Bonding and Introduction

Just recently, we've been busy introducing a new piggie, Jim, into our herd, as well as bonding him with his partner John. If you have lately adopted a new guinea pig to introduce to your single pig or herd, you have come to the right place.

Also check out our YouTube video on Bonding and Introducing Guinea Pigs!

Step 1: Quarantine

The first step when you get your new guinea pig is 7-day quarantine. NEVER put the newcomer in the cage your pigs are currently using - it can cause your previously owned pig(s) to feel territorial and defensive and the new pig to feel overwhelmed and ganged up on. Instead, you should have a temporary cage set up for your new addition, preferably located near the other piggies so they can smell and hear each other. Quarantine is a necessary step to protect all of your pigs' safety, since if the newcomer has unknown health problems, it can become problematic for both you and your buddies. Though it's difficult to resist just putting them together for a tiny ten minutes, you must stay patient with your guinea pigs' health in mind.

Step 2: Getting Your Pigs Used To Each Other

Secondly is the step of scent swapping. Scent swapping can be done over the seven-day quarantine and is a step that should be repeated throughout the entire bonding process. This is when you take a hidey from each guinea pig's cage and swap them. This may seem like an insignificant step, but it is incredibly important for your pigs to get used to each other's scent before finally meeting each other. It will make your piggies feel less defensive of certain hideys and more like the hidey belongs to both of them.

Another step that helps your piggies feel less like strangers is split cage. With John and Jim, a whole new cage was built so that they could live split apart, but still communicate with each other. With split cage, both guinea pigs can clearly see each other, hear each other and interact with each other, but can't fight or hurt each other. Split cage is a great way for your pigs to get used to each other and form an independent, safe relationship. If your piggies' previous cage isn't big enough for a split cage strategy, build one! Watch our video on John and Jim's cage makeover if you need any ideas and have a few extra C&C grids laying around...

If you decide to use the split cage technique, we highly recommend cage swapping as well. If your pigs each become comfortable on a single side of the split cage, there's a good chance they'll begin to think that it's "their side" and become territorial or defensive. Cage swapping, or switching guinea pigs from one side of your split cage to the other, is an effective way to make sure that your guinea pigs don't start thinking that they have a side that belongs to them. We recommend cage swapping every day or two, so that your piggies never get used to a single side.

Step 3: Common Area Bonding

After your seven-day quarantine has finished and you're sure that the newcomer is not infected, you can begin common area bonding. It is extremely important that your bonding sessions take place in a universally unfamiliar space, meaning both guinea pigs are completely new to the area. If one guinea pig is more familiar with the space than the other, it could cause him to feel more defensive, and you want to avoid hostility as much as possible. Make sure you give your piggies plenty of room, and don't be afraid to give them hay and veggies. A great bonding area is outside in a playpen in the grass, where your pigs can enjoy delicious grass together and forget about fighting. If you’re unable to bring your pigs outside to enjoy the grass, a blanket in an unfamiliar space will do.

During common area bonding with males, you will most likely see signs of dominance such as teeth chattering, mounting, rumble strutting, ear biting, and fur biting. Though these actions might worry you, they are completely normal for your piggies and are no reason to break up the bonding session. Even if your pigs begin fighting - facing each other and sticking their heads out at each other with their mouths open - do not separate them. They need to solve the problem between them, and if they are separated, they will only start from the beginning once they are put back together again. The only time you should ever separate your guinea pigs during a bonding session is if you see blood. If one of your pigs is bleeding, separate them immediately using a towel. Never use your hands when separating a fight, as your guinea pigs may bite you out of anger.

When bonding, the best time to end the session is not when your guinea pigs are fighting or even interacting. You want to put them back when they are calm, preferably lying down or eating peacefully. This is so that next bonding session, the guinea pigs don’t feel frustrated or start over again next time they see each other.

Step 4: Same Cage!

When you feel that your guinea pigs are ready to begin their lives in a single cage living together, make sure that you are prepared. Clean the bottom surface of your cage (under your fleece or bedding) with 50% white distilled vinegar and 50% water solution to completely get rid of both guinea pigs’ scents. Then, do a full cage clean as you normally would.

After this is complete, put your pigs in the clean cage, free of hideys, and watch them carefully. If they have gotten along without any fights or signs of agitation, you can add some cardboard hideys in and see what happens. If your guinea pigs begin fighting over hideys, we suggest that you keep them separate for a short amount longer, and continue regular bonding sessions except add in hideys when possible.

Extra Tips

If your pigs are having trouble bonding, there is a possibility that they are just not a good match. They may never be able to live together. There are a few extra tips we can offer, however.

First, you can try getting them together during feeding time only. This will cause your piggies to associate seeing each other with yummy food, which is definitely a positive connection. Being together while eating will eventually feel normal for your pigs, and is a good way to get them used to each other in a friendly manner.

Another tip is buddy baths. For this step, you have to make sure your piggies haven’t had a bath in at least three months. If they haven’t, a buddy bath is a great way for your guinea pigs to bond over their common fear and hatred. Most guinea pigs hate getting bathed, so if you put your bonding pigs in the bath together, it’ll hopefully make them feel aligned against the singular enemy. Once the bath is done, put your piggies on a soft blanket in a universally uncommon bonding area.

We hope these tips are useful for introducing your newest pig into your herd. Leave a comment if you have any extra tips to share with your fellow guinea pig lovers!