Bonding Bonding with new Guinea pig

[Emmmn]

So I have one piggie at the moment and am on the hunt for another boy and I wanted to know if anyone had any tips for bonding with them both as I have only had my first piggie for a week now and I'm still in the process of getting to know him.

My worry is the balance between bonding with the both of them when the new one arrives, usually when I have Percy out of a morning he sits on my lap or my chest while I feed him and I try giving him room to run around. My concern is that I'm not going to be as close with him when the new one arrives and that he won't be as tame, it's almost deterring me from getting him a cage mate but I know it's best for him to have one.

 

[CavyTV]

He won't be less tame if you get another one. Actually, he might be more confident around you. When i got flyn, he didn't do much. He often sat in one spot all day. Then i got chip, and i saw they were both running around, talking to each other, popcorning. With chip around, flyn was more confident to take food from my hand, encouraging chip to do the same. Flyn even likes to jump on my lap for a cuddle. I have had him for over a month. Chip, he's been with me for a week, and he seems to be more on the shy side. Guinea pigs depend on one another for security. By giving a friend for your new guinea pig, you'll be making him feel much more safer. It can be the same thing with humans. If you were in a strange place by yourself, you wouldn't feel very safe, all alone. But if another person were to be with you, you would feel calmer in the environment you're in, knowing you're not alone. I just recently got my 2nd pig. Yeah, both of my pigs are skittish, but it's not because i got another one. Taming takes time. Some become tame sooner than others, depending on the pig's personality. In my opinion, you have nothing to worry about. Just make sure you research before you get your 2nd. Cage requirements, introductions, etc. Have fun with your pigs!

 

[Emmmn]

He won't be less tame if you get another one. Actually, he might be more confident around you. When i got flyn, he didn't do much. He often sat in one spot all day. Then i got chip, and i saw they were both running around, talking to each other, popcorning. With chip around, flyn was more confident to take food from my hand, encouraging chip to do the same. Flyn even likes to jump on my lap for a cuddle. I have had him for over a month. Chip, he's been with me for a week, and he seems to be more on the shy side. Guinea pigs depend on one another for security. By giving a friend for your new guinea pig, you'll be making him feel much more safer. It can be the same thing with humans. If you were in a strange place by yourself, you wouldn't feel very safe, all alone. But if another person were to be with you, you would feel calmer in the environment you're in, knowing you're not alone. I just recently got my 2nd pig. Yeah, both of my pigs are skittish, but it's not because i got another one. Taming takes time. Some become tame sooner than others, depending on the pig's personality. In my opinion, you have nothing to worry about. Just make sure you research before you get your 2nd. Cage requirements, introductions, etc. Have fun with your pigs!

Thank you so much, Perry (the new addition) arrived today and they absolutely love each other. And you were absolutely right although Perry is still in the process of warming up to me Percy has absolutely become more confident he walked up to me and started licking my hand and trying to get onto my lap, something he has never done before and this was only after about an hour of time spent with Perry.
I did look up on ways to introduce the two, for example I put them on neutral ground where they both hadn't been before and I also rubbed some of the hay from Percy's cage onto Perry to help make his scent more welcoming as well as rearranging the cage so it's different to the both of them, the only problem that occurred was when Perry hissed at Percy when Percy was trying to show his dominance... By humping... But all is well between the two of them hiding away together in their hidey house, Percy even resorted to ignoring his favorite treats and eating whatever Perrie was eating. I'm definitely at ease now, thanks for your reassurance

 

[maddy harper]

Awww, congratulations on your new member of the family...