Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register

Introductions Inders intro to possible new cage mates

Soecara

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
1,985
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
1,985
Inder is my boy who has become a solo guinea pig with the recent passing of his cage mate Theodore. Since Theos passing Inder has not been coping well, he has always been a timid and jumpy guinea pig even at the best of times, but Theo was a very confident guinea pig who Inder used to follow the lead of.

I had a look around locally and no boars are available, so I have considered my options carefully. Given Inders temperament, and how poorly he is coping I have decided to try him with one of my existing boar pairs. I know how poorly boar trios usually work out, but I know the temperament of all three boys and all three are mature boars. The two boys I am trying Inder with are Prince and Briar.

Prince is just shy of 6 years old, he is a calm but dominant boar, he is not aggressive unless provoked and is happy to not assert his dominance as long as he isn't challenged. Briar is about 3 years old, and is a very submissive boar, he is also very content with being submissive. Inder is about 4 years old and was the submissive boar in his previous pairing as well and was never motivated to challenge Theo even when he was in his teenage phase.

So today I prepped everything and have gone ahead with the introductions. They have all been together for about an hour and a half, and I must say so far this is by far the calmest and most uneventful introductions I have ever had. I put them all in the neutral area together, Briar approached Inder and nudged him under the chin and licked his mouth a few times, then all three went to the hay pile and all started eating together. Prince and Inder sniffed each other while eating, did a chin up (which Inder let Prince win) and left it at that. No rumble strutting, no teeth chattering, no mounting. Already Inder is acting more like his usual self rather than the depressed and scared guinea pig he has been over the last 4 days. Inder has been a little bit jumpy if one of the other boys unexpectedly nudge his side while sniffing for the best hay strands but the other boys don't seem to mind. Fingers crossed everything keeps going so calmly but I will update a bit later to share how the intros progress

In the photos Prince is on the left, Inder is centre, and Briar is on the right.

22323658_1745984482370838_916754376_o.jpg
22343646_1745984682370818_1575506215_o.jpg.
 

Shieme

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Posts
300
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
300
Ooooh, I hope it works. Sounds great so far! Wishing y'all good luck!
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Sounds like you may have the exceptions that prove the rule. Also the rule that personality is the main factor in whether any pairings work.
 

Soecara

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
1,985
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
1,985
I had a feeling that these three would work together given how well I know each of them, but I was also prepared for if everything went horribly wrong.

I do think that had I tried this when they were much younger the results may have been very different. These boys (Prince in particular) have really mellowed out as they have aged. I just hope the transition to the cage, which I will likely do in roughly another two hours providing nothing changes, goes just as smoothly as the introductions have been.

Since I last posted Inder has rumble strutted at Briar for a bit, then those two had a chin up contest (which Briar let Inder win) so I think they may have settled where they all stand with each other.
 

Soecara

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
1,985
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
1,985
They have now all been in the cage together for several hours, as soon as I put them in Inder and Briar started running around, nudging each other and popcorning. Inder has tried to mount Briar a few times, and vice versa, but neither of them is putting up too much of a fight about it and Briar is mostly submitting to being mounted. Prince is staying out of the mounting game, but they both seem to know that Prince is the boss just by the raised head he gives them if they try to rumble in his direction. Now they have all decided it is time for a nap and are laying in the same section of the cage together (not cuddling just all laying about 10cm apart from each other).
 

Guinea Pig Papa

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
May 12, 2015
Posts
387
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
387
Soecara, I had already gone to bed when you first posted about trying a trio. As I started reading I was very trepidatious about you trying three boars, after reading about so many failures and having my own fail as well.

Your attempt sounds like it has gone off so well, I'm truly jealous. You may just have pulled off exactly what I wanted for Sly and my little ones.

I really do hope it stays as calm and gentle as it is now and all your boys enjoy their time together forever.
 

Soecara

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
1,985
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
1,985
As I started reading I was very trepidatious about you trying three boars, after reading about so many failures and having my own fail as well.

Now imagine how I felt even thinking about trying it in the first place lol. I knew full well how much of a risk it was, and just how badly it could go wrong. However I felt I had little other option than to give it a shot.

I looked high and low for a solo boar locally, and nothing (there was no boar pairs either, but if I was going to attempt a trio I would rather do it with three boar I know the temperaments of and not with two new unknown boars). This was not too surprising given the local pet store shut down years ago, so there aren't many people locally who get guinea pigs on impulse anymore (you know the most common rehoming story, impulse buy, children didn't look after/too much work to look after, rehome). Now we just have 5 different fodder stores where the only live things they sell are fish and feeder insects.

Don't get me wrong that is actually a great thing to see that there aren't many unwanted guinea pigs locally, and I am more than willing to travel to find unwanted guinea pigs to take in. The only issue with traveling is I wouldn't be able to make the trip for at least another week, and with how poor Inder was responding to being alone I really didn't think he could wait that long. After only 2 days he was already going off of his food, and if he had to wait another week I fear his health would have greatly suffered. I mulled over the idea of attempting a trio for a while but every time I looked at him in such a depressed state I felt so bad for him and honestly felt that the possible benefit of trying the trio outweighed the risks in this specific situation.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
May 12, 2015
Posts
387
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
387
Now imagine how I felt even thinking about trying it in the first place lol. I knew full well how much of a risk it was, and just how badly it could go wrong. However I felt I had little other option than to give it a shot.

I looked high and low for a solo boar locally, and nothing (there was no boar pairs either, but if I was going to attempt a trio I would rather do it with three boar I know the temperaments of and not with two new unknown boars). This was not too surprising given the local pet store shut down years ago, so there aren't many people locally who get guinea pigs on impulse anymore (you know the most common rehoming story, impulse buy, children didn't look after/too much work to look after, rehome). Now we just have 5 different fodder stores where the only live things they sell are fish and feeder insects.

Don't get me wrong that is actually a great thing to see that there aren't many unwanted guinea pigs locally, and I am more than willing to travel to find unwanted guinea pigs to take in. The only issue with traveling is I wouldn't be able to make the trip for at least another week, and with how poor Inder was responding to being alone I really didn't think he could wait that long. After only 2 days he was already going off of his food, and if he had to wait another week I fear his health would have greatly suffered. I mulled over the idea of attempting a trio for a while but every time I looked at him in such a depressed state I felt so bad for him and honestly felt that the possible benefit of trying the trio outweighed the risks in this specific situation.

I have to say that I'm so happy for you, and definitely for Inder, that it's working out. Only you know your pigs best, which of course was probably the deciding factor to give it a go.
It's just so surprising to me that it went SO easily. I don't want to jinx it at all, I hope it stays this way, for all of you.

Congratulations to all of you on a happier home!
 

Soecara

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
1,985
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
1,985
It's just so surprising to me that it went SO easily. I don't want to jinx it at all, I hope it stays this way, for all of you.

You and me both. I was expecting at least some rumbling, mounting, scent marking, teeth chattering, yawing, and some squealing/crying, or maybe a few lunges and some pulled fur if it started going a little bit rocky. That was if it went well at all and didn't devolve into a flying ball, if it was going to go into a ball it would have been Inder and Prince, Briar would never get involved in a major fight he would sooner jump out the pen than fight back.

I was so shocked when I put them in, then nothing, I kept waiting and waiting for a bit of drama to start to happen, and still nothing, how well it went made me more on edge than if they had just started rumbling at each other :crazy:.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
May 12, 2015
Posts
387
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
387
You and me both. I was expecting at least some rumbling, mounting, scent marking, teeth chattering, yawing, and some squealing/crying, or maybe a few lunges and some pulled fur if it started going a little bit rocky. That was if it went well at all and didn't devolve into a flying ball, if it was going to go into a ball it would have been Inder and Prince, Briar would never get involved in a major fight he would sooner jump out the pen than fight back.

I was so shocked when I put them in, then nothing, I kept waiting and waiting for a bit of drama to start to happen, and still nothing, how well it went made me more on edge than if they had just started rumbling at each other :crazy:.

I bet, total peace and quiet had to be the LAST thing you were expecting!
 

Soecara

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Posts
1,985
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
1,985
Their first full day together in the cage has been very peaceful, it makes me so glad to see them all getting along. Here is a photo of all three of them begging for their dinner.
22375255_1746411668994786_722263760_o.jpg
 

Guinea Pig Papa

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
May 12, 2015
Posts
387
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
387
Awwwww! I'm so happy for you, Soecara, and for them! They look so happy to be together!
 

wigglemish

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Posts
328
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
328
I am so so happy for you Soecara. Your example of these three beautiful boys gives me hope for my girls. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I hope Inder will be much happier now.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

KirbyFan8910
Replies
8
Views
757
Guinea_Pigs_Are_A_lifest
Guinea_Pigs_Are_A_lifest
Squiggles
Replies
6
Views
380
Squiggles
Squiggles
cruella-de-vil
Replies
4
Views
366
cruella-de-vil
cruella-de-vil
Top