Just wondering what you think...

[Rhinos_mom]

So I'm going to be making a new c&c cage for my little Rhino. But i had this idea of getting him a buddy.... so....

I was just wondering... if i make the cage and wait a while, will Rhino establish it as his territory? He's my first guinea pig so i don't know much about them still. If he thinks its all his, what happens when i get his brother? should i get the pig first and make sure they like each other before i make the cage and introduce them both to it at the same time? or would that be too stressful? but wouldn't introducing a new pig into another pigs territory be stressful? i guess i was just wondering how to go about doing this...

[Raine59]

It seems like it would be best to wait til you have the new one too and then build the cage and put them in it right after introductions so your current piggie doesn't think it's his and his alone.

[Rhinos_mom]

Oh and how long do introductions range? i'm sure it takes a while and its different from piggy to piggy but i was just curious.


Edit: fixed typo :P

[Rhinos_mom]

It seems like it would be best to wait til you have the new one too and then build the cage and put them in it right after introductions so your current piggie doesn't think it's his and his alone.

That's kinda what i was thinking... i assume they do establish territories because lots of animals do, but like i said, Rhino is still new for me, i've had him for a while but he's only ever seen another piggy through a cage while my boyfriend was pig sitting for me (he has a girl piggy so obviously they couldn't be together). I don't know what his life was like before i adopted him of course but i do know he was alone when i adopted him.

[LitaRutherford]

If you waited to build the cage till after you had both then you would be able to skip the full cage cleaning that you'd have to do. You'd just need two cages to start with, one for new guy and one for Rhino, then build the joint cage and after intros put the two in the new cage. As for intro length...dont know any particular rule about that. When i introduced Bear to Porcupine and Odair I put them in neutral territory and watched them for a few hours before I put them in their big cage. Gave them time to work out lot of kinks and get comfortable around eachother. But I'm not sure what most people do. I've only ever introduced new pigs this one time before.

[Rhinos_mom]

If you waited to build the cage till after you had both then you would be able to skip the full cage cleaning that you'd have to do. You'd just need two cages to start with, one for new guy and one for Rhino, then build the joint cage and after intros put the two in the new cage. As for intro length...dont know any particular rule about that. When i introduced Bear to Porcupine and Odair I put them in neutral territory and watched them for a few hours before I put them in their big cage. Gave them time to work out lot of kinks and get comfortable around eachother. But I'm not sure what most people do. I've only ever introduced new pigs this one time before.

Well honestly i'd rather get the new cage first so i think what i'm going to do is just clean it out really good and rearrange things when i put them in together. I'm thinking that would probably work the best for me. thanks for the help

[lissie]

When you adopt a new guinea pig, you'd have to keep him quarantined in a different room for 3 weeks. You can get the new cage now, but you'd still need a quarantine cage.

Intro should be done once, if they get along, keep them together. Don't keep separating and putting them back together. They'll have to go over dominance every time you put them together.


Guinea Pigs Social Life

[lissie]

Wouldn't introducing a new pig into another pigs territory be stressful? i guess i was just wondering how to go about doing this...

Introduction should always be done on neutral territory. The cage has to be thoroughly cleaned to remove any scents before you can put both pigs in the same cage.

[CinnandMegsMom]

Reading this thread I think my plan of action would be to get your new GP and do quarantine. While new herd member is in quarantine build the new home. After quarantine put GP's into new house. They will still rumble around, but my thinking it will be less because of the new surroundings.