Is it OK to introduce a male guinea pig to a female guinea pig?
If you already have an older guinea pig, getting a baby of the same sex is a good choice. The adult will not feel as threatened by a baby and its dominance will not be challenged. Its best to neuter males before introducing them to females; however, neutered or not, never place more than one male in a group with females.
What’s the average speed of a guinea pig?
Only one male domestic guinea pig was characterized as being a ‘floater’ (swimming speed less than 0.5 km/h in seven trials) and excluded from further analysis. Male domestic guinea pigs swam at a speed of 1.12 km/h on average and females at an average speed of 1.19 km/h.
What do guinea pigs do when they meet a new person?
Bottom sniffing and nudging is a guinea pig’s way of greeting a new companion. This is normal and non-threatening behavior. Your guinea pigs may also want to establish their territory by dragging their bottoms across the ground or raising their heads up on occasion to expression dominance, behaviors that are normal during the first few weeks.
How many guinea pigs are there in a herd?
Woods says a guinea pig herd consisting of two males and 20 females can sustain itself while providing meat for a family of six. In the United States, most guinea pigs intended for human consumption come from Peru as whole, frozen, hairless rodents in plastic bags.
What happens when you put a New Guinea Pig in a cage?
Placing the new guinea pig directly in the cage with a new one can cause undue stress as they must be eased into a new environment, and their presence may cause the current pig to become territorial. In addition to the emotional concerns, many guinea pig illnesses, which are easily spread at pet and department stores, can incubate for long periods.
When to give a guinea pig time to settle?
If possible, give new guinea pigs a few days’ time to settle next to their prospective friends, so they are used to where they are and to who they are going to meet; that will cut down on the general stress level in a bonding. Another trigger can be feeling stuck and crowded in a tight corner with no safe way out.
When to put a New Guinea Pig in a separate cage?
When you bring home a new friend for an existing guinea pig, or get guinea pigs from two different sources, keep them in separate rooms with separate cages for 2-3 weeks before trying to put them together. This will ensure that the new guinea pig does not have any medical problems which could be transmitted to the other.
If you already have an older guinea pig, getting a baby of the same sex is a good choice. The adult will not feel as threatened by a baby and its dominance will not be challenged. Its best to neuter males before introducing them to females; however, neutered or not, never place more than one male in a group with females.
Bottom sniffing and nudging is a guinea pig’s way of greeting a new companion. This is normal and non-threatening behavior. Your guinea pigs may also want to establish their territory by dragging their bottoms across the ground or raising their heads up on occasion to expression dominance, behaviors that are normal during the first few weeks.
What to do after a guinea pig fights another guinea pig?
Separate the guinea pigs after the fight. Keep them in different cages, but in the same room so that they can see, smell, hear, and talk to each other. Continue handling them with gloves or a towel for a few hours after the fight, as they can remain skittish and aggressive for a while after a confrontation.
Is it okay to have a guinea pig alone?
Male guinea pigs do just okay being alone. Yet, you have to remember that getting a companion for your male guinea pig can increase his life expectancy by a factor of 10! Let’s face it, nobody wants their pet to die earlier.
Do you need to spay or neuter a guinea pig?
First and foremost, you want to make sure that you do NOT end up with a breeding pair or a pregnant female. If you have a male, you will want another male. If you have a female, you’ll want another female. This is the easiest path to take, since it doesn’t require surgery to neuter or spay. Guinea pigs all have their own personality.
Why is the male guinea pig in the female’s cage?
In the wild, the father would unlikely be present where the newborns and mother are hiding from predators. In a pet situation, the male may be in the same guinea pig cage as the female and her newborns, and there is no way for the mother to move the pups away from the father.
How big is a full grown male guinea pig?
Whereas a male adult guinea pig generally weighs between 2 and 2.6 pounds (900-1,100g). With numbers that small, it might not seem like a big difference. However, it means that a male full-size guinea pig generally weighs about one-third more than a female.
How can you tell if a guinea pig is a boy or girl?
Male guinea pigs do have nipples, so the presence of nipples alone is not enough to tell you whether you have a guinea pig boy or girl. According to GuineaPigCare.com, sows have larger nipples than boars, but the boar’s body size is somewhat larger than the females.
What should I do if my guinea pig is full grown?
An unlimited supply of grass or hay should also be made available to ensure that they develop properly. For female guinea pigs, you need to add more vitamin C to their diet to keep them healthy. You can do this by adding drops of vitamin C into their water every day.
When is the best time to introduce guinea pigs?
It is easiest to introduce and socialise guinea pigs when they are younger. To be able to get along happily together, guinea pig herds need to establish dominance. It is best to try pair a dominant guinea pig with a submissive one.
What does it mean when two guinea pigs hump each other?
Two males or two females humping each other is not an intended sexual interaction, it’s their method of establishing dominance. Mounting does not necessarily mean your guinea pig is a boar, or mating. Recognize normal interaction. Not all body language is a bad sign.
Is it OK to reintroduce a New Guinea Pig?
Most of the time, guinea pig introductions will go well and after a few hours in the neutral zone it’s likely that your guinea pigs will be getting along well. Keep distracting them with treats and toys. After a few hours it may be ok to reintroduce your new enlarged herd to their normal enclosure.
When to introduce a male guinea pig to a female guinea pig?
If you have only just desexed your male guinea pig, wait 4-6 weeks before introducing him to females. Sometimes they can still reproduce right after their operation. It is easiest to introduce and socialise guinea pigs when they are younger. To be able to get along happily together, guinea pig herds need to establish dominance.
Is it okay for a guinea pig to be alone?
A guinea pig on their own may seem okay, however it is difficult to detect signs of loneliness, and although they may not show it, there is a good chance they are experiencing it. What are good guinea pig combinations? It is possible to have a herd of males providing that they have lots of space.
Why do guinea pigs chase the other guinea pigs?
Chasing – guinea pigs sometimes chase during introductions when trying to establish hierarchy Pee spraying – especially with females, they do this to warn the other guinea pig(s) away Lifting head high – they may try to lift their head high to show they are the boss
What’s the best way to take care of a guinea pig?
If introducing a pair or group to a new guinea pig, keep the pair/group together, then put the new guinea pig at the other side of the divider. Split cages are often very successful because it allows them to interact without doing harm to one another.
How old do guinea pigs have to be to have babies?
Female guinea pigs go through a 14-18 day cycle where they can mate and become pregnant. Females can reproduce when they are only 6 weeks old while males become sexually active when they are 10 weeks old. A female guinea pig can give birth to 2-3 babies.
Can you sell a baby female guinea pig?
Pretty baby female Guinea pigs. The one remaining guinea pig must go to a home with other females as company. Can be paired up with another sow from here in a couple of weeks time when she is… We have Male and female Guinean pigs available. Will only be sold in pairs, unless you already have company at home £15 each
Is it OK to keep two guinea pigs together?
In this case, separating the guinea pigs is the right decision. Guinea pigs are great as social animals and usually, they live happily with each other. But fights do happen. It’s not advisable to keep a female guinea pig and two male pigs together in a cage because this can make the males behave aggressively.
Can you put a baby guinea pig in with an older guinea pig?
Yes, this can often work quite well. Older guinea pigs are less likely to perceive the smaller, younger guinea pig as a threat and so pairs like this tend to get on relatively well. Keep a close eye on them for several hours to ensure that they’re getting on well,…
Can a female guinea pig and a male guinea pig get along?
Female sow guinea pigs will almost always get along okay. It is quite rare that they will fight each other and so will just accept each other’s company when you put them in the same cage.
When to bathe and groom a baby guinea pig?
Baby Guinea Pig Grooming You should avoid grooming your baby guinea pig until there are old enough. In some cases, bathing a newborn pup will wash and shed away their sensitive skin. Ideally, you want to wait until they’re adolescent guinea pigs before washing them frequently.
How old do guinea pigs have to be to be sold?
In this crucial period after birth, the baby cavy needs to be nursed in a safe environment with the mother. Failure to do so will show how irresponsible the breeder is. If a breeder tries to sell you a guinea pig under 3 weeks old, then you should find another breeder.
How do you get guinea pigs to live together?
The other way you can get males to live together is to introduce a baby male guinea pig to an adult after it is weaned, for an adult male usually has no problem accepting a youngster of about eight to ten week of age. He may chase it for a bit for he will catch the scent of its mother but this will soon stop.
Why does a guinea pig fight with another guinea pig?
Male guinea pigs have also been known to fight to show their dominance. If the new guinea pig doesn’t surrender and allow himself to be dominated, they could start fighting. The fights aren’t usually serious but they can quickly escalate and even become aggressive and fatal.
Can you keep an ill guinea pig with a friend?
Recovery ill guinea pigs should not be isolated: put them with a friend. Male guinea pigs that are not brought up in a colony have trouble relating to other animals later in life while female guinea pigs are more adaptable whatever their social background (Kaiser et al., 2010).
Can a male guinea pig get a female guinea pig pregnant?
Therefore, the pups have the potential ability to escape from a male guinea pig trying to harm them, whereas other rodent species at the same age are much less mobile or aware of threats. [Another concern is that the male might get the mother pregnant again immediately, which is dangerous for the mother guinea pig.
In the wild, the father would unlikely be present where the newborns and mother are hiding from predators. In a pet situation, the male may be in the same guinea pig cage as the female and her newborns, and there is no way for the mother to move the pups away from the father.
The other way you can get males to live together is to introduce a baby male guinea pig to an adult after it is weaned, for an adult male usually has no problem accepting a youngster of about eight to ten week of age. He may chase it for a bit for he will catch the scent of its mother but this will soon stop.
How can I get my parents to buy me a guinea pig?
Volunteer at a local shelter. Find a shelter in your town that takes care of guinea pigs and ask your parents if they’ll take you to volunteer there. You’ll gain hands on experience taking care of, cleaning up after and taming guinea pigs.
