When Is Enough Enough?

Cuddles With Cavies

Cuddles With Cavies

Junior Guinea Pig
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Back in June I brought a Peruvian sow called Pearl, to join my two girls Rosie and Amber. Introductions didn't go brilliant, but by the end of a very long day they were happy to sit in their 6x2 cage together. But Pearl never seemed to really "gel" with my other two. She always seems to stay out of their way and keep herself to herself. When she didn't come into contact with the other two, there was a lot of dominance.

I finally split them up the first week in July, due to a bite mark that randomly appeared on Rosie's back, although it turned out to be self inflicted due to mites.

Anyway, after an all clear from the vets, I decided to try and reintroduce them again today. Again, it started off well, then the longer they were together the more heated it got. There's been a small fight between Pearl and Amber but no injures. Afterward they sat happily munching hay together but Amber is visabley wary of Pearl now.

I just don't know if I'm doing the right thing. It goes from one minute they'll sit and eat happily together, to facing off and fighting, to completely ignoring each other in the space of 10mins. With how quickly Pearl is to fight (she's started nearly all of them) I'm terrified they'll end up fighting back in their cage and I won't be there to split them up.

But the only other choice it to rehome Pearl, as I dont have space for four pigs or to set up another cage and get her another mate that she may or may not take to.

When do you know when enough is enough. I would have separated them sooner but like I said, you have these golden moments when they sit happily with each other. :(
 
I feel absolutely drained now. After nearly 6 hours of trying to bond them, I've split them back up as everyone was just getting too agitated and the threat of a full blown fight was too high.

I feel like such a failure as I now feel that they'll never bond and my only choice it to rehome Pearl. I just have no clue on what to do now. :no:
 
Cuddles With Cavies said:
I feel absolutely drained now. After nearly 6 hours of trying to bond them, I've split them back up as everyone was just getting too agitated and the threat of a full blown fight was too high.

I feel like such a failure as I now feel that they'll never bond and my only choice it to rehome Pearl. I just have no clue on what to do now. :no:
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I am very sorry; I know how upsetting a failed bonding is. I've been through plenty of them over the years.

But it sounds you that you have taken it as far as it goes. It is my experience that when sows don't gel they make up their minds pretty early on and do not really change them. :(

I am linking in @Merrypigs Sanctuary and @VickiA for you. They run a sanctuary or foster for a rescue in your area and can hopefully work out a solution with you that does all parties justice.
 
I am really interested in your plight..I logged on to post a plea for advice. I had three 6-week old brothers from a rescue last Monday and although they were, and are, jittery at quick movements, I took each one out individually and gave them a cuddle and spoke to them. By Friday I noticed the smallest one seemed to rule the other two, taking their food and frequently hearing loud squealing, then two would come running out of their hide., agitated. By today, they are chattering and squeaking constantly and seem to be starting to fight. One little piggy keeps himself to himself most of the time, but I have just picked him up for a cuddle and he was shivering. I was quite prepared to get another cage for the fiesty one, but I am afraid there may be 2 of them. I had even planned to visit a forum- recommended rescue to see if I could fine him a friend, Bur I am not sure what to do now. My previous piggy was so placid and happy, these are a shock to my system! Any ideas anyone? They are trying to pick fights again right now.
 
munchmonster said:
I am really interested in your plight..I logged on to post a plea for advice. I had three 6-week old brothers from a rescue last Monday and although they were, and are, jittery at quick movements, I took each one out individually and gave them a cuddle and spoke to them. By Friday I noticed the smallest one seemed to rule the other two, taking their food and frequently hearing loud squealing, then two would come running out of their hide., agitated. By today, they are chattering and squeaking constantly and seem to be starting to fight. One little piggy keeps himself to himself most of the time, but I have just picked him up for a cuddle and he was shivering. I was quite prepared to get another cage for the fiesty one, but I am afraid there may be 2 of them. I had even planned to visit a forum- recommended rescue to see if I could fine him a friend, Bur I am not sure what to do now. My previous piggy was so placid and happy, these are a shock to my system! Any ideas anyone? They are trying to pick fights again right now.
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I'm afraid a trio of young boars is most unlikely to succeed as a group. I am surprised that a rescue rehomed 3 to you as a group. I would suggest that you ask that rescue to take one back from you so that you keep one bonded pair. May I ask which rescue the piggies came from?
 
It is not on your list, but went to one in Nottingham as none of forum-recommended ones are anywhere near where I live. I am trying not to take one back as i want to keep my promise to them all to give them a forever home even if it means buying another cage. If I can borrow a satnav I can try to get to Cavy Corner to find him a compatible friend. I did ask if they would be ok and the rescue centre person said yes, they should do as they are the same litter. I am so upset as I love all 3 of them already
 
Thank you very much. I'll be sure to contact both and speak to the on the possibilities of what can happen next. I feel so deflated as this is the first time I've ever had a group not work out. Even when my girls where young and difficult we got through it. But Pearl just seems so different to any pig I've had before and I feel so guilty as I chose to have her and it's upset everybody, including Amber and Rosie's close sisterly relationship. :(


Wiebke said:
I am very sorry; I know how upsetting a failed bonding is. I've been through plenty of them over the years.

But it sounds you that you have taken it as far as it goes. It is my experience that when sows don't gel they make up their minds pretty early on and do not really change them. :(

I am linking in @Merrypigs Sanctuary and @VickiA for you. They run a sanctuary or foster for a rescue in your area and can hopefully work out a solution with you that does all parties justice.
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ha k you
 
@Cuddles With Cavies
I'm so sorry to hear the bonding hasn't been a success :(
We do currently have available spaces if you decide to rehome Pearl - let me know how you get on with Helen and Mandy! If they are full at Potteries we should be able to help :)
Please don't beat yourself up! Some piggies just don't like each other :hug:
 
Thank you so much. It's good to know that there's somewhere she could maybe go if there is no way for me to keep her. I think my biggest fear is her ending up in a tiny little storebrought cage with no friends or enrichment.

Merrypigs Sanctuary said:
@Cuddles With Cavies
I'm so sorry to hear the bonding hasn't been a success :(
We do currently have available spaces if you decide to rehome Pearl - let me know how you get on with Helen and Mandy! If they are full at Potteries we should be able to help :)
Please don't beat yourself up! Some piggies just don't like each other :hug:
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Cuddles With Cavies said:
Thank you so much. It's good to know that there's somewhere she could maybe go if there is no way for me to keep her. I think my biggest fear is her ending up in a tiny little storebrought cage with no friends or enrichment.
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Both rescue connections I have linked in are on our list of recommended rescues. This guarantees that all guinea pigs are all safe at any stage of the rescue/rehome process and that they only go to home checked homes that comply or surpass minimal welfare standards. It also means that no guinea pigs are being rehomed into single positions without any guinea pig company whatsoever. ;)

A failed bonding when you cannot offer an alternative solution is very gutting. If it is a consolation to you, I have guinea pigs here with me that have failed 5 bondings or more... I still have two bereaved old sows that will no longer accept a new companion (they are keeping each other company through the bars) and a mother-daughter pair where mum has massive bonding problems because her previous home must have been a nightmare before she was dumped with a male and another pregnant sow in a tree stump in a park. They have been with me for half a year, but so far nothing has worked out.

I have had unwanted/bereaved guinea pigs coming here as potential companions for these piggies that haven't worked out and that I had to then hand on or back into rescue where they have thankfully found new companions and good homes. Some of them were truly lovely, but I just didn't have the extra space to keep them AND my own near or totally unbondable sows of which at some point I had four at the beginning of this year! :(

Some guinea pigs, especially singles that have been kept on their own for too and that are very fear-aggressive as a result can be very difficult to bond. At a good rescue there is a much greater option of piggies to try a difficult one with and to find a mate they are happy with.

Your two sisters are hopefully going back together once tempers have settled down again in a day or two. ;)
 
Thanks. I feel awful thinking about rehoming her but maybe it's the best option here. I don't know I'll have to fully review everything really.

And I not overly sure why they don't get on to be honest. I got Pearl as an exbreeder who'd been living with 14 (yes 14!) other sows and their young. I don't know whether she found it difficult being moved from group to group and in and out with boys. She's very quick to snap though, it's something I've not seen before. Both my girls can be pushed quite far before they take a pop at the other (in fact I've never seen them snap before Pearl) where as Pearl is very quick to snap when she's confronted.

Wiebke said:
Both rescue connections I have linked in are on our list of recommended rescues. This guarantees that all guinea pigs are all safe at any stage of the rescue/rehome process and that they only go to home checked homes that comply or surpass minimal welfare standards. It also means that no guinea pigs are being rehomed into single positions without any guinea pig company whatsoever. ;)

A failed bonding when you cannot offer an alternative solution is very gutting. If it is a consolation to you, I have guinea pigs here with me that have failed 5 bondings or more... I still have two bereaved old sows that will no longer accept a new companion (they are keeping each other company through the bars) and a mother-daughter pair where mum has massive bonding problems because her previous home must have been a nightmare before she was dumped with a male and another pregnant sow in a tree stump in a park. They have been with me for half a year, but so far nothing has worked out.

I have had unwanted/bereaved guinea pigs coming here as potential companions for these piggies that haven't worked out and that I had to then hand on or back into rescue where they have thankfully found new companions and good homes. Some of them were truly lovely, but I just didn't have the extra space to keep them AND my own near or totally unbondable sows of which at some point I had four at the beginning of this year! :(

Some guinea pigs, especially singles that have been kept on their own for too and that are very fear-aggressive as a result can be very difficult to bond. At a good rescue there is a much greater option of piggies to try a difficult one with and to find a mate they are happy with.

Your two sisters are hopefully going back together once tempers have settled down again in a day or two. ;)
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I have forewarned Helen and Mandy that you may be in touch. I'm sorry that it hasn't worked out but sometimes sows can be very tricky to bond. I suspect that having removed Pearl your original pair will get back to normal. Please don't feel bad that this has happened.
 
Cuddles With Cavies said:
Thanks. I feel awful thinking about rehoming her but maybe it's the best option here. I don't know I'll have to fully review everything really.

And I not overly sure why they don't get on to be honest. I got Pearl as an exbreeder who'd been living with 14 (yes 14!) other sows and their young. I don't know whether she found it difficult being moved from group to group and in and out with boys. She's very quick to snap though, it's something I've not seen before. Both my girls can be pushed quite far before they take a pop at the other (in fact I've never seen them snap before Pearl) where as Pearl is very quick to snap when she's confronted.
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Piggies from a bad breeder who pays no attention whatsoever to piggy behaviour and dynamics are some of the most messed up piggies and can be very difficult to bond. :(

Not your fault. You have got Pearl to give her a good home, have given her a chance and will make sure that her future is at all times in safe hands. Sometimes it is as important to accept your own limits (if not more) than to celebrate your achievements. It is a simple fact that not every piggy will bond and work out with every other piggy. You have just come up against one of them.

I would recommend that if you want to expand your group, next time you ideally take your girls to a rescue to let them meet potential mates there under expert supervision (whether that is sows or neutered boars) so you come home with a new mate only if acceptance has happened.
Especially with small groups and when you do not have an alternative option ready, going rescue dating is by far the safest way of making sure that you do not end up with a problem. I still do it myself when I haven't got a plan B available. I have travelled on the train to both the RSPCA Walsall in Cannock and The Potteries GPR in Kidsgrove in order to date Tribe piggies - repeatedly. They are my two closest good rescues.

However, I would give your sisters some time to settle down first before you try again. I would also recommend to opt for either a young pair of sows or a neutered boar; that also makes a bonding success somewhat easier. These are experiences I have made the hard way.
 
Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it. It's at times like this when I find this forum absolutely invaluable. All the support and advice from other people is so amazing and truly comforting.

Thank you all so very much.

Wiebke said:
Piggies from a bad breeder who pays no attention whatsoever to piggy behaviour and dynamics are some of the most messed up piggies and can be very difficult to bond. :(

Not your fault. You have got Pearl to give her a good home, have given her a chance and will make sure that her future is at all times in safe hands. Sometimes, it is as important to accept your own limits (if not more) than to celebrate your achievements. It is a simple fact that not every piggy will bond and work out with every other piggy. You have just come up against one of them.

I would recommend that if you want to expand your group, next time you ideally take your girls to a rescue to let them meet potential mates there under expert supervision (whether that is sows or neutered boars) so you come home with a new mate only once acceptance has happened.
Especially with small groups and when you do not have an alternative option ready, going rescue dating is by far the safest way of making sure that you do not end up with a problem. I still do it myself when I haven't got a plan B available. I have travelled on the train to both the RSPCA Walsall in Cannock and The Potteries GPR in Kidsgrove in order to date Tribe piggies - repeatedly. They are my two closest good rescues.

However, I would give your sisters some time to settle down first before you try again. I would also recommend to opt for either a young pair of sows or a neutered boar; that also makes a bonding success somewhat easier. These are experiences I have made the hard way.
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Cuddles With Cavies said:
Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it. It's at times like this when I find this forum absolutely invaluable. All the support and advice from other people is so amazing and truly comforting.

Thank you all so very much.
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Whether you go with Merrypigs, The Potteries or the RSPCA Walsall, you are in all cases in good and safe hands, whether it is to assure a safe future for Pearl or to adopt more piggies in the future. These are the three rescues within your reach that we can guarantee for. ;)
 
Wiebke said:
Whether you go with Merrypigs, The Potteries or the RSPCA Walsall, you are in all cases in good and safe hands, whether it is to assure a safe future for Pearl or to adopt more piggies in the future. These are the three rescues within your reach that we can guarantee for. ;)
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I agree completely with @Wiebke - all 3 of the rescues she has named are reputable and reliable.
 
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