how do i introduce my new baby guinea pig to my 9 month old one?

Question

i bought a new guinea pig today that is about one month old, bought a new cage thats big enough but im not sure of how my older one will react. he gets alot of attention so hes social, we've just never had two guinea pigs before. i dont want him to bully the baby one. how do i introudce them?

Answer 1

Here's an answer I gave to a similar question a few days ago:

Keep them separate at first (even separate rooms!) for 3 weeks to ensure that neither has a new illness that can spread to the other. Once assured that both are healthy, take your first pig out of his cage. Clean the whole cage out, including washing the bottom and hard edges with a vinegar-water solution, effectively killing the smell. Also rearrange the objects in his cage; for example, maybe you'll put a hidey-hut on the other side.

Make sure the cage has at least 2 places to hide. This will be critical.

Now, take both of them to neutral ground. I've used a couch before, and it worked fine. Bring a dustpan, a towel, and work/gardening gloves with you. I'd also recommend putting a separate towel on the couch in case of any "accidents."

Place each guinea pig on separate ends of the couch. Don't push or prod them to meet; they'll find each other soon enough. Expect some initial noises and smells. Some guinea pigs will immediately get along, and come together happily like they were long-lost best friends. But, most won't.

Guinea pigs are not only social animals, they are hierarchical. They need to establish dominance. If you interfere, the process starts from square one, so only interfere if you ABSOLUTELY MUST.

Expect the following sounds and behaviors:
-Nose contests. Each will attempt to place his nose higher than the other's. Highest nose signifies dominance.
-Mounting. In any way possible. Mounting is a sign of dominance. It isn't sexual.
-Shaking their butt while making a low rumbling sound. This is called rumblestrutting, and it's telling the other piggy to back down. It's not necessarily aggressive, per se.
-Chattering their teeth. This can be a sign of aggressiveness. If your gloves aren't on, put them on and get the towel ready, but don't intervene.
-Minor scuffles. Enough to pull off some fur. These aren't a problem, really. They aren't hurting each other.
-Showing their teeth. Just as chattering, be ready.
-Rising up on their haunches. When this happens, a full-scale battle is ready. Intervene.
-Fighting in a ball of fur, biting hard enough to draw blood. Intervene.

Intervention:
With your gloves on, throw the towel over the guinea pigs. This disorients them. Wedge the dustpan between the two of them; they won't be able to get through. Immediately separate them.

If you must intervene, try the introduction again later. If the results are the same, put an inch or so of warm water in the bath tub along with a towel on the bottom of the tub. Place both of them on the towel and rub each of them with a light shampoo (killing their scents). After a nice little bath (during which they are experiencing what is, in their eyes, a huge crisis), dry them off with a towel and try the introductions again, this time with some hay to share. Expect a lot of shakings to get dry, a lot of munching from opposite sides, and the same dominance behavior. In my experience, though, they won't be fighting violently after the bath; it kinda bonds them together. That's not to say that they'll get along right away, but as long as they aren't hurting each other any more, you've made a small success.

Once they've worked things out for themselves, place them both in the cage (which, not having scents, can be considered neutral territory for their purposes) and, as long as they don't get intervention-level violent again, leave them to their affairs. They should have things *completely* worked out within a few days.

Answer 2

I hope Carol answers because she knows guinea pigs better then I do, but need I point out that if you rehome 2 males with 2 females, that instead of having an addition problem that you might have a multiplication problem? Edit: Oh yeah Carol go ahead and answer while I'm typing :P

Answer 3

Define "big enough" cage wise. Two guinea pigs require at least 7.5 square feet. I doubt you bought a cage that large.

www.cavycages.com
www.guinealynx.com

Answer 4

Make sure they are the same sex unless you want some babies. I would put up a partition at first so that they can see each other. Once the older one is used to the younger one, remove the partition and watch to see what happens.

Answer 5

don't you think you should have thought about this before you bought the new guinea pig - I just hope they are the same sex else you'll have lots of little guinea pigs soon as well

Answer 6

if you are going to introduce another guinea pig to the one you already have, you should first put them in separate cages/hutch's so they don't fight, especially if the new one is a baby. once they get to know each other then put them together.

Answer 7

Guinea pigs are very social and I never seen any bullies.. just pet the older ones.. and pet the new one and just let them meet.. they might jockey around a bit but they aren't going to attack each other. it should be fine.

Answer 8

awww cute. Maybe put their cages close together, let them sniff either see how they react. Hand the baby to him. Do it once in a while till maybe they are get to know each other.

Answer 9

Do it on neutral territory. If either of them feel that it is their turf then they will have a higher change at fighting. Also make sure they get along before you keep them together.

Answer 10

get them drunk