We have had guinea pigs before and used to breed them but decided to give them up several yrs ago.
Right, recently we bought a male for our son as a pet, we decided to get another for company unfortunately we decided to get a rescue pig and he is male.
So ok, the original male is 24 weeks old, the new 1 is only 9 weeks old.
Upto now there has been alot of bum rubbing along the floor from the older male and the younger 1 is sitting quite still while the older 1 does this near/around and on him. They have sat beside each other for periods of time and the older pig isn't showing any signs of malice towards the new addition.
Will they be ok left in the same hutch tonight or do I need to have a more gradual approach. Just we only have had to introduce females in the past and this is new territory for us.
They are both currently sat in a large cage in our living room so we can monitor them.
Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
Small pets
Bit of advice please
GinGuzzler · 01/08/2013 16:30
I'm 
at your sentence another for company unfortunately we decided to get a rescue pig and he is male
Are you regretting getting a male companion?
I have a similar situation to you. My two rescue boars were nearly 3 (brothers) got along fine 99% of the time. Odd spat but that's to be expected.
About 3 weeks ago the more placid, less 'boary one' died. The other pig was there (as were DD and I) . We put the dead one in the Pighouse overnight with the dominant boar so there was NO mistake- he was not coming back.
Then I had to find a companion. My DD didn't want to have her boy neutered so we looked for a piglet.
I'd done some research (as you do when you have to face the situation at some time)
You need to introduce in a completely neutral territory. I put mine in a brand new paddling pool so no GP smells.
That night we put them both into the indoor cage (which is plastic so I'd steamed it and used cage cleaner) a newspaper base and a folded towel.
My older boar was very protective but we had the Rumblestrutting and bum dragging as you describe. The piglet was following him like a shadow or diving into the corner to hide (Like a speeding bullet). I didn't give them any boxes indoors, I didn't want piglet trapped. The piglet kept going under the boars tummy at first.
We put them outside the next day then gradually introduced them to grass over the next week.
<br />
I looked on the Barmy 4 Boars website (it's not been updated for a while but there's a good section on boar:piglet introduction)<br />
They said keep a close eye for the first couple of hours but if that goes well, then they should be fine.<br />
<br />
There was one site I read (can't remember if it's the B4B) that you do need a very young boar. Mine was approx 6 weeks (between 6-8) so he had left Mum. There were some that were still with their Mum and though a boar can wean at 3-4 weeks, I don't know if I'd be happy putting it straight in with a large adult.<br />
<br />
I know I should have quarentined our new pig but my adult boar was desperately lonely (from the death of his brother to meeting his new boy was a week)<br />
He got very agitated if his pig was away from him. So I thought "He's seen a vet. What's the worst that can happen?"<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
Our little boy has been trying to mount the older one a couple of times. Old boar walks away but piglet might get a metaphorical smacked bum. I can visual a tusse in the future- you might have the same. Your older boar is going in his prime and your piglet will be in a couple of months.<br />
I reckon our baby will take over as Alpha Pig, we'll see how it goes.<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
I'd give your boys at least 24 hours to observe and take it from there. Make sure you completely neutralise everything, clean out the smell from your currant boar.<br />
<br />
If push comes to shove I can side-by-side by boars but <span class="italic">Touch Wood</span> they are happy.<br />
<br />
Did your Rescue give you a "return policy" if they don't get on?
I put mine in their Pighouse the following day because my boar doesn't like his indoor cage (it's 4'x2') and in winter they sleep in at night but I fill it with hay and put a duvet over the top)
They don't sleep 'together' - they will be in the haybox but different corners or in one of their hidey spaces.
In the run they have a wooden box, a wicker house and tunnels. And they sit in different ones.
Adult boar did this with his brother.
I had sows as a child, they were more sociable 
Thats great advice. I don't regret getting a male per say but I am as I know there's going to ba alot of 'I rule the roost' kind of thing. To be honest the younger one seems very submissive and is now hiding in the sleeping quarters. They have both been in the garden in a make shift run. The older one has been humping him and has been sitting on his head a bit but nothing worse than that, infact when there are any squeaking it is coming from the older one.
In the hutch he keeps going in the sleeping quarters to rumble at him then he comes out to eat again. This has been going on for the last half an hour and no incidents as yet. As I have typed this the older one has decided to lie in the middle of the floor area on his side and very relaxed, probably the most relaxed I have seen him as yet.
The little one hasn't ate or drank anything yet so I will moniter that over the next 24 hrs.
As for money back if it goes pear shaped I will simply get another hutch, keep them close and do a gradual introduction. Upto now though there hasn't been any problems but it is still early days. I am on holiday from work till next friday so I have plenty time to give them, then OH is on his holidays from work.
They are now both lying sude by side in the sleeping area quiet and peacefull. Fingers crossed this is the start of a lovely friendship
Little pig is eating hay and has had a stretch around his home albeit with big pig hot on his heals rumbling away. Still no fights though 
sounds like they are finding their collective feet.
The way I look at it, I don't expect the pigs to be Best Buddies but just to be "there" for each other.
A solo guinea-pig is a lonesome life. When they have another guinea to chatter to, it makes such a difference.
Even though I can see the huh? look in my GP1 eyes when the little boy chatters on.
It's like :" PokemonX-BoxJustinBeiberFaceBookDidYouSeeBigBrotherLastNightWestHamTheSaturdays"
And GP1 wants a cup of tea and the Archers
And in their natural state, 2 mature boars wouldn't live together.But in a (in their view un-natural) sow free environment they jog along quite nicely.
Update. Minipig has claimed the sleeping quarters as his. He lets big pig go in but chases him out after a few minutes. Still no fighting. Checked both earlier for injuries after leaving them together overnight. All seems to be going well. touch wood
I use the one-hidey space per pig + a spare with guineas (especially boars)
We have the haybox which has a lid and is open at the front ;a cardboard box with a fleece;a rubber garden trug with a door cut out filled with hay; a plastic house which was our cats; and a space under the ramp.
They tend to rotate ownership.
When I put clean paper in for them GP1 goes round marking with pee puddles "Mine".
And GP3 walks through it (GP2 used to do this too)
Good to see that they've had a peaceful 1st night.
There will be a few squabbles with boars but it's usually all noise.(Hopefully)
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.