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Want a Guinea Pig(s) Considering Getting a Second Pig: How Important Is Age?

CC Cookie Dough

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I am considering getting a second guinea pig. Right now I have one female pig who is about 7 months old. She is an American tri-color.

I am trying to do research to see what my options are and what the best course to take is. What I am trying to figure out is: how important is the age of the second guinea pig? Some sources I found have said that it is much better to have the second pig be a baby and that it is hard to add a new adult. Other sources say that age is not really an issue.

What do you guys think?

PS: My friend is currently trying to adopt out her female guinea pig (which I believe is an American Crested that is less than a year old. I don't know her exact age, but she seems a little older than my guinea pig. But she may be younger than my pig for all I know). I am considering whether or not I want to adopt this guinea pig. Do you think that her guinea pig is too old based on the age of my guinea pig?
 

bpatters

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Age has nothing to do with it. It's all down to the personality of the pigs. And it's usually pretty easy to introduce two sows. Very, very occasionally you'll run into a sow that's either picky about a cage mate, or just downright hostile to the idea, but that's very rare.
 

madisonstorm

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Well guinea pigs should be bought in pairs in general. They're very social animals so a second one is a great idea!
 

CC Cookie Dough

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Well guinea pigs should be bought in pairs in general. They're very social animals so a second one is a great idea!

I know that they should be bought in pairs whenever possible, but at the time I was only allowed by my school to purchase one since I was in a dorm. Now I'm just trying to see how to add a second one because I am able to do that now.
 

CC Cookie Dough

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That's good to hear. Although I have to admit, the possibility of them not getting along is still scary.

Maybe you'll know the answer to another question I had: I was recently told by someone who used to have guinea pigs that when she bought the second one she noticed that her first guinea pig became more social with the new pig than with her (the owner). She thinks that adding the second one will make the first pig less interested in socializing with the owner because she won't need the owner's attention that much. Surprisingly, I have also seen a similar response from a vet. Do you think this is true?
 

bpatters

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No, I don't. I think socialization between a human and a pig is a function of how much time the human spends with the pig. But in the grand scheme of things, that isn't much. Many, many owners have reported happier, more active, and more social pigs when they've gotten their lone pig a buddy. Besides, it's a total joy to watch them puttering around, talking to each other. Guinea pigs are herd animals. It's not normal for them to live alone with just humans for companionship.
 

madisonstorm

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I think it all depends on the guinea pigs personality in my opinion.
 

madisonstorm

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That's weird that they didn't let you get two. Was it like a board school?
 

CC Cookie Dough

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That's weird that they didn't let you get two. Was it like a board school?

I'm at college, so it's not a boarding school or anything like that. At my college they don't allow pets except each student can have one fish. They only allow pets such as dogs and cats if they are a service animal. Allowing me to have a guinea pig was a new exception to the comfort animal rule (not quite a service animal, but meant to help with disabilities). I asked them this summer if I could get a second one and sent them research about socialization needs of pigs and they debated it and agreed that I could get another one.
 

SavvyCavies

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I'm at college, so it's not a boarding school or anything like that. At my college they don't allow pets except each student can have one fish. They only allow pets such as dogs and cats if they are a service animal. Allowing me to have a guinea pig was a new exception to the comfort animal rule (not quite a service animal, but meant to help with disabilities). I asked them this summer if I could get a second one and sent them research about socialization needs of pigs and they debated it and agreed that I could get another one.

Wow, that's pretty considerate of your college to allow you to not only have a piggy, but to also allow you get another for their own well-being. Back in my college days I was a fancy rat pet parent and I was so sad I couldn't take my mischief (lol, sounds like a bunch of trouble) with me. Kudos to your institution of higher education! ;)
 
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