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Guinea Pig Advice Please- Pair With Large Age-Gap

3 replies

orangefloat · 23/06/2019 08:55

We currently have two lovely sows. One is three, one is is around six and a half. Over time we have had a pair, then a trio but after a couple of sudden deaths over the years we now have our old lady sow with her younger friend.

Our older lady is still,on the face of it,
as fit as a fiddle but I am only too aware that with guineas this means very little and given her age, I know we may not have her for too much longer.

The younger sow is also very docile but looks to her for reassurance and has never been alone.

My question is would you leave them as they are until we lose our older lady (if indeed she is the one to go first) or given the age gap would you get and slowly introduce a third now?

I don't know if this is relevant but they have spacious living arrangements both for inside (winter) and outside, however their outside space is a little larger and they also go out on grass regularly when the weather in nice. If there is the choice,are there any benefits to purposefully introducing a third in the warmer months when they can bond in a slightly larger environment over plenty of grass?

I'm also happy to leave them as a pair if that's what's best, but I don't think younger girlie will do well alone so whenever the time comes I envisage that
We'd need to get her a friend as quickly as possible.

OP posts:
palahvah · 23/06/2019 11:09

If you have enough space for 3 then I don't see why you wouldn't introduce a 3rd now.
Love guineas!

orangefloat · 23/06/2019 13:36

Yes, me too Smile

Was just wondering whether it was fair to put our older girl through the introductions etc really.

OP posts:
fortifiedwithtea · 29/06/2019 14:18

You really can not tell with guineas. My 8+ years sow came with me to visit a friend who had an under 2 years sow. The humans had a chat whilst the guineas snuggled up in a play tunnel. All good . Two weeks later the young piggy suddenly died ☹️

My sow is now over 8 years, 4 months. List of ailments as long as my arm, been like that for years but still enjoying life.

Op neither of your sows are particularly young. In your shoes I would not upset the dynamic of the current bond.

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