Hello.
I have four female guinea pigs in a 2 by 6 grids c and c cage, three of my girls seem to stick together while one seems to be a lonely and maybe slightly picked on by my boss pig, would it be a good idea to get another guinea pig for her to be friends with and if so male or female?
Adult or baby?
Hi!
Outsider problems are not at all uncommon in any groups from trios onwards.
If you want to test whether your outsider sow is not happy with her situation or not, then please follow the tips for a short term separation, which is for us humans the best way of working out your piggy's honest opinion as we cannot ask them directly. This includes her and the group's reaction when they meet again.
How to do this in detail and what exactly to look out for is described in this guide here:
Bonds In Trouble
If you want to find your outsider girl a new friend in the case that she is not happy in her group, then mutual liking and character compatibility come long before age or gender.
Ideally you rescue date to allow your piggy to choose who she vibes with and wants to live with if you have access to a good standard rescue that offers this service - and you can be assured to rehome a fully quarantined/vet cared, properly sexed and not pregnant sow or neutered boar including support during the settling phase and having the rescue to fall back on in case the bond is getting into major trouble.
Recommended good standard UK rescues:
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides
Recommended good standard non-kill rescues in some other countries:
Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations
Please keep in mind that in the English speaking world anybody can call themselves a rescue or a breeder without licensing or welfare control, and the results can be accordingly with every shade of grey in between all of these.
Key to any successful piggy bond is character compatilibity - and that is something that we humans cannot provide on spec. You can also never bank on your sow to want to live with another piggy in the first place. I have set up many dates that were looking perfect on paper and a total immediate fail in person. Yet the same piggy would fall in love with another piggy that I would not have necessarily put as a first coice!
My own pairings comprise similarly ages pairs (both sows or cross gender) and very loving cross gender bonds or sow bonding with a major age difference in either direction. Basically it's down to what works in each individual case...
The one thing I would not recommend at all is getting a piggy on spec unless you have a plan B at the ready in case your plan is not working out.
PS: Since we have members and enquiries from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to location in your account details (accessed by clicking on your username on the top bar). This makes it appear with every post to make and allows us to tailor any advice and recommendations straight away to what is available and relevant were you are instead of keeping it as general as possible.
