What To Do Next

[Cookies&Glitter]

So spent hours driving to different rescues yesterday and all I kept finding was unneutered males and paired females what a great problem to have. The I decided to stop by this fish store I like to go to and see if they have sea horses (I also have fish tanks no saltwater though so I love to look). They have a few reptiles small animals and I walk by and notice a single Guinea pig in the smallest possible pet store pig cage with only a bowl of cut hay and a water bottle and wood chip bedding. I ask the guy working there if it's a boy or a girl and he just shrugs, so I ask if I can see it. Far as I can tell it's a girl, adult and larger than my piggies by a little bit. She was pretty mellow and is very pretty. They said she had been there alone for 2 weeks, someone handed them a box with her in it and walked away so $20 later I have a new piggy.
She seems pretty healthy I'll have to get her a checkup, her ears are a little dirty and so is her fur but why makes me sad are her teeth they look kind of dark like she's grown up with the wrong diet.
I built a little 2x2 cage on top of my others and am letting her get acclimated. I don't have a name for her and am soooooo nervous to introduce her to my Zuli. I use a very small litter box full of hay for my piggies to forage from and she won't climb in it yet she just lays next to it and pulls out strands.
So should my boyfriend and I have them next to each other on our laps and try giving them treats or should we let them meet through bars of a playpen somewhere new ? I read the introducing thread but all other advice is welcome please.

 

[Beans&Toast]

So glad you rescued her, she'll have a much better life now.

I think maybe let her get accustomed to where she is for a day or 2, then try the introduction on neutral ground and take it from there..

 

[Cookies&Glitter]

They are getting along so well I am in shock! Not too much dominance behavior between them and I haven't figured out who thinks she's in charge yet so idk they have only had about 20 minutes so far but it's going great.

 

[Wiebke]

So spent hours driving to different rescues yesterday and all I kept finding was unneutered males and paired females what a great problem to have. The I decided to stop by this fish store I like to go to and see if they have sea horses (I also have fish tanks no saltwater though so I love to look). They have a few reptiles small animals and I walk by and notice a single Guinea pig in the smallest possible pet store pig cage with only a bowl of cut hay and a water bottle and wood chip bedding. I ask the guy working there if it's a boy or a girl and he just shrugs, so I ask if I can see it. Far as I can tell it's a girl, adult and larger than my piggies by a little bit. She was pretty mellow and is very pretty. They said she had been there alone for 2 weeks, someone handed them a box with her in it and walked away so $20 later I have a new piggy.
She seems pretty healthy I'll have to get her a checkup, her ears are a little dirty and so is her fur but why makes me sad are her teeth they look kind of dark like she's grown up with the wrong diet.
I built a little 2x2 cage on top of my others and am letting her get acclimated. I don't have a name for her and am soooooo nervous to introduce her to my Zuli. I use a very small litter box full of hay for my piggies to forage from and she won't climb in it yet she just lays next to it and pulls out strands.
So should my boyfriend and I have them next to each other on our laps and try giving them treats or should we let them meet through bars of a playpen somewhere new ? I read the introducing thread but all other advice is welcome please.

Poor girl!

Please quarantine her first, and if you can afford it, have her vet checked.
Importance Of Quarantine

Tips on how to settle her in:
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language

Here are our introductions and bonding guides from the top of this section (all of our Care sections have information guides at the top). Please take your time to read through them:
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sow Behaviour


Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs

 

[Cookies&Glitter]

They had her fully quarantined at the fish store because they also sell piggies and don't want anything contagious going around so she was quarantined there for 2 full weeks and hopefully will get a clean bill of health as soon as tomorrow. My only fear is smthn like uri from the combination of stress from so many homes in a month and the aspen bedding but the vet said if she hasn't developed smthn in 2 weeks from a possible allergy she is likely ok. After the numerous bills from my last little piggy I certainly hope she remains healthy.

 

[Wiebke]

They had her fully quarantined at the fish store because they also sell piggies and don't want anything contagious going around so she was quarantined there for 2 full weeks and hopefully will get a clean bill of health as soon as tomorrow. My only fear is smthn like uri from the combination of stress from so many homes in a month and the aspen bedding but the vet said if she hasn't developed smthn in 2 weeks from a possible allergy she is likely ok. After the numerous bills from my last little piggy I certainly hope she remains healthy.

In that case, keep her adjacent to let her settle in and get her bearings first; it makes any bonding easier if you can remove any added stress factors. The girls can meet and make friends through the bars, so they won't feel alone.

 

[Cookies&Glitter]

Thanks guys they have met on neutral ground so far so I think I will clean and divide the cage and have them next to each other for a few days until I can be home and watch them. No fighting so far has to be a good sign I think they were both really lonely

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks guys they have met on neutral ground so far so I think I will clean and divide the cage and have them next to each other for a few days until I can be home and watch them. No fighting so far has to be a good sign I think they were both really lonely

If they have met and got on, why have you spearated again? Please leave them together and let them work through it instead of aborting the bonding process that has started.

 

[Cookies&Glitter]

I shouldn't have doubted my Instincts that lead me to feel this would be a good match this. I personally am not ready for a new piggie, she's very cute and sweet but I'm having a hard time seeing her in Dove's old cage and convincing myself I am not replacing her. Zuli on the other hand could not be happier. After they played and relaxed in a playpen for about 2 hours I cleaned and tried to rearrange the cage and used a new fleece. Zuli upon entering the "new" setup quickly pushed things back to the way she had it before and the new piggy just kind of followed her around. They are so quiet and so happy together. Oddly enough the other two haven't even squabbled as much as normal today either. They have been together in the cage for about 5 hours now and sleep next to each other and seem pretty happy, Zuli has resumed more than her usual level activity and we are naming the new one Lily. Although Lily hasn't figured out she can jump in the box of hay yet and graze so I have had to put some down in the corner for her. This is them camping out in the kitchen it was kinda dark but I didn't want to disturb them.

 

[Cookies&Glitter]