In Heat Is it safe to keep male and female guinea pigs in a divided c&c cage?

They can't mate through the bars, although if you're worried about it, you could overlap some grids along the common wall to make the spaces smaller.

But what they can do is climb. And the male will be VERY determined to get to the female. You should put a lid on the female cage. The boar can shove up a lid on his own cage and escape, but he can't raise the lid on the female's cage to get into it.

@bpatters, Thank you so much! it's a relief to know they wont be able to breed through the bars, I had covered the grid up last night with some cut sheets but they tore it down during the night and I was horrified when I came into room in the morning and thought they may have tried to mate through the bars, I know dogs can mate through fences, but I'm glad guinea pigs cant!

What it is doing is driving the male crazy having a female he can not get to so close to him. can't you make two cages and separate them to different sides of the room? Or get the male neutered?

@lunarminx unfortunately no I cant, I dont have the room for two cages at the moment and though I was told my girls were spayed I dont believe it, hence the seperated cages. Thankfully my girls seem more interested in the male than he is in them But I may get him neutered one day so they can all live together but in my area that runs around 500-800 (I've been calling around I want him neutered too) and I will need time to dedicate that money to his fund as I'm going to school and I also need to put aside money got Harlow who has had severe health problems in the past. But I'll see what can be done.

@spy9doc I know right! But that's what happens when you live in a big city I guess, there are only a few exotic vets near me but I will continue looking for more. Do you think a pet shelter would offer small animal neutering? I've only checked vets offices all of which charged a lot but they said it was because it was more difficult to neuter small animals than cats and dogs and one animal rescue who told me it was far too dangerous to neuter him and refused, but there are some dog and cat shelters, sometimes they get guinea pigs so they might neuter small animals and also a mobile sterilization center that drives around in my area but as far as I know they only work with dogs but I'll check just in case.

In any case I should be able to neuter him sometime in September when classes start even if it means spending a pretty penny, I was just worried about them mating through the grid before I get the chance, oh and how much do you think it will be to get my girls checked to see if they are spayed?

I wouldn't trust a pet shelter. The small animal vets are right -- neutering a guinea pig is a more risky, complicated surgery than doing a cat or dog. I'd definitely either keep him intact or save up enough money to let a good exotic vet do it.

I was worried it was very dangerous, now as I'm reading other's horror stories on the web I'll be thinking long and hard about it and search for a reputable exotic vet if I decide to get him neutered.

Thanks for the help everyone!

I have had my boys neutered at a local shelter. The vet who did the neuter specializes in neutering rabbits, and also did the neuter for local guinea pig rescue. It cost me only $55 per pig. It was many years ago. Now they charge $95.

Ask your local guinea pig rescue who they'd recommend.

I tried that awhile ago and my male learned to climb into the other section lucky i was in the room when he did it and was able to pull him out..
its also my fault for not putting a top on the cage

He also had gotten his head stuck between the bars as well trying to get too the girls.