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Introductions Want to adopt, what to look for?

Velkyre

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So, I'm moving in 3 months and since I will be getting more room, I'm planning to extend my guinea pig's cage which means I can now get him a partner, finally!

But I'm a bit confused here. What should I be looking for? Should I try to see if I can find a young piggie (- 1 year) or will an older one do better?
My guinea pig is a male, 1 year and 1 month old, and probably quite dominant. Even though he's doing better, he chatters with his teeth a lot and moves his butt to the sites sometimes... I believe that's a dominant behavior?

Any help?
I already got my eyes on some in need piggies, and will talk to the shelter tomorrow.
 

bpatters

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Ditto ThePigAlchemist. The fact that he's rumblestrutting means nothing at all. All pigs do it, and if you put another male with him, they'll both do it. It's far more important to try to place him with a pig he'll get along with, and for that, you need a rescue that will allow meet-and-greets.
 

Velkyre

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Ok, so he doesn't need to be dominant, right? Then why does he do it that much? Does it mean something else?

I will talk to the shelter tomorrow, I will let you know what the say and if they let me do that kind of meeting first.
 

bpatters

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He does it because he's a young pig, and all young pigs do that.
 

foggycreekcavy

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I run a rescue. I do meet and greets if asked, but I've found that the guinea pigs often don't act like they would at home. The adopter's pig is in a new place, with sounds and smells of other pigs, and some get really stressed out. If the first introduction doesn't go well, often none of the subsequent ones will, either, because the pig is too stressed. I used to allow three introductions, but think I might make it only one a day.

One thing that's good about meet and greets is that you will get an idea if your pig is dominant or submissive.
 

Velkyre

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@bpatters I didn't know that. Spanish sites say those are dominant behaviors.

@foggycreekcavy do you think it would be better if I could take the new pig to my house and do the introduction there?
 

foggycreekcavy

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Some rescues may do the introductions in a separate room, and that would make it a more neutral space. Check with the individual rescues.
 

Velkyre

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So I sent them an email asking them about the adoption rules and such, just in case I needed something I don't have (like if they have a minimun cage size bigger than the one planned I can buy it and such) but they just answered asking where I lived and never replied to me back ...
I will be sending them another email asking them sometime between today and tomorrow, maybe they just forgot about it.
 
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