Bonding Pigs

Guinea pig bonding is very similar to rabbit bonding, although often a bit easier. Maybe pigs are just a bit more relaxed about dating!!

We have found the best combination to be two females or a female and a neutered male. Boar to boar bonding is possible but our personal opinion is that the bond is likely to be a bit more unstable. Please note that if bonding a neutered boar you must wait 8 weeks after his op. Guinea pigs are very potent and can still get a sow pregnant for a couple of months after neutering!!

If possible get a friend to help you and choose a time when your house is calm.

Spread a towel out on the floor or on the sofa to make a neutral territory. Have someone sit either side of the towel, each with a guinea pig. Let the guinea pigs loose on the towel. They will often wander about not paying each other much notice for a few minutes. When they do notice each other the fun begins.

Guinea pig reactions can range from total acceptance straightaway to a lot of annoyance. Usually they have to decide who will be dominant between themselves. This is an important step and you should not intervene unless necessary.

Standard behaviours to expect are mounting, a little bit of teeth chattering, sniffing the other pig’s backend, nipping, chasing, rumblestrutting.

If you see lunging, biting rather than nipping, rearing back on the haunches whilst facing the other pig, raised hackles with loud teeth chattering or rumblestrutting whilst facing the other pig with the head in one position it is best to separate them.

If, for any reason, the pigs to manage to start fighting and lock together in combat throw the towel on them and used gloved hands or a dustpan etc. to separate them

Second date. Repeat the same process as before. This time set up a pen if you have one. If things seem calm, stay outside the pen but still keep an eye on the pigs so you can intervene if necessary.

Third date. If the relationship is continuing to improve, try making the pen bigger and adding a few items of interest. Remember you can have as many or as few dates as you like. Take your time. Each set of guinea pigs is different. Always end each date on a positive note.

If the guinea pigs can stay together for good lengths of times and are exhibiting signs of relaxation such as eating together, lying together and mutual grooming it looks like you’re onto a winner!! Keep them together for a good 24 hours. Don’t intervene too much as they work out their relationship but make sure you are in the vicinity just in case.

Put the guinea pigs either into a completely new enclosure or into an existing enclosure which has been totally scrubbed out. If one of the pigs has lived in this enclosure previously it is important to change the location of items inside so everything appears different and unfamiliar since you do not want one of the guineas to try and claim the territory back. Purchasing new litter trays etc is a good idea, as is using a mix of white vinegar in a 50:50 dilution with water to kill off the scents in the rest of the cage/run.