Do Guinea Pigs Share?

[hojun]

If I get two guinea pigs, would I need two water bottles? Also would I need two hay racks, two food bowls, two litter boxes.. etc

 

[Paula]

Many do generally share, but you still want to have at least as many of those items as you do guinea pigs. It's sometimes a good idea to have one more water bottle, cozy, hammock, etc., than you do guinea pigs so that they aren't arguing and bickering over those things.

 

[Cavyness]

My boys don't seem to mind sharing a water bottle or hay rack. But they refuse to share a pigloo, and on crabby days they like to have their own food bowl. But it depends on the guinea pigs and your best bet might be to get two of each, just in case.

 

[Deb's4Pigs]

At least at first you should have two of everything. For five pigs I have two large water bottles.

 

[kathlaaron]

Also, if they are "young" under 6 months or so, they go through adolescence...which they tend to bicker more, during this period. So it is a good idea like everyone else suggested, to have at least one hidey/food dish/water bottle/ ect. per piggie, just in case. I have two girls, and in the beginning, I provided 3 of everything, actually. Now, they just have mainly two of everything, except they have one water bottle now....which isn't really an issue anyway, because Buttercup doesn't drink very much.

 

[hojun]

will they fight if say the Igloo is bigger or theres two sides to the hay box?

 

[kathlaaron]

Good Morning to you !

I am not sure what you mean...by "if the igloo is bigger" or " if there are two sides to the hay box" ?

 

[kathlaaron]

Forgive me, I have been up all night, so I am a little slow on the uptake ! Do you mean, will they get jealous ?

 

[hojun]

I mean to ask if they will share a bigger igloo together. It'll save money rather than buying two.

 

[VoodooJoint]

If they don't want to share a pigloo then it won't matter how big it is, one will still get chased out. Either get two or you can start with one and use a small cardboard box to make another.

Each of my pigs had their own sleeping/hiding space. One took a pigloo, one took the hid-a-way, one slept under the hayrack and one slept under the bent grid tunnel I made. The only time they would all crowd into one space to hide is when I was trying to gather them all up to get them out of the cage for cleaning or grooming.

 

[FlowersGrandma]

If they don't want to share a pigloo then it won't matter how big it is, one will still get chased out. Either get two or you can start with one and use a small cardboard box to make another.

Each of my pigs had their own sleeping/hiding space. One took a pigloo, one took the hid-a-way, one slept under the hayrack and one slept under the bent grid tunnel I made. The only time they would all crowd into one space to hide is when I was trying to gather them all up to get them out of the cage for cleaning or grooming.

If money is an issue, bend a grid into a semi circle, cover in fleece. Makes the perfect hidey, we always have enough extra fleece to cover one and you can color coordinate with the cage. It has two ends so they can get out. ANd mine will each sleep on a different end.

 

[Cogni]

You don't need to buy igloos at all. Towel or fleece tents save space. Just clip a cloth along the top of a cage, and prop the openings with something until they find their way in. My boys wouldn't sleep near each other until they got a nice LONG fleece tent with a block or something informally dividing front from back. One piggie would settle near one end, with his little head peeking out; and the other would burrow his way behind the block and plop his body where the tent met the floor, so that it the cloth curved round and under him. The fleece was therefore stretched around his little body making a lovely pig-shaped lump.

I change their cage around a lot and there is always at least one fleece tent, along with other hideys. Pigs like a change.

 

[kathlaaron]

One piggie would settle near one end, with his little head peeking out; and the other would burrow his way behind the block and plop his body where the tent met the floor, so that it the cloth curved round and under him. The fleece was therefore stretched around his little body making a lovely pig-shaped lump.

Ohhh...those lovely pig-shaped "lumps" are so precious, aren't they ?!!:heart:

I change their cage around a lot and there is always at least one fleece tent, along with other hideys. Pigs like a change.

If I don't change up their cage at least once a week, my girls sure let me know that they are bored of the "same old thing" by chewing on the cage bars, trying HARD to pull the fleece down ( unsuccessfully, usually...heehhee!!) to burrow underneath it, or they take it out on each other by squabbling and bickering. Basically, just being naughty, little she-rebels !!

I really like all the ideas mentioned up above, so I have nothing new to add !

Sorry that I didn't respond back to you hojun, but my husband was VERY anxious to use the computer, and I VERY much needed to go and get some sleep, before my 10 yr. old daughter came home today from her friend sleepover ! Take care and have a great day !