Bonding Can't tell if Guinea Pigs are getting along

[GuineaPiggy2]

Good afternoon. I am a relatively new guinea pig owner. We had one piggy for a year and I decided to upgrade his habitat to a much larger size and bring home another male.

Today I took the new piggy (about 3 months old) to the vet to have an abscess lanced and get antibiotics. From the wound, it looks like he was nipped right under the ear.

I honestly thought they were getting along. I saw them sleeping in the same space, eating side by side, and playing. The first guinea pig was pretty talkative and the second is a chatter box. I am not hearing any new sounds from the original piggy that sound irritated or annoyed. . Pretty much the same clicks, whirls, grunts, squeaks I have become accustomed to. The second one is just as chatty and no high pitch "holy heck save me."

The new one adores the bigger one and follows him around so he is definitely not frightened. The bigger one does not move away. I'm going to separate them unless I can be in the room to listen and watch - but I am worried I may be over reacting. I just don't know. When I put the new guy in his own crate he seems very introverted and hides. Put him with the older one and he is constantly active and chirping.

I have 2 of everything in the large habitat.

Is there a good video I can listen to that will clearly identify the difference between angry piggy and happy piggy? I listed to one youtube video and heard nothing but guinea pigs eating.

Thanks for your help!

 

[scoottie]

What is the size of the cage?

 

[GuineaPiggy2]

What is the size of the cage?

It's a C&C Large (2 x 4 grids) with a loft and cafe (even though they haven't ventured upstairs yet.)

 

[bpatters]

That's a minimum size for boars. Make sure you've got hideys with two doors, and shove them up against the wall of the cage so they've got plenty of room to run.

I don't know what you're looking for here. You've got two boars who are not killing each other. I'd say you're looking a gift horse in the mouth if you're complaining about that.

Boars are going to squabble and try to dominate each other until they're well past puberty. If there's no active blood shed (e.g, blood running down, not just nips), just let them alone to work it out.

And here's some recommended reading:

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!

 

[ShayPiggiesnHam]

If you have the room a 2x5 would be better for 2 males. How did you first introduce them? They might not have worked everything out yet. All 3 of my females get along pretty well but if I put in a generic hidey like the igloo at most pet stores, they try to all go in at once and nip each other bc they get cornered. They only have fleece beds and tunnels so no one gets cornered and nipped.