Bonding Guinea Pigs

If you can’t get the help from a rescue centre and have to go it alone with the bonding process, then take a look at some of the points below that we have found useful.

- Neutral territory is best, especially to start with. An existing guinea pig could feel threatened by a newcomer ‘invading their space’. Choose a place other than the usual cage or enclosure so there isn’t a pre-existing smell or scent.

- Make sure there is LOADS OF SPACE. Bigger is better. Outside in a large enclosure on the grass (if you can) or maximise an indoor floor time space.

- At the very start, have a separating wall (e.g. C&C caging grids or some kind of similar cage mesh) so the piggies can see each other, smell and interact without being able to ‘get at’ one another. Then if things seem to be going well you can remove the divider and it’s less of a shock meeting.

- If you are using any fleece or bedding materials, ensure they are clean to keep existing smells and scents to a minimum.

- A small drop of lavender oil on the back of the guinea pigs’ necks is calming and helps disguise their own scent for the initial meeting(s).

- Provide plenty of tunnels, archways and hideys so there is not a fight over who gets to use them. Try to avoid places where a piggy can get cornered and allow for free flow of movement.

- Put some tasty treats and food around the enclosure to distract – and relax – the guinea pigs.

- Observe their behaviour to monitor how the introduction is going.

If neither guinea pig looks like they want to back down, a full-on fight could ensue. Watch your piggies during introduction sessions and be prepared to break them up if they do start fighting - but ensure your safety too, as guinea pig teeth are very SHARP!

- Have a towel handy to throw over the top of the guinea pig before you pick them up and remove them from the environment, to try to avoid getting bitten in the heat of the moment.

- You might even want to put some thick gardening gloves on, or, use oven gloves.

If fighting does break out, it’s fairly unlikely that those guinea pigs will become the best of friends. You could persevere and try again,taking it slowly, but you will most likely have to put your own feelings aside and try a different pairing, for the sake of the piggies themselves.

The occasional display of mild dominance behaviour is normal but just keep an eye out for changes to behaviour. Worst case scenario, be prepared to step in and separate the guinea pigs if things turn aggressive or nasty.

Sometimes bonding can be a gradual thing and you may need to just take it slowly with introductions and then give the piggies some ‘timeout’ in-between. Other times, piggies just will not get on with each other and if this is the case, you must of course prioritise their safety and separate them to avoid fighting and injury.

When you get the dynamics right and have a happy pair or herd of piggies all munching away happily together, it really does warm the heart!