Bonding New guinea pig

Are your pigs male or female? Groups of three males are almost guaranteed to fail, and we never recommend that you try it. If that's what you've got, I'd strongly suggest that you either rehome the new one, or get another one to go with him and have two cages of two pigs each. You've discovered the hard way that adding a third pig can result in the bonded two not ever getting along again.

If they're all females, then read https://www.guinealynx.info/introductions.html and follow them to the letter. Be sure the cage is plenty big enough -- at least 10-11 square feet for three pigs, and more is better.

Yeah, they’re all males. The new pig loves both of my original two pigs and they like him but the original two just won’t get along anymore.
they have about a 20 sqft cage

The only thing I could suggest is to pick one to pair the new guy with, and get another one to try and pair with the remainder.

As someone who tried a boar trio once, and with a senior pig housed with babies, I can tell you firsthand that a trio won't work. Mine worked wonderfully for about 5 months, and when Punkin wanted to be the boss he lashed out at Sly. Sly never fought him for it, was always submissive but Punkin just wouldn't let it alone. Punkin and Scooter ended up separated from Sly and my original plan failed.

Obviously you would need two large enclosures for two pairs of male pigs.

Okay, thank you!

I have a bonding situation… I got one female in hopes to find her a female friend…. I got her a female friend and they fought so I ended up adopting the second piggy’s sister from the shelter so the sisters can be caged together. I now have the first one caged alone along side the bonded sisters cage so they can all see and hear each other. I’ve tried bonding multiple times and it fails every time ends in a braul. The loner pig seems to want be very aggressive and was even climbing the cage to try to get to the other piggies. The loner pig walks around her cage making high pinched squeaks. Not sure what to do at this point. My plan was to have two piggies but now I have 3 and don’t want anymore. Could I leave the loner in her own cage along side the other piggy’s cage?

If the loner pig seems really aggressive then it’s probably best to leave her alone. I know alot of guinea pigs that live alone due to aggression so it shouldn’t be much of a problem. It should be ok to leave the two cages next to each other.

teambenji543 said:

If the loner pig seems really aggressive then it’s probably best to leave her alone. I know alot of guinea pigs that live alone due to aggression so it shouldn’t be much of a problem. It should be ok to leave the two cages next to each other.

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Yes. That is my plan because I really don’t see bonding them working out. The aggressive one is even aggressive towards me. I think it would be best for all of them for that piggy to have her own cage next to the other cage where she can still have social interaction safely through the bars.

5 years ago, when I got Punkin and Scooter to keep Sly company after the loss of Pooper, I had all three boys in one cage and it was magical. They all got along amazingly well.

Until Punkin hit puberty.


Long story short, Sly ended up by himself again as I couldn't separate Punkin and Scooter for several reasons. So I ended up extending their already large cage by two grids and then having two 2X4 at either end. I then divided the middle "play pen" area in half. Sly still had access to both boys which made him very happy, and Punkin couldn't hurt Sly any more.

I think as long as the aggressive girl isn't chewing bars, or otherwise hurting herself they should be just fine.