Quarantine Introducing Baby sow to 2 adult sows

[G.Piggies]

Hello, I recently adopted a baby sow and I already had 2 adult sows. She's so far has a 6 day quarantine period and seems very healthy! I let them all hang out in a neutral playpen for 5 minutes and it went well but when I took the baby out she started calling for them. Even in her cage she called out to them. Should I give them five minutes every day for two weeks then move them in together or should I give them longer play times for the next week them move them in? I thought I read that the baby will consider the older sows mother figures and I should introduce them earlier. When should I move them in together and how long should play times be and what was the baby doing calling out to them? THANKS

 

[bpatters]

I'd put them together if I had enough vet money set aside in they all come down with the something. The baby is calling because it's very lonely and it knows there are other guinea pigs around.

Putting them together for five minutes every day for two weeks completely and totally defeats the purpose of quarantine, which is to keep the new pig from transmitting illness or parasites to your existing pigs. But people often break quarantine for baby pigs, simply because they're so lonely.

Don't do play times for pigs. They're wired to have to establish dominance when they meet another pig, and every time you put them back together they have to start the process all over again. It's very stressful for them, and accomplishes nothing at all.

 

[G.Piggies]

I'd put them together if I had enough vet money set aside in they all come down with the something. The baby is calling because it's very lonely and it knows there are other guinea pigs around.

Putting them together for five minutes every day for two weeks completely and totally defeats the purpose of quarantine, which is to keep the new pig from transmitting illness or parasites to your existing pigs. But people often break quarantine for baby pigs, simply because they're so lonely.

Don't do play times for pigs. They're wired to have to establish dominance when they meet another pig, and every time you put them back together they have to start the process all over again. It's very stressful for them, and accomplishes nothing at all.

ok so I think I'm going to put them all in the cage together and monitor it.

 

[bpatters]

Do the full introductions in a neutral area, for FAR longer than five minutes. Put them back in a thoroughly cleaned cage. See https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html for how to do introductions. Just because one of them is a baby doesn't mean that the two sows won't turn on each other, so don't skimp on any of the instructions.

 

[G.Piggies]

Do the full introductions in a neutral area, for FAR longer than five minutes. Put them back in a thoroughly cleaned cage. See https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html for how to do introductions. Just because one of them is a baby doesn't mean that the two sows won't turn on each other, so don't skimp on any of the instructions.

Going to go to that link now! Thanks