Bonding Sow trios: Adding babies

[mandisquid]

My 5-year old girl is on pain medication and is also being bullied by her 1-year old cage-mate, so I'm setting up a small 'retirement' cage for her to live in peace, though I undoubtedly need to find a friend for the 1-year old before doing so. The bullying isn't absolute bloodshed, but I can tell my 5-year old is not having a good time (ear-nibbling, biting/lunging, general harassment going on for several months now, even after expanding the cage).

I'm talking with a woman who has FOUR female babies available, and it's honestly so hard not adopting all of them. Originally, I was only going to get one, but now I'm thinking about getting sisters and introducing them to my 1-year old, for the three of them to live in a 2x5 cage (w/ upstairs loft). Has anyone done something like this? I've read that trios can be a huge success or go south quick, but I figure that since these are babies, it might work out. My 1-year old is super friendly, cuddly, and active, though she is quite assertive (hence the issues with her current cage-mate). I would hate for her to be the one left out though -- but again, it seems the babies might think of her as a more of a mom.

Thoughts?! Thanks!

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

Hello! I have a friend who did something similar. He had 2 guineas at the time, and one passed away from a URI. He went to a local shelter and there was a pair of baby piggy sisters available for adoption. They were already bonded, and the shelter said he either had to get both, or none. Because they were surrendered at 2 days without a mum, and they only had each other. They were mainly syringe fed kitten replacement milk for the first week, at four days, they introduced hay, and veggies the next day. They were plump little girls, and he fell in love with them, he brought them home to his 2 year old sow. She loved the babies.

 

[Soecara]

Personally I have never had an issue with sow trios once they make it past the initial introduction aside from one becoming "the odd one out", but more often then not the odd one out doesn't seem at all bothered by that arrangement. The only time I have had an issue with three sows during introductions was when it was two paired adult sows and a young sow pup (about 5 weeks old), one girl decided to try and dominate the pup, the pup started squealing, the other adult sow then launched an attack on her previous adult cage mate. It seemed like she was "protecting" the pup but I had to separate the adult girls for a bit and was able to reintroduce them into that exact trio after the pup was a little bit older.

It is more boar trios that are very miss, so much so that I would never suggest anyone try it despite having had three successful boar trios myself. I am very aware my experience with boar trios is very much not how most boar trios end up and I was only comfortable trying it myself as I had a very firm understanding of the personalities of all boars involved. Boar trios are the kind of trio where it can go very badly, very quickly, even after they make it to the "into the cage" part of introductions it can still go badly. These are the trios where if you ever get it into your mind to try it you need to be fully prepared for possible bloodshed, and even three guinea pigs who can never be housed with each other in any configuration ever again.

 

[mandisquid]

Thanks both! @Soecara @TheGuineaPigGal Personally speaking, would you guys go for adding two babies or play it safe with just the one? Can't make up my mind!

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

It really shouldn't matter, I would just introduce one at a time, and introduce the second about ten minutes after you introduce the first, just to make sure she is okay with a younger cage mate.

 

[mandisquid]

Ah thanks - hadn't thought about introducing them separately.

I also meant would you guys agree 'the more the merrier'?

 

[Soecara]

Personally I just place all three into the introduction area at once, after you put the third in they need to figure out where they all stand with each other so the initial period of 1 on 1 introductions would go out the window anyway.

If you want a sow trio it doesn't really matter the age of the pigs involved, but I do personally like sow trios over sow pairs simply so if one passes away the other two still have each other. I even had a trio of two sows and a neutered boar for a bit, they were a great trio, one of those sows passed. So I went ahead and introduced the now neutered boar and sow pair to my other sow pair to have a quad, and that too is working out very well.

 

[TheGuineaPigGal]

Personally I just place all three into the introduction area at once, after you put the third in they need to figure out where they all stand with each other so the initial period of 1 on 1 introductions would go out the window anyway.

If you want a sow trio it doesn't really matter the age of the pigs involved, but I do personally like sow trios over sow pairs simply so if one passes away the other two still have each other. I even had a trio of two sows and a neutered boar for a bit, they were a great trio, one of those sows passed. So I went ahead and introduced the now neutered boar and sow pair to my other sow pair to have a quad, and that too is working out very well.

Probably a better idea

My apologies