopefully move him with the girls. (he would need to be in a different room as I don't have the space).

2) Do I wait until he is done and recovered, do all the bonding etc and put them all in the new c&c cage? Meaning I will be keeping the boar in a cage probably too small for him for approx 2 months.

3) Make the 2x5 c&c cage and split it so that the girls can have one side and the boar can have the other, once he's recovered and all things go well (hopefully) open it up to the full cage?

What do you think?

 

[gogoguineas]

I would go with your first option as it sounds very logical, the girls can have plenty of space and one boar will be completely fine in a 120cm while he awaits the snip. The only thing I'd say about the snip, if you haven't already done so is check you have a fully competant cavy savvy vet, i.e- how many times have they done this? success rate? problems with after care? don't be afraid to quiz them if you haven't already.
I would keep the 120cm & and 80cm until well after the op and bonding. Reason being is that 1. if your boar has an infection or any issues you could move him from the 120cm to the 80cm to keep him from having the urge to be more mobile, keeping him contained and rested, should he need to be. Bit of peace of mind that he's not running all over the place if he gets an infection and you want him to rest and not go too far.
Also, should you have a falling out, you can place a single piggy in either cage for a 'time out' or until you can re-bond, just handy as a back up plan really. Good luck!

 

[Teejay]

Hi Dangerman, I agree with gogoguineas!

But, as you're in the West Midlands, I just wanted to recommend my own very cavy savvy vet, Manor Vets in Edgbaston (Hagley Road) - http://www.manorvets.co.uk/about-manorvets/

Marie is the small animal expert, and she's fab.....she castrated both of my boys last year and we didn't have a minutes post-operative worry . The op was done through an incision in the abdomen, which keeps the wound clean and helped to prevent any stitch nibbling.

Tracey x

 

[CodeWriter]

I have been in a similar situation (although didn't have to wait quite as long). I personally would keep the new cage out of it until they are ready to go in together & you know that they will get on well. That way it is a completely foreign environment. I managed to get my 4 bonded over 2 days as they were too busy exploring their new surroundings, and never had any issues since (been 5 months now!). But then again I havent got the tape measure out to see how big an 80cm cage would be.