EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW: introducing two female guinea pigs?

[Nicole Oliveira]

I have an existing female "teen" guinea pig and i'm adopting an almost year old piggy tomorrow....
I have everything ready, the cage, bowls, water bottles, igloos, amd toys
What do I do to introduce them the RIGHT way
THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[Meaghan]

dont put them together right away. let them sniff each other first in separate cages so if they dont like each other they wont be able to hurt each other. if they seem fine with that then put them together but make sure you have a way to separate them quickly if anything happens.

 

[Guinea Pig Guru]

Female guinea pigs are generally easier to introduce as they are less terratorial than males - not always, but often. Here I've got some help for you:

First, bring them to neutral territory, such as a bath tub, a bed or somewhere they've both never been. Make sure you have a chicken wire wall in between them. Let them sniff each other and get to know each other. If this is going fine you can eventually remove the chicken wire. They may be raising their hackles up or teeth chattering at first, but if it doesn’t lead onto anything them they should be fine. If they go for each other, then take them out and bath them both (at different times) so they smell the same. Then re-try the first steps. It is a general rule that females will get on better and be less likely to fight than males. It is said that males do get on better when there is one younger and one older though – the dominance thing is easier for them to sort out. Remember you must clean out the cage thoroughly and remove any scents before they go back in or the older one may become territorial.

They can eventually go in the same cage and become buddies for life! Good luck!

 

[nicola e]

I would make sure they meet on neutral ground, not in either cage, maybe the bath? Whenever I have introduced animals and I have done it successfully with guinea pigs and rats what I usually do is put a smear of something sweet like strawberry jam on the top of their heads, that way they both smell the same and because its nice and sweet they will want to lick each other, I would say to let them meet on neutral ground every day for a few days before putting them together in a hutch