This is the easiest path to take, since it doesn't require surgery to neuter or spay. 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 you suspect your new guinea pig is not well, take it to your vet as soon as possible. With respect to the provision of water, have two different sources for the two guinea pigs. Even one guinea pig needs 7.5 square feet. You should handle the new guinea pig last and wash your hands after handling. Make sure the towels are between you and there is a good amount of space (it helps to have a big couch). And toys are a great way to accomplish this. Give them the space that they need for them to get along better. As we are talking about tunnels and playthings, why not make this a productive … These two combinations will help them get along with each other very well. Some pet owners have been able to make their dogs and guinea pigs get along, while others have not. However, it is not always a great idea to let the two species live together. Three, they do nothing! They do not usually like to spend time grooming each other. Guinea pigs are small pets, but they require plenty of space, time, effort, and human interaction. Negative responses including biting each other, chasing or constant attempts to hide away from the other. Most, however, will go through the standard dominance dance, getting to know each other and trying to figure out who is going to be the boss. One, both of them could be sick. A lonely guinea pig may get depressed. 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. Even if they are not actively fighting but are in "fight mode," they may bite. Let the pigs find each other on their own time. Required fields are marked *. There are a number of issues … So try them one by one on a trial and error basis. Ideal for: Offering your pet a multi-purpose … Here is a look at... Can Gerbils Live With Other Animals? Guinea pigs need toys to have a good life and avoid stress. When you try to bring together two or more guinea pigs that aren’t familiar with each other, it is quite a complicated process to break the ice between them and make them get along well. Chasing may seem romantic or friendly when two humans try it. Many, many people have pairs or trios of boars who get along great. When you observe these signs, immediately take them away from each other, and start all over again from square one. When two or more guinea pigs are allowed to mingle, you can expect any one of the three possibilities. So. Hamsters are nocturnal while guinea pigs are not. Play with fun DIY toys together. That way you have less risk of transmitting parasites or other things on your clothing. Are Species Mixing Okay? Do not force your guinea pigs to eat items that they avoid when given. They like to do that in order to keep warm, safe and enjoy social interactions. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Get a large bath towel or two. You can approach it with the step-by-step formula described here for best results. All rights reserved. Make it big enough so they have room to roam around. Finish drying them with a hairdryer. What you don't want to do is plop the new guinea pig into your existing guinea pig's cage. Don't get any water in the eyes, nose, or ears. Adding a few more square feet for two should be possible in most cases. Some owners keep them with other species such as guinea pigs and rabbits. I grew up with everything from dogs and cats to rabbits and guinea pigs. Some guinea pigs will get along great. Guinea pig playtime is something both you and your guinea pigs can happily enjoy together. They usually establish a natural hierarchy, with the younger one being subservient to the older one. Larger digs increase the likelihood of peaceful co-existence among multiple guinea pigs (and since guinea pigs are social animals, they do best when housed together). Should they ever play together? This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. If they did not get along, you can surely observe the negative response. Hamsters do not like sharing their enclosures with other animals, even other hamsters. A piggy in their play area can cause stress and aggression. This will ensure that the new guinea pig does not have any medical problems which could be transmitted to the other. You may have noticed that I am referring to the task of making your guinea pigs get along, as a “process”. But when two guinea pigs chase each other, it is a sign that they do not get along very well. Potential dangers of guinea pig and hamster play dates. It's the next 15 to 30 minutes that can get interesting. Never try to introduce guinea pigs in one of their cages. Have patience, take your time, always do this on neutral territory, and don't give up too soon. If you have a male that is not neutered, along with a female, then get ready to have more guinea pigs from their litter. This initial introduction system, developed by Cavy Spirit, is done to determine how fast or prolonged the process will be. 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. If you have a female, you'll want another female. When you pair up a young guinea pig with any other guinea pig (young or old), there is a chance that as the younger guinea pig goes through its adolescent period (3-5 months), they will challenge the other guinea pig for top guinea pig position. It surely does not mean that they do not get along well with each other. 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). They do better in groups. Throw a towel over them and use a dustpan or something other than your hand to separate them. Full battle. 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. They will all notice each other. Rabbits do not naturally get along well with guinea pigs, or any other animals that aren’t their own kind. Guinea pigs and rabbits may look superficially similar to us, but their behaviour and body language is very, very different. Gerbils are playful creatures. Each person holding a pig sits at opposite ends of the couch. This is an area where many guinea pig owners commit a mistake because of the misconception that guinea pigs are playing happily when they chase each other. They need to have things to do during the day, fun things to do! They shouldn't fight. You can try to switch their bedding or their play items. Mange mites are not visible to the naked eye. Keeping guinea pigs and rabbits: It’s possible to keep guinea pigs and rabbits together, if their enclosure is large enough, but there should be more than one of each species. You can get to know that your guinea pigs have a good bond when they groom each other and share food. If blood is drawn, it's definitely time to stop the session. If you do follow the steps in the right sequence, and you receive positive interaction between your guinea pigs, then congratulations (to them! Separate if possible before the attack. Guinea pigs love spending time together. Sure, your guinea pigs can play among themselves or even amuse themselves, but nothing beats the daily stimulation of playing with … A split 2x4 grid cage will provide each guinea pig with 5.25 square feet of space. The bathroom scare will hopefully cause them to bond together, and they will group together out of necessity. If you keep a group of guinea pigs in the same cage, there are high chances of them sleeping together forming a group of quiet guinea pigs. Thanks to Cavy Spirit for providing this information! PLEASE be responsible and go out immediately and get two books, one on guinea pigs as pets, and one on rats as pets. To make matters worse, rabbits are (in general) much bigger and stronger than guinea pigs, and can cause severe injury to them – even if thumping in play, the rabbit’s strong hind legs can cripple or kill a guinea pig. The floor works, too. If you have one guinea pig, it’s always good to get it a cagemate. They may leap at each other and start fighting, in which case you should have an oven mitt, dust pan or towel you can wrap around your hand to separate them. Look for these behaviors as an indicator of when to separate them. A good rule of thumb when playing with your guinea pig is to play on or near the ground or other safe surface. Rinse them off carefully and well making sure that you get all the soap out. livianovakova10/pixabay.com. Follow these steps instead. Nowadays, fixing a rabbit is the norm, meaning you don’t have to substitute a rabbit playmate for a guinea pig … Examine your new guinea pig very closely and carefully while in quarantine. Keep kids quiet and out of reach with no other distractions. Most of the time the behaviors will continue for a while until one backs down. I love animals! They’ll play together by chasing each other around the cage, running through tunnels, and even playing with toys. Closely monitor their interactions for the first few weeks, if they continue to interact positively, then congratulations, your guinea pigs now get along very well. While minimum cage size requirements for two guinea pigs is 7.5 square feet (or a 2x3 grid cage), we recommend a 10.5 square-foot cage (or a 2x4 grid cage). This can lead to some fighting. One, they get along with each other very well. Young or old? 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. Guinea pigs are a social, herd animal. Make sure it's on the WARM setting, and never get it too close to their skin. Two boars should not be housed in less than 10.5 square feet. Bonding may happen in one afternoon or it may take months. For caring, compassionate advice and resources to address all your animal concerns. When you're done, they will all smell exactly the same. Follow these steps instead. When you replace all the items, move them around so that nothing is in the same place as it used to be. This is a clear, brief signal of their intent to launch full attacks at each other. This initial introduction system, developed by Cavy Spirit, is done to determine how fast or prolonged the process will be. You may need to nudge them in the right direction. Never try to introduce guinea pigs in one of their cages. In their natural habitat in the wild, guinea pigs exist in herds. But there are a few more things that you should always watch out for in these situations. Guinea pigs are social animals. Make sure no small children are around. Guinea pigs are very different in their behavior. It helps to have a feel for their personalities. Try to match up a dominant guinea pig with a subordinate guinea pig. 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. Ideally, that means a 2x6 grid cage (requiring a 7.5-8-foot long table) with a common grid wall divider to provide the minimum cage space of 2x3 grids (or 7.5 square feet) per guinea pig. They will feel that it's an entirely new home and won't be so territorial about defending it against the new boar. There are a Few Things You Have to do Now That They are Ready to Move in Together: Isn’t chasing a good sign? Guinea pigs tend to be most active in the morning and evening when it may not be convenient to take them out for playtime. First, if possible, try to make them communicate with each other in such a way that they cannot come in contact with. In order to achieve this, you can give them longer times outdoor than usual. Gerbils and guinea pigs cannot play together. Step 4: Moving In together! Guinea pigs are very playful they need the companionship of other guinea pigs, and they will play together, but a hamster is not a good substitute for a guinea pig. Generally, guinea pigs are hardest hit by the death of companions if they lived together as a pair than when they were part of a larger pack. Look for lice, fleas, fungus (ringworm), eye or nasal discharge, excessive sneezing, wheezing, loud breathing, and more. Unfortunately, there are instances where two guinea pigs quite simply don’t like each other. If you need to separate your guinea pigs because they stop getting along, provide them both adequate cage space with a common grid wall so that they can be next to each other for company and safe interaction. If you have a male, you will want another male. What does it mean? According to the recommendations of Blue Cross, you need at cage dimensions to be a minimum of 120cmx50cmx50cm for two guinea pigs to get along well. Then put all three boars in the new cage. Put the towels on the couch (neutral, unfamiliar territory). First and foremost, you want to make sure that you do NOT end up with a breeding pair or a pregnant female. link to Can Gerbils Live With Other Animals? Two, they fight with each other or show their territorial nature. When you bring home a new friend for an existing guinea pig, or get guinea pigs from two different sources, keep them in separate rooms with separate cages for 2-3 weeks before trying to put them together. 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