Hello!! Question, too

[Jillypooh]

My name is Jill. I currently have 6 piggies, 4 females, 2 males . . . I was introduced to guinea pigs at a pet store, I honestly didn't know about rescues, but then again, I wasn't looking to buy one at the time. I didn't know anything about guinea pigs, and an employee showed me one. He actually was pretty knowledgeable, especially when compared to what I've been reading about other pet stores. He has guinea pigs himself, and he told me what great pets they are. Anyway, he also told me about purchasing a large cage, and when I started researching cages, I found this site with info on c&c cages. I am so happy I bought "Miss Piggy," and decided to get her a companion. I wound up getting her 3 companions. I got a male only after falling in love with him, and he lives in a separate cage.

A few weeks ago, I was cleaning the girls' cage, and when I lifted up their shack, out popped a baby guinea pig!!! I was in shock!!!! One of my females, who we called Tiny (she was tiny, but grew fast) was pregnant, and we never knew. We bought her pregnant, she's never had contact with our male. She's a long hair, and we thought she was just eating too much. I know that sounds completely ridiculous, but we hold our piggies all the time, and never realized she was pregnant!

I just sexed the baby, and it's a male. I'm getting the supplies to build a larger c&c cage today . . . I want to know . . . Can I put this baby in with my adult male??? I think Tino, our male, would like a companion, but I don't want him to kill the baby. I think the baby is almost 4 weeks, and I need to get him out fast. How should I go about introducing them, or should I even try??

[GailtheGuineaPg]

Well CavySpirit has a great page on introducing. I recommend reading it before you do anything, and then begin the introductions. http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm

[rabbitsncavyluv]

You should have removed the baby male at 3 weeks. You can put him with the adult boar. He won't kill the baby. That's a myth. Adult boars usually love babies. Baby proof the cage.

Males can co exist peacefully. Unfortunately most pet stores perpetuate the myth that they fight and reinforce that by selling too tiny cages for them.

Read the link given to you and here Guinea Lynx :: Companionship and Guinea Lynx :: Topic - Boars Living Together

[jilovecavies]

Congrats on the new addition! Hopefully your boar will enjoy the new lil' guy. Pigtures, please!

On a side note, Jill's a great name! Jillian's mine.

[Jenni_Feathers]

Hows it going with them, have you introduced them yet? Even if you havent you need to get him out from with his mom and other females before he gets them pregonant!!!

[Jillypooh]

Just wanted to update everyone . . .

I introduced Tino to the baby in their new cage, and they are getting along just fine! I am thrilled! At first, they kind of rolled around the cage, it looked like they were playing, surprisingly, the baby was more aggressive than Tino. Now, they are best friends! If you take one out of the cage without the other, the one in the cage cries for him to come back! It's just adorable, and it seems like they really like one another. Tino does a lot of popcorning now, I think he's very happy to have a friend. I am glad I found this site, because I was advised by others (including other websites) that it's best not to introduce new males, and that males should only be kept together if they are littermates. Thank you so much for the advice everyone!

[jilovecavies]

What a great story! I'm glad they're happy.