We've had our first piggy (Gretel or Gretty) for about a week and a half now. We originally were going to buy a pair from a pet store (I've since read up and learned not to buy from stores, but glad we got her to get us started!), but when we went to pick them up one was gone, so we took the lone piggy. We went out a few nights ago and got her a friend (Oreo) from a local shelter. We want to get them introduced as they're both in separate cages in the same room and have been for 3 days or so now. I'm not worried about quarantine as my girlfriends friend works at the shelter that we got her at and she said she was isolated there for a few weeks.
A little about the two girls. We aren't sure how old Gretty is, but she's definitely smaller than Oreo, and we were told Oreo is 1 year old. Oreo was also picked on by another piggy that she was brought to the shelter with. Our apartment has a lot of places where they could hide so I'm not sure where to do the introduction.... could a bathtub work if I laid down some clean towels and put hay veggies and water bottles in there for them? Oreo is in our original cage which came from Petco, and Gretty is in the larger cage that I bought that is larger and suitable to house both of them. I'm thinking if I can introduce them while my girlfriend cleans out the large cage and washes the fleece so that everything is fresh, and if the intro goes well after I watch them for a few hours we move them into the cage...
I didn't know if one of them still being young, and the other having been "bullied" in the past would make a difference, so I wanted to start a post. I've read a few of the other posts about introductions here and on other forums.
Welcome to Wheekers! Gretel and Oreo sound lovely.
You don't need to worry so much about ages with girls - it's unusual for two girls not to get along if introduced properly (not to say they won't get very strumpy with each other now and then, but serious fall outs are rare!). It's introducing boys where it can often be beneficial if there's a difference in age, to avoid them going through the terrible teenage years together. Also, them not having got along with a previous cagemate needn't affect anything either - they'll most likely just suss out the other one on their on terms. (Just as an aside, I'm sure you've read that pet shops are notorious for mis-sexing guinea pigs, so have had Gretel verified?! Even with shelters it never hurts to double check, especially before intros!)
A good sized bathtub is a good neutral place - just make sure you put out a few things to investigate etc to distract them a bit. If you have a big sofa, you could cover that with an old blanket and do it on there (provided you're right by them to stop them falling off if they get excited!). Otherwise, you can just use furniture to make a cordon within a room so they can't disappear off anywhere. Bathrooms are often good places, as there aren't as many places to hide and the floor is often wipe clean. Although if the floors are slippy, pop a towel down for them as they don't tend to like walking on smooth floors.
Here's a short clip of a successful intro I did a while back (two females)! Both had lived alone for months/years before this, so it was lovely watching them interacting.
You've probably found it on your travels, but just in case you haven't, here's my favourite page on introductions. Good luck, hope it goes well and let us know how you get on!
Thanks! For now I have their cages next to each other and will do the real introduction on Saturday when I have the whole day to watch them (especially once they're in the cage after the initial introduction).
Last night when we put the cages next to each other Gretel went nuts! Popcorning all over the place, they both stood up at the side of their cages squeaking. After a few minutes Oreo went into her hiding spot and Gretel kept going laps around her cage talking. I have a good feeling about Saturday but we will see! I can't wait to get them together and hopefully they become friends and we can see them interact (and be able to put the second cage away and get some of our living room back! lol).
Also, Gretel looks just like the brown piggy in your video and Oreo is black and white with a bit of brown!
Hello and welcome Your girls sound wonderful There are different schools of thought on doing intros. I think the three most important things about intros are 1) having it in a neutral place, with a pile of hay in the middle; 2) making sure the cage they will use is totally clean of all the scent from other pigs, and 3) Make sure the cage is big enough for two pigs.
Pip and Squeak 1/19/21, Noodles. I miss you Zippy, Dallas, Dakota, Momma, Harlequin, Molly, Grishy, Mia, Momo, Morty, Oodles and NOodles. You're always in my heart.
Aw it sounds like they're excited about getting to know each other - those two were like that before they met too. Good plan to do it at the weekend as watching them for a while after gives you peace of mind things are going well. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
These two only lived with each other temporarily. We originally had two boys who didn't get on well, so we had them neutered with the aim of getting them wives. Although they'd never actually fought, they had to be separated post-neutering as they were getting too lairy with one another and I was worried they'd rupture their stitches.
In the meantime we acquired two separate females from people who didn't want them anymore. So we had four cages in our living room for a while! I hadn't planned to introduce the girls as I thought it might be confusing swapping pals, but they were so desperate for company so had a couple of happy weeks together until the boys were ready. And they're now happy with their new husbands! But yes, four cages was way too many!
I feel bad that every night Gretel starts going absolutely insane trying to get to Oreo! They both got into the corners of the cages that are by each other and stood up chewing the bars. I almost moved them apart but I guess it's better if they get to know each other that way for the next few days until they're free together.
I'm excited though! I keep having to make sure I say hi to my girlfriend before the piggies when I get home from work every day. haha
Your girlfriend doesn't greet you with happy wheeks, when you get home, lol I always greet my girls, as they hear the key in the door, and know I'm home
Pip and Squeak 1/19/21, Noodles. I miss you Zippy, Dallas, Dakota, Momma, Harlequin, Molly, Grishy, Mia, Momo, Morty, Oodles and NOodles. You're always in my heart.
Tomorrows the day! I'm way more excited than Oreo, and probably about as excited at Gretty! haha Girlfriend still thinks I'm insane, I'll post an update tomorrow!
Haha! Hope your girlfriend gives you funny looks when you talk to them - it's all part of the fun!
Looking forward to hearing how the piggies get on. Really hope it's a good match straight off, but if it isn't then don't lose heart - it just takes a bit of time sometimes!
Pip and Squeak 1/19/21, Noodles. I miss you Zippy, Dallas, Dakota, Momma, Harlequin, Molly, Grishy, Mia, Momo, Morty, Oodles and NOodles. You're always in my heart.
So we introduced them this afternoon. They spent about 2 hours together on the floor in a neutral space. Everything went well for the most part, no fighting or chasing really. They circled each other a bit to start and a little bit of mounting. They spent a lot of time just lying next to each other. At one point Oreo did pee on Gretel (basically on her head... lol), I chalked it up to a dominance thing. After the 2 or 2.5 hours we put them in their cage (which was cleaned while they were on the floor). They were fine for the first 2 hours or so in the cage, but now for the last hour Oreo (the larger and older of the two, but newer to us) has been chasing Gretel around the cage, Gretel has been squeeking and running away. I don't know if they're playing or if this is normal after a few hours of no issues. I feel bad for her! Is this normal and what should we do? I'm worried about keeping them together when we go to sleep later.
How did they fare overnight? It sounds like the signs were positive to start with, which is really promising. From that video it looks like Oreo wants to be in charge, and is throwing her weight around a little, but Gretel didn't look overly stressed by it all. Certainly no serious signs of aggression there, just the regular dominance dance.
Unless it was constant and you felt Gretel was unhappy (in which case I'd put them back side by side for night and resume the session in a neutral area the next day) then I'd not be at worried about leaving them together. Maybe have some more time in the larger area tomorrow so they can iron things out with a bit more wriggle room?
And yes, the jet of wee in the face is a great signal to tell someone to stop following/ mounting you! I've got a boar called Josh who can get a bit amorous, and he gets it a lot! It's very effective!
They survived the night and I didn't hear any problems so that's a good thing. We are going to be out of the house for 4 hours or so today so I'm not sure if I should put a divider in the cage while we're gone. What are the chances of things escalating today while we're out?? I just don't want a real fight to break out while I'm not here to stop it.
I also have to go pick up a second hut. Oreo came with a cloth hiding place but I was worried they were going to fight in it yesterday so we took it out and put a large cloth tube in. We have a second hut ordered online but I don't want to wait another 4 days for it so I'll pick one up so they can both have something sturdy over their heads.
I may take the divider up all together (it's currently in there separating the food from the larger area where there are huts and toys). I feel like Oreo is pinning Gretty on that side with no place to run.
Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 4, 2016 15:24:02 GMT
Personally love, I would put the divider in place if you are not going to be there, so it will save you from worrying and if they do start feeling stroppy, they can't hurt each other.
We didn't separate them when we went out. We added a second hut so they both have their own now, although whichever Gretel goes into, Oreo wants for her self.
Oreo is still chasing and nipping at Gretel a bit, not all the time, sometimes they will be eating side by side, and others Oreo will chase Gretel and send her squealing. Is that something normal that may go on for a length of time? I go running to the cage every time I hear it and feel terrible, but maybe it's a bigger deal to us than it is to them.
I don't know for sure, but I think it's just them trying to work out who's the boss. I think it will get better with time and they will get along great. I'm sure somebody else has experience with this and will reply to your post later :-)
Dominance behaviour usually settles down over time, as the dominant pig becomes reassured the other one isn't about to make a bid for the top pig position. Oreo's just reminding Gretel she's in charge from time to time. It sounds like Gretel is keen to show she's submitting with the squealing, so the fact they're not both bidding for top pig should make it easier overall - two stroppy females who don't want to back down can be a handful!
I've had a couple of squealers and have had to watch them for a while to be convinced there's no injury as it was so dramatic! I think it egged one female on when her new cagemate behaved like a squeaky toy!
The way they do things certainly isn't how we do things. Sometimes people quite understandably worry about one being bullied and keep interrupting the process which just means the pigs have to work even harder to assert their dominance and the whole process takes a lot longer.
Of course sometimes genuine bullying does occur, but if you're seeing them get along a lot of the time and relaxing and eating side by side, then those are great signs only a couple of days on. As for the arguments about the hidey houses - although it's a good idea to have two of things they may squabble over as it can head off conflict, you may still find Oreo just wants whichever one Gretel is in! It sounds like a good idea to take down the divider if it's providing somewhere Oreo can corner Gretel - a large, free-flowing space might head off some conflict.
I think it all sounds pretty encouraging overall so fingers crossed that continues!