Watch their behavior closely. You can put all three pigs in the bathtub (keep the oven mitt handy) and run about 1 inch of warm water. Are Species Mixing Okay? Never place a hamster or guinea pig … Required fields are marked *. Let the pigs find each other on their own time. Ideal for: Offering your pet a multi-purpose … Hamsters do not like sharing their enclosures with other animals, even other hamsters. An obstacle course. Keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together is not an ideal combination – RSPCA. Lay a blanket down and enclose it so they can't escape. When two or more guinea pigs are allowed to mingle, you can expect any one of the three possibilities. You’ll want to consider the overall personality of your bunny before deciding whether or not to do this. Guinea pigs all have their own personality. Should it be Male or female? How to know which food my guinea pig likes? When you're done, they will all smell exactly the same. Bonding may happen in one afternoon or it may take months. Let your dog see you set up your guinea pig’s cage in a safe room, but avoid letting the animals see each other for several days. Put them on some towels on the bathroom floor and dry them off as much as possible with a towel. Some will act like long lost buddies or lovers. Feel free to download our guide (PDF): When this happens, you need to take action, as leaving them to their own devices could result in one of them getting seriously injured, or even killed. Make sure the towels are between you and there is a good amount of space (it helps to have a big couch). Never try to introduce guinea pigs in one of their cages. In this case, try to make them happier with their favourite foods or longer durations outdoor. Young or old? Finish drying them with a hairdryer. Guinea pigs are highly social. But they may back down before they engage. Usually a signal of a biting attack. All rights reserved. They are different species, so they can only see each other as enemies competing for resources. Here is another technique used for harder-to-introduce couples or trios, especially when adding a new male to a bonded male pair. They like to do that in order to keep warm, safe and enjoy social interactions. Try the introductions again, this time on a new blanket that's just out of the dryer or is completely clean. You may need to nudge them in the right direction. Thanks to Cavy Spirit for providing this information! Are Species Mixing Okay? Combination of raised hackles, loud and angry teeth chattering, rumblestrutting in place with the head staying in one position while facing the other guinea pig doing the same thing. Butt dragging (they are leaving their scent), Nose face-offs (higher in the air wins, one must lower their nose to be subservient to the other), Teeth chattering: a little (signal of dominance), Raised hackles (hair on the back of the neck and along the spine), Teeth chattering: sustained (signal of anger, aggression, warning), Nips, light bites (may result in little tufts of fur in their teeth). February 6, 2017 by Marylou Zarbock. This can lead to some fighting. That does not meet the suggested minimum, but is still almost 2 square feet larger than the typical "large" cage. Don’t be tempted to keep one guinea pig on her own, she’ll be sad. Freezing. Guinea pigs need toys to have a good life and avoid stress. Their memories usually allow them to identify their owners as well as other guinea pigs. Clean any other hidey boxes or toys. In that case, the younger one may challenge the older one's position as alpha guinea pig. This initial introduction system, developed by Cavy Spirit, is done to determine how fast or prolonged the process will be. They are social, and spend lots of time in their groups. https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/how-to-introduce-guinea-pigs, https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/behavior/guinea-pig-bonding-basics, Terms and Conditions for Pocket pet central, A very crucial part of the introduction is to, You need to be prepared for anything that may befall. Guinea pigs need as large of a cage as you can fit and afford, and many pet shop cages marketed for guinea pigs are actually too small. This will ensure that the new guinea pig does not have any medical problems which could be transmitted to the other. We shall see in detail about each of these steps in the upcoming sections. If you have a male, you will want another male. This is a clear, brief signal of their intent to launch full attacks at each other. The pigs are locked together in a vicious ball of fur. Make sure your hand is always on their fur so you can feel the level of heat you are giving them. For caring, compassionate advice and resources to address all your animal concerns. If you suspect your new guinea pig is not well, take it to your vet as soon as possible. In their natural habitat in the wild, guinea pigs exist in herds. How long and what next? The heading of this section might possibly be the dialogues between them in squeaky guinea pig language, if they positively responded to their first introduction. When forming these sleeping groups, one of them will keep awake, guarding the others. However, it is not always a great idea to let the two species live together. A good idea is to use wire meshing … Two boars should not be housed in less than 10.5 square feet. They will spend their time fighting, not playing. You can approach it with the step-by-step formula described here for best results. And toys are a great way to accomplish this. Guinea pig playtime is something both you and your guinea pigs can happily enjoy together. By positive response we mean their actions such as jumping, sniffing or staying longer near the common barrier. Males are quite territorial, and there may be a sense of competition that arises which could cause fights. Another easy game involves balling up a piece of paper for them to roll around with their noses. Play with fun DIY toys together. Guinea pigs are social and love the attention from humans as well as their own kind. In the case of two guinea pigs, there are two choices: These two combinations will help them get along with each other very well. Your email address will not be published. One of those animals will end up dead if you do this. Gardens and backyards are preferred over large open fields because of exposure to predators in the latter case. Three, they do nothing! A guinea pig that is handled frequently will be more tame, calm, and relaxed in their day to day life. Most domestic guinea pigs prefer to be around other animals, and adopting another guinea pig can have a positive change in your pet's life; however, guinea pigs are territorial and any major change should be made gradually to assure things go smoothly. You want to remove ALL scents from the cage. If you only had two piggies and one died, the remaining one will probably find it difficult to cope and you may need to get a new pig to help them get over the loss. Guinea pigs and rabbits may look superficially similar to us, but their behaviour and body language is very, very different. They not only can smell each other, but they also hear and talk to each other. Use a small-animal shampoo that is kitten or bunny-safe (not a baby or human shampoo). This initial introduction system, developed by Cavy Spirit, is done to determine how fast or prolonged the process will be. Do not scold him if he tenses up or gets aggressive; instead, simply distract him with a toy or a treat. If you are willing to give your guinea pig a good home with proper food, attention, living space, grooming, and veterinary care, you will be rewarded with a happy, healthy, cute, and fun guinea pig. You may have noticed that I am referring to the task of making your guinea pigs get along, as a “process”. Spread them out over the middle of the couch. Both books should explain to you why that is a really really bad idea. Put the towels on the couch (neutral, unfamiliar territory). Although, if they run beside each other you have nothing to worry about. Full battle. Give them the space that they need for them to get along better. Some will decide on peaceful co-existence right from the beginning. What Guinea pigs love to play with most of all, is other guinea pigs. Treats are a great way to play with your pet. Do not use bare hands. Now, before moving them together into a common cage, you need to bring them to a more social and friendly mood. Let us approach this in steps. Rinse them off carefully and well making sure that you get all the soap out. Many, many people have pairs or trios of boars who get along great. Look for lice, fleas, fungus (ringworm), eye or nasal discharge, excessive sneezing, wheezing, loud breathing, and more. Cavies LOVE playing with toys, and they’re not terribly picky about … I love animals! But when two guinea pigs chase each other, it is a sign that they do not get along very well. You can read more about whether or not it’s better to get a male of female guinea pig here. You should handle the new guinea pig last and wash your hands after handling. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Unintended bites from their very sharp incisors can cause serious damage. I enjoy learning about pets and to share what I learn with others. Now you have to find a place for them to meet. Kaytee Tropical Fiddle Sticks Hideout For Small Animals. So, when you know that the sexes are compatible, switch their resources. If you have a male that is not neutered, along with a female, then get ready to have more guinea pigs from their litter. PLEASE be responsible and go out immediately and get two books, one on guinea pigs as pets, and one on rats as pets. Nowadays, fixing a rabbit is the norm, meaning you don’t have to substitute a rabbit playmate for a guinea pig … Negative responses including biting each other, chasing or constant attempts to hide away from the other. If they dislike each other, it will be apparent pretty quickly. There are a number of issues … Don't get any water in the eyes, nose, or ears. Guinea pigs need continuous access to hay to aid their digestion and limit the growth of their teeth. It's a matter of matching up personalities. Allow your dog to pick up the guinea pig’s scent by spending time near the door. You can get to know that your guinea pigs have a good bond when they groom each other and share food. Make sure it's on the WARM setting, and never get it too close to their skin. Keep Toys For Your Guinea Pigs To Play With To Reduce Stress. This could mean two different things. A guinea pig will stay completely still if it senses danger or feels threatened. If they do not show any negative reactions to being around the new scent, you can proceed to the next step of the process. If they did not get along, you can surely observe the negative response. Keep kids quiet and out of reach with no other distractions. The all natural Piggies Choice Hay Racks are available finally! Follow these steps instead. Mange mites are not visible to the naked eye. https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/how-to-introduce-guinea-pigs https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/behavior/guinea-pig-bonding-basics. Make it big enough so they have room to roam around. As we are talking about tunnels and playthings, why not make this a productive … Some pet owners have been able to make their dogs and guinea pigs get along, while others have not. What you don't want to do is plop the new guinea pig into your existing guinea pig's cage. Get a large bath towel or two. This is the easiest path to take, since it doesn't require surgery to neuter or spay. It helps to have a feel for their personalities. Make sure no small children are around. The only way is to try different treats. Although, it is not recommended to switch food bowls because they would only recognize the scent of the food over the scent of the other individual. But keep your interactions and interference to an absolute minimum. When bonded guinea pigs are happy together, they jump like popcorn. Grooming behavior is reasonable, they groom each other’s … Gerbils are playful creatures. Both pigs rear up on their haunches, face to face. What does it mean? 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Fields are marked * in their natural habitat in the eyes, nose, or ears the three.... New guinea pig will stay completely still if it senses danger or feels threatened way! Toys to have a good idea is to use wire meshing … two boars should be...
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