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Introductions 2 Boars - Guinea Pig Introduction

madisonaryanna

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I have one male guinea pig, whom I was told was about one year but seems to be a bit small and has really pointy nails so may be a little younger, whom I tried to pair with another boar, 4 months old. The 1 y/o male is really calm and tame and is not very dominant, and the new one is pretty skittish and scared from what I've seen so far, but I can't make many statements about how dominant he is. I know that he lived with several other piggies before. When I put them together in a neutral area, they circled, rumbling, then began chattering (Older one also tried to hump the new one a couple times, but new one didn't try to hump him). They went to opposite ends of the area and continued to chatter for like an hour. The theme of the introduction was that my older one would go near the new one and the new one would start chattering at him and they never really quit doing that and would just sit away from each other and sit there for periods of time doing nothing (Even though I had hay)

So, I cleaned the cage out really thoroughly and something came up so I had to leave. I put them in the cleaned cage together and watched for like 15 minutes and they just kinda stayed away from each other and continued chattering for a long time. I think the new one may just be scared. I didn't really have time so I made the decision to put up my divider and separate the cage into two so that they aren't together.

The last couple times I had checked on them now (separated!), they have just been sitting in one spot, when my older one is usually walking around or eating more often. I was thinking about keeping them separated for a while before trying introductions again since the new one seems so scared and skittish right now and he's probably scared since he was in a car for about an hour. Is this okay (I will make sure that when I reintroduce I have several hours and I see it through and let them work it out unless blood is shed) and will it help to have them next to each other where they can smell, somewhat see maybe, and hear each other? Maybe help with reintroducing later? I just think poor new guy is just scared out of his wits in general, my older pig was pretty chill even during the introduction and seemed scared of new guy, himself. Note - this is the same cage that they are in, there is just a divider that has a ramp but I shut the ramp part so it's a flat out divider.

(Poor new guy is so scared. He lets me pet him but he usually runs when I get near and at sounds and sits in a spot frozen. He doesn't chatter at ME (the other guinea pig separated, Pooh, chatters his ass off at me) and he did take a carrot out of my hand though)

Thanks guys!
 

bpatters

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You're going to need to start all over again.

It never helps to repeatedly introduce pigs and separate them. They're wired to establish dominance whenever they meet a new pig, and they have to start the whole process over again every time you put them together after a separation.

You do introductions when you've got hours to give to it, and you never rush the process. Here's the bible on introductions: https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html

It's also better to quarantine a new pig for three weeks before introductions. It protects your old pig from any parasites or infections that the new one may have, and saves you from vet bills for two pets instead of one if the new pig is sick.

Here's some recommended reading for new pig owners:

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/113176-Information-for-new-guinea-pig-owners
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/107827-What-NOT-to-do-for-your-guinea-pigs!
 

CavyTV

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I think having the divider between them for a while is fine. I know many people have tried doing that for the introductions. A cage would be fully clean and free of piggy smells before putting the pigs in. There would be a divider in the middle for about a week of so. This is called the "Split-Cage" bonding method. After 1,2,3, or however many weeks you want you can then remove the divider and let them fully meet in the whole cage. Most people say it works. I have seen some guinea pig YouTubers try it successfully. I tried it with Flyn and the newest pig, Bramley, but they both were chewing at the bars of the divider like mad and trying to get through the divider. They actually managed to rock the divider back and forth with their teeth. It was also just stressing them out as well. The divider wasn't that secure as the back wall of their cage is not lined with grids. Seeing as they could somehow get past the divider when I wasn't looking made me do the traditional bonding session in a neutral area instead. However, maybe your pigs won't be like mine. I'd say if you really wanna do the Split-Cage method, keep the divider for a week or however long you want, and then after that time has gone by and nothing bad happened between them, you can then remove the divider and see how they do.

However, I do agree with bpatters. Starting introductions over again would probably be the easiest, quickest and your best shot at bonding them. Also, if you don't have that much background info on the new pig, it would be a good idea to do a quarantine. You can do either bonding methods, but just know that the traditional way is probably going to be the most successful, not to mention the quickest too.

Good luck!
 

madisonaryanna

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Is there ALWAYS a resolution between pigs? I feel like they just sat in opposite corners of the neutral space and when approaching each other, chattered, and went back to their opposite sites. It barely went past that. How long do I wait and will it always eventually end in a fight or some type of peace?

I'm just not sure how long to wait and what to look for to know to try them in the cage together if they won't even go near each other, I'd even like to at least see mounting and chasing, rather than nothing at all and all chattering!

And I know that repeatedly doing it is bad, which is why I said the next time I will see it all the way through.

Last comment - if they don't get along, is having them separated by a divider where they can see, hear, and smell each other nearly as good as having a cage mate? I don't want to get rid of the new one if this is the case but I do not want to get a third pig.
 

bpatters

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No, there's not always a resolution between pigs, but it sounds like yours don't hate each other at first sight, so they're very likely to get along. You've just got to be patient. Not going near each other is fine -- that's a very good outcome. There'll be plenty of chasing and nipping and mounting later on.

Having them side by side isn't as good as having them in the same cage, but it's better than having them far apart from each other. But you're very apt to have to put plexiglass between the two sides to keep them from chewing wires, and that defeats the purpose of them knowing another pig is near.
 
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