How Many? Tricky Intact Male and Female Caging Situation

[reefsharkdaddy]

I adopted two female guinea pigs in November of 2020 from my local humane society. They were both sister and very close to each other. Being older guinea pigs I knew they wouldn't be around with me for too long but it really killed me when I had to put on of them down this week (her name was Mildred). Her sister Phillis didn't seem to react too bad to her sisters death but she would run around the cage and look around for her sister. I know guinea pigs really shouldn't be along so I so I acted fast and adopted two 3 month olds. After getting them I realized I had been mistaken and they were both boys. Right now they are living in a divided cage so they don't have contact with each other. Right now my current cage is fine for all three of them since the two boys are tiny but I'm planning a new and bigger cage layout because obviously I want them to live their best life and unlike my older girls were, these baby boys are very active. So what I'm trying to figure out is.. do I make two 2X4's and stack them on top of each other and will that be enough for Phillis? She has shown some interest in the boys but seems to be fine with doing her own thing. My space just perfectly fits a 2X4 so the only way I can really go from now on it up sadly. If I were to go with that option I would let them have supervised floor time all together but keep a close eye on them to make sure the dominant male (Tony) doesn't try anything with Phillis. The second option would be to make the two level cage like planned but at the bottom of the ramp have a 1X2 space where the boys (who would live on the top floor) to interact with Phillis on the bottom floor? This would leave Phillis with a 2X3 cage but that should be plenty for a single guinea pig, especially an old lazy one right? The last option would be to get the boys neutered. This one scared me because of the high mortality rate for this optional surgery. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I put the boys through that surgery and they died because I chose an optional surgery. I am also only a teenager so the cost of two surgeries would be hard on me but I am prepared to save up as much as needed because I really just want Phillis to live out the rest of her life as happy as she can be. If you have any suggestions please let me know I'm quite stuck right now!

 

[4boipigs]

From what I understand - any number of males and a single female won't work. The boys will fight over her. You can neuter the males, but it won't stop any fighting. You can keep the boys as their own pair, and then find a single female for the original female.

If you don't have space for 2 cages, it sounds like you could do what I've done - I have a 6 foot folding table (like the kind you'd use at an outside lunch, cafeteria, etc) with a 2x4 on the bottom (one boy pair) and a 2x5 on top (another boy pair).

 

[Soecara]

Your only option to keep all three is to build a second cage up. Don't allow the female with the males, even supervised. It will just cause problems, the boys will very likely fight over her as they get older and the last thing you need is three guinea pigs who can't be housed together, who may or may not be seriously injured from a fight, or an accidentally pregnant older sow. Not to mention them even chasing her to try and mate with her would likely be very stressful for her.

Even if you had both boys neutered that would not work, two males can't be housed with a female regardless of which sex is neutered.

Now you could still have them both neutered and then house one with your current girl and find another companion of either gender for the other. You could also just house your girl completely on her own for now, and see how she copes, or find her a single female companion/a single neutered boar companion. I would advise against the "shared wall" section idea, them being able to see and sniff a girl through the bar may once again cause the boys to fight each other.

 

[bpatters]

How tiny? Males can impregnate females before they're four week of age, so separate them NOW regardless of how you have to do it.

You can't do two males with a female. You can put them in adjacent cages, but put the lid on the girl's cage. A determined male can push up the lid on his own cage, but can't lift the lid on hers.

 

[reefsharkdaddy]

Thanks for that table idea, I've measured my space and it looks like I should be able to do that And after reading these comments I've started looking for a single female companion in my local humane societies, that really is just the best and easiest option for me.

 

[reefsharkdaddy]

Thank you for explaining that to me I was unsure of the two male one female situation.. I'm new to guinea pigs lol. I will start looking for a companion for my lone female

 

[reefsharkdaddy]

They are in separate cages as of right now so there is no chance that my sow is pregnant. They are three months old so they are sexually mature, but have never made contact with my girl.

 

[4boipigs]

Thanks for that table idea, I've measured my space and it looks like I should be able to do that And after reading these comments I've started looking for a single female companion in my local humane societies, that really is just the best and easiest option for me.

If you use a table, be sure to research your intended table to make sure the legs are far apart enough. The table I have just barely fits my 2x4 cage between the legs.