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Hello Everyone !!!!!

curbilly

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I am new to the forums, and also new to the world of Guinea Pigs. I recently purchased 3 baby boy Skinny Pigs that will be shipped to me in a few weeks. I have just finished their new home (I will post photos in the proper thread) and I am so looking forward to being a guinea pig parent
 

bpatters

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curbilly

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Thank you for the links, I am new to joining but i have been visiting here for months lol....I posted some photos of the cage setup in the other thread, if u would be so kind to take a look and give me your thoughts. Thanks again
 

lissie

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Boar trios are harder to stay together peacefully in the long run. Can you get only two?
 

curbilly

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I have a deposit on all 3, so i am not sure. I was originally only getting 2, but the breeder asked if I was interested in all 3 since they were siblings.
 

bpatters

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Siblings don't matter as far as getting along. I'm with [MENTION=11509]lissie[/MENTION] -- pairs are much easier. We never recommend trios.
 

curbilly

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Thanks for the advice, I guess I need to have a discussion with the breeder, not sure why this isn't something that would of been brought up.
 

bpatters

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Because the breeder is in the business of selling pigs. Their adjustment after they're with you isn't his top priority.
 

curbilly

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I totally get that if I was paying for the 3rd one, but I paid for 2 of them and the 3rd was just an adoption. In your experience is their a time period before they start to not get along? I?m wondering if I can keep all 3 and then just move 1 to a different cage later on


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Soecara

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In my experience I would expect things to start going wrong with a young boar trio about the time when puberty really hits, so around 3-4 months old.

If you did get all three I would advise to get a second cage ready as soon as possible, and be on the lookout for a fourth boar to house with the one that would end up as a solo, that way you would end up with two boar pairs in two seperate cages.
 

bpatters

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You'd do better to get a fourth and set up for two pairs. They'll probably start really squabbling when they hit puberty, and you can wind up with an injured pig with not much warning beforehand.

The younger they are when you put them together, the more likely they are to accept each other, although there's no guarantee that they'll always get along.
 

curbilly

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You'd do better to get a fourth and set up for two pairs. They'll probably start really squabbling when they hit puberty, and you can wind up with an injured pig with not much warning beforehand.

The younger they are when you put them together, the more likely they are to accept each other, although there's no guarantee that they'll always get along.

If I go with a 4th, I?m assuming you mean keeping 2 in 1 cage and 2 in another?

They were just born less than a month ago and according to the breeder they are together now and I?m getting them in 10-14 days. Just out of curiosity how is it that 2 get along, but more than that don?t. Also does the size of the cage make a difference in them getting along


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bpatters

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I don't know why pairs are easier than triplets, but they are. Trios almost NEVER work. Occasionally they do, but there's usually one very mellow pig in the group, and that seems to settle everybody down.

Strangely enough, large groups of boars work better than trios, but we don't recommend that new pig owners even think about doing that.

Boars are territorial, and one getting in another's face because they don't have enough room is a frequent cause of fights and injuries. You need a minimum of 16 square feet of flat area for three boars.
 

curbilly

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I don't know why pairs are easier than triplets, but they are. Trios almost NEVER work. Occasionally they do, but there's usually one very mellow pig in the group, and that seems to settle everybody down.

Strangely enough, large groups of boars work better than trios, but we don't recommend that new pig owners even think about doing that.

Boars are territorial, and one getting in another's face because they don't have enough room is a frequent cause of fights and injuries. You need a minimum of 16 square feet of flat area for three boars.
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This is the cage I just set up for them. Naturally I still have to add the bedding and stuff later on. Do u think this will work to at least give 3 a chance? I really wish I knew that having a trio was such an issue prior to saying yes to all 3. It makes it difficult to not take 1 of them.



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bpatters

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It should be large enough. That still doesn't mean they'll all get along. It just eliminates lack of space as an aggravating factor.
 

curbilly

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It should be large enough. That still doesn't mean they'll all get along. It just eliminates lack of space as an aggravating factor.

Thank you..I guess this is a decision that I am going to have to ponder over the next few days, even though I don?t have the piggies yet, we have grown attached to them through pictures and videos. I appreciate everyone?s help and advice and I am open to more of it to help in this decision.


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spy9doc

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First of all, my compliments on your cage! It looks very much like mine, both in color and size.

It appears that you have room for a larger cage? Why not make it at least one more grid in length at 6 grids, particularly if you contemplate having more than two cavies? I have two boys in a 2x5 with a 2x2 loft and would make the cage larger in a heartbeat if I had the room. One can never have too much room for our fur babies. :D

I might also suggest an offset loft which would provide easier access to cleaning the main level below it.
 

curbilly

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First of all, my compliments on your cage! It looks very much like mine, both in color and size.

It appears that you have room for a larger cage? Why not make it at least one more grid in length at 6 grids, particularly if you contemplate having more than two cavies? I have two boys in a 2x5 with a 2x2 loft and would make the cage larger in a heartbeat if I had the room. One can never have too much room for our fur babies. :D

I might also suggest an offset loft which would provide easier access to cleaning the main level below it.

Thank you...I?m kinda proud of it lol. Yes I didn?t realize I would have the room to extend it another grid so it?s definitely an option.

I have the French doors on the bottom right under the loft with a separate kitchen/ bistro tray too which slides in and out from the base and threw the doors.


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